Weekend: Immanuel Lutheran Church and School Annual Oktoberfest

PHOTO: The Elbe-Musikanten German Band will perform Sunday at the annual Oktoberfest celebration at Immanuel Lutheran Church and School.

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Get your oompa on Sunday at the Immanuel Lutheran Church and School Annual Oktoberfest, to be held from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at the church and school, located at 1801 Russell Road in Alexandria (see Google map below).

This popular annual event features the original Elbe-Musikanten German Band, a traditional biergarten and German food, along with children’s activities and more.

The school’s PTL has extended the deadline for advance tickets until the end of the school day Friday:

• Adults (21 and up) can purchase tickets for $12 per person (includes two drink tickets).
• Tickets for youth (ages 5-20) are $5.
• Children 4 and under attend for free.

Ticket money can be dropped off in the school office; include the number of adults and children with your payment. Adult tickets purchased on Sunday will be $15.

Here’s more about the Elbe-Musikanten German Band, from their Web site:

The Original Elbe-Musikanten German Band takes its name from the Elbe River, Germany’s second largest river. The river itself originates in the Czech Republic. “Elbe-Musikanten” literally means “Elbe (River) musicians.” The band is a group of nine to 13 musicians who enjoy playing the traditional style mainly of German, Austrian, Czech and Slovak music such as polkas, marches, waltzes and other dances as well as favorite songs. The music is typical of the kind you would listen to at a German village event where the community gathers to celebrate and socialize. This, of course, includes also music for Oktoberfest and Gemütlichkeit. The band itself is configured, in true German village style, to include flugelhorns and tenor horns, along with clarinets, trumpet, trombones, tuba, and percussion.

Elbe-Musikanten was founded by Andreas Marx in December of 1994. The band evolved out of the European Wind Ensemble of Richmond (Virginia), also founded by Herr Marx. Since the European Wind Ensemble had grown to an over 25 piece band, there was a need to establish a smaller group to meet new requirements for other performance settings. All musicians are from the Greater Richmond area, and several have their professional background in music. Thirteen years after its inception, over half of the members of the band are founding members.