Willkommen! 29th annual Germantown Oktoberfest is Saturday

Shake the dust off the lederhosen: Germantown Oktoberfest is coming.

Oktoberfest enters its 29^th year Saturday, Oct. 1, and is scheduled from 11 a.m. to dark at Ridge Road Park (21155 Frederick Road). Attendees can expect the typical trappings — beer and food from Germany, polka bands and waltzes. There are also inflatables for the kids, funnel cakes and plenty of goods to buy.

William G. Robertson, president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare, is this year’s honorary chair.

Oktoberfest is a community-organized event in which part of the proceeds go to a local nonprofit. Last year’s proceeds went to Northwest and Seneca Valley high school’s after prom initiatives. The event has come along way since it began as , going from 200 to 300 attendees to fetching an estimated 10,000 people in recent years, organizers have said.

So get ready to raise a stein or two. Here are a few schedule highlights from this year’s Oktoberfest.

29^th Annual Germantown Oktoberfest Schedule

11 a.m. — Oktoberfest Walk for the Homeless. Coordinated by Upper Montgomery Assistance Network. Registration fee costs $20-$30. The organization is raffling a free admission to an "extreme couponing" course led by J'amie Kirlew, a local extreme couponer recently featured on TLC.
11:30 a.m. — Opening ceremonies
Noon-4 p.m. — Heidi and Helmut Echo Band; United German Hungarian Schuhplattler Dancers
4-4:30 p.m. — Montgomery County Police Department, District 5, police awards
5-7:30 p.m. — Navy Cruisers
7:45 p.m. — Fireworks