The sounds of sizzling sausages and traditional German folk music filled the streets of West Annapolis Sunday as people celebrated Oktoberfest.
People bought pitchers of beer, stood in lines waiting for the German sausage, bratwurst, and some showed up in Alpine hats and lederhosen.
In the center of Annapolis Street, the German band named Heimatecho, performed in front of the crowds. The vocalist, Mark Meuschke, stood out front wearing lederhosen, wool socks and an alpine hat with a curled black feather. While the four-person band performed folk songs, Meuschke would peer around the crowd.
“Is that for the dog or for you?”
He jokingly asked a man who walked by holding a pitcher in one hand and a leash for his dog in another.
Meuschke’s great grandparents immigrated from Germany to the United States, and he grew up in Virginia but had to reconnect with his German heritage, he said.
“I had to relearn all this German heritage stuff, but I learned it here from Bavarians who came over,” he explained.
Oktoberfest is a German festival that celebrates Bavarian culture with the aid of beer, music and food. For Meuschke, he not only provides the entertainment but he can provide the history behind the 1810 festivities.
“The crowned prince, who was going to become the next king of Bavaria, he was going to get married. The whole state of Bavaria showed up in Munich, they had such a great time they said — hey let’s celebrate the anniversary every year,” Meuschke explained.
When it comes to the music Meuschke and his band plays, he said it tells a story.
“Folk music will talk about your homeland — it talks about the mountains, the trees, the valleys or the river that goes through your town,” he said.
And for music specific to the age-old wedding celebration, the music tells a story of getting together and having a good time, Meuschke said.
The festival not only happens in Munich but around the world, and for the city of Annapolis, a street is closed off for people to buy food and crafts from vendors. A local connection that Meuschke said is still true to the German tradition.
“Even though 6 million people from around the world come from Munich to celebrate, for the people in Munich it is their little street party. It is just like West Annapolis having its little street party.”
For those who are celebrating German heritage, hearing music from the band elicits a number of responses from the public, said tuba player, Ed Goldstein.
“A lot of people who speak German come up and ask for requests,” he said.
Further down the street, another group performed in front of a crowd. A couple from Annapolis stood by and watched the musicians play. The woman, Barbara McLaughlin, considered the festival to be fun for her because she’s also of German descent. She’s studied German in school and she’s even visited the country, McLaughlin said.
“There isn’t much of German culture left here, whenever I see a German bakery or something I always have to rush to it,” she said. “It’s my heritage, it is nice to have something like this nearby.”
This year’s 29th Oktoberfest was hosted by The West Annapolis Business Affiliation.
