Keg tapping to kick off 51st K-W Oktoberfest

It’s here!

Over a week of festhalles, food and plenty of fun to go around, as KW Oktoberfest kicks off Year 51 in a new-ish location Friday.

For years, King and Frederick was the location for the keg tapping ceremony – which will happen in the noon hour – before moving over to Carl Zehr Square.

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, who was asked by officials to do the keg tapping honours, says the shift in location to King and Frederick (in the fenced in Crabby Joe’s parking lot) is to get ahead of the game, knowing Carl Zehr Square will not be available in 2020 because of a renovation project.

“It was an opportunity to re-locate it for a couple years,” he said, “And also, we ignite the whole notion of Willkommen Platz, which of course closed several years ago due to the construction of the LRT.”

“We’re really excited about having Willkommen Platz come back to downtown Kitchener (for the first two days of the festival), and have a new venue for opening ceremonies, which will work for the next two years, and then 2021, welcome it back to the new-and-improved Carl Zehr Square at city hall.”

The celebrations mean a stretch of King Street (between Frederick and Water) will be closed, but will be full of activities for all ages.

Those activities include a two-day concert series that kicks off after the opening ceremonies, complete with a beer garden and German bands and dance groups, free children’s entertainment, a vendor village, authentic food and a midway.

There’s also the council BBQ on King, between Queen and Frederick, with all the proceeds going towards the food bank.

IIn addition the annual Rogers Kitchener radio group free Oktoberfest family breakfast goes Saturday morning at Bingemans.

Once again 570 NEWS staff along with the crew from their sister stations CHYM 96.7 and Country 106.7 will be serving up pancakes and sausage prepared by the culinary students at Conestoga College along with coffee and apple cider.

While the breakfast is free you’re invited to bring along a donation for the Food Bank of Waterloo Region.

CLICK HERE to check out the KW Oktoberfest site, complete with the full schedule, maps, safety tips and everything else.