German flag raised outside City Hall for first time in Reading's history
Sep. 27—Reading's Oktoberfest celebration kicked off Wednesday when the German flag was raised outside City Hall.
Members of the Reading Liederkranz German cultural club gathered for the occasion, thought to be the first German flag raising in the city's history.
The club, headquartered on more than 10 acres off Spook Lane in Lower Alsace Township, has more than 2,000 members from around the world.
Its goal is to promote German culture and celebrate the people and regions that helped shaped that culture.
Immigrants from the areas that became the country of Germany were among the first to settle in Reading in the mid-1700s, Councilwoman Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz said.
The Liederkranz was founded in 1885 by more recent German immigrants, she noted, and the club had its first quarters in the city at 834 Chestnut St.
Club events such as Oktoberfest, Maifest, Christkindlmarkt and the Schweinshaxen and Schnitzelfest dinners celebrate German traditions brought to the city by immigrants and continued by their descendants.
The club's five-day Oktoberfest runs through Sunday.
"I hope you can all join us," said Karl Allmendinger, chairman of the festival.
The ticketed event is the organization's major fundraiser and offers an immersive celebration of German culture and customs, featuring traditional foods, beverages and entertainment.
"The Reading Liederkranz Oktoberfest was recently rated as the third best Oktoberfest in the nation by USA Today editors and readers," Mayor Eddie Moran noted.
The first Oktoberfest was held on Oct.12, 1810, to celebrate of the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria, who later became King Louis I, to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen, the mayor said.
It is traditionally celebrated in Munich, Germany, over a two-week period that starts in mid-September and ends on the first Sunday in October.
The local festival runs through Sunday on the Liederkranz grounds on Mount Penn.
Tickets will be available at the gate for $5 Wednesday, $10 Thursday, $15 Friday and Saturday, and $5 Sunday.
Admission is free for guests under 21.
For more information, see readingliederkranz.com.
