We found out about Frankenmuth's Oktoberfest celebration as we traveled through Michigan UP and decided
the timing was right for us to join in on this Oktoberfest celebration!
Showing our Oktoberfest spirit with our Bavarian Hats!
History:
Lord Mayor Christian Ude and the German Parliament from Munich gave an official proclamation in 1996. Frankenmuth's Oktoberfest was declared the first Oktoberfest to operate with the blessing of the original Oktoberfest in Munich. With this proclamation, the event was moved into September to coincide with the opening of the Munich event. Also, for the first time in history, the world-famous Hofbräuhaus brewery of Munich exported their beer to the United States. The Hofbräuhaus became the official beer sponsor of the Frankenmuth Oktoberfest in 1997.
Welcome! We thoroughly enjoyed this Oktoberfest celebration
We
were there for the Opening ceremony on Thursday where they officially kick off Oktoberfest when they open a Keg of Hofbräuhaus Oktoberfest
beer for everyone to get a drink from the keg (free beer!)
The Schuhplaters were right by the keg so folks waiting for the beer were getting pictures as they walked by… and they surprised me with this pose - LOL
Great
bands played continuously as they had the stage set up for three bands, so they transitioned from
one band to the next quickly – we got lots of dancing in too!
We
enjoyed watching the German dancers (Schuhplaters) including a guy that flew in from the Hofbräuhaus Munich Germany.
A few video snippets of the Schuhplaters
In addition to the Oktoberfest celebration, we also visited some other sites around the town.
St Lorens Lutheran Church
Built
in 1880, it is one of the 14 charter locations of the Lutheran Church -
Beautiful Corinthian columns and intricate ceiling.
Center dome with a picture of a dove representing the Holy Spirit
West Stained Glass Windows
Depicts "The proclamation of Christianity through the apostles
West Stained Glass Windows
Depicts "The Beginnings of Christianity"
Church bells in the forest - These are the original bells brought by the settlers in 1845 that were cast in Germany. We could actually ring the bells!
Bronner’s Christmas Store
I
believe this is the largest Christmas store in the US – huge store that is the
size of 1 ½ football fields on a 25+ acre site.
The family built it with the idea
of celebrating the joy of Jesus’ birth everyday.
Bronner’s
motto:
Enjoy
CHRISTmas It’s HIS Birthday
Enjoy
Life It’s HIS Way
The
grounds are filled with year-round lighted Christmas decorations
to enjoy day or night.
This place is huge - so many different decorations to choose from..
Including the largest selection of Jim Shore that I've ever seen.
“Silent Night Memorial Chapel”
On
the grounds they have a “Silent Night Memorial Chapel” that is actually
a replica of the Oberndorf Austria Silent Night Chapel commemorating where the hymn
was first sung with a guitar in 1818. The
chapel in Oberndorf is built where the St. Nicholas church originally stood –
the church was damaged in a flood and rebuilt on higher ground and the chapel erected
in it’s place.
History of the Hymn:
The pastor of St Nicholas church asked a friend to compose the music for the words of Silent Night that he had written so that it could be played on the guitar since the organ was not working. Franz Xaver Gruber finished the composition and on Dec 24, 1818 at the Christmas Eve midnight service in the Church, Mohr played the guitar and sang tenor and the pastor, Joseph Mohr, sang bass.
This chapel in Frankenmuth was built by the Bronners’ in 1992 (with permission of Oberndorf, Austria) as a tribute to the Christmas Hymn “Silent Night”.
The hymn is translated in over 300 languages on plaques that line the walkway leading up to the chapel.. more and more translations have been added over the years.
No comments:
Post a Comment