Yuengling beer, pretzels and 'oompah' music brings crowd to Pottsville's Oktoberfest

Sep. 16—POTTSVILLE — Yuengling beer, stuffed pretzels and the "oompah" sound of a German band transported Tom Mangold back to Germany on Saturday during Oktoberfest in the city's downtown.

"I've been to Oktoberfest in Munich," said Mangold, a Colorado artist who is vacationing in Pennsylvania. "The tents are so big, they can handle 3,000 people at one time."

Mangold and a friend, Maggie Ziegler, toured D.G. Yuengling & Son's 19th century brewery before boarding the Miss Dolly Trolley to the Oktoberfest on North Centre Street.

Listening to the "Beer Barrel Polka," Mangold and Ziegler snacked on Uncle Paul's Stuffed Pretzels.

"I never had one before," confided Ziegler, a retired Northampton County administrator. "But I will have one again."

Unlike last year's washout, sunny skies and a gentle breeze provided ideal weather for a fall festival patterned after the former Bavarian Summer Festival at Lakewood Park.

From 1969 to 1983, authentic bands from Germany performed at that festival, also known as Oktoberfest, in July. Alpine hornblowers and knee-slapping Schuhplattler dancers performed daily in the festival beer hall at Lakewood.

Mangold recalled hoisting a glass and chanting "Ein Prosit," the German beer drinking song, in Munich.

Good Times Live, a Philadelphia area German band, had the Pottsville crowd stomping its feet to "Hi, Ho, Laura," a drinking song featuring tuba player Laura Quackenbush.

Bob Tokonitz, the band's trombone player, has roots in Schuylkill County.

His mother was from Heckschersville, and his father grew up in Saint Clair.

"My mother was eight months pregnant with me when we moved to Pottstown," Tokonitz said. "I missed being born in Schuylkill County by one month."

Randy and Mary Beamer, who live in Pittsburgh, washed down Joe's pierogies with Yuengling's Oktoberfest.

The Beamers rated Joe's pierogies, made in Hazleton, with the best of Pittsburgh's.

"There are a lot of pierogies in Pittsburgh," said Mary Beamer, a church secretary. "There's a large Polish population there."

Visiting the Yuengling brewery was on the Beamers' bucket list. On tour in their camper, they visited Hersheypark and attended drag races at Maple Grove Raceway in Berks County.

Being so close, they couldn't pass up a chance to tour the brewery. The Oktoberfest was a bonus.

The enticing aroma of food wafted over the area between Market Street and Laurel Boulevard on Centre Street, which the city cordoned off for the festival.

BigFoot Fries, Joe's Minidoughnuts and Puerto Rican specialties served from a converted school bus were among the delicacies that attracted festivalgoers.

Oktoberfest provided a venue for local artists, including Ian Young, of Pottsville.

Young displayed pen-and-ink depictions inspired by fantasies in comic books and novels.

"My works are very dark, very Gothic," said Young, 23, of Pottsville.

Lisa Gillespie co-chaired the event with Diana Prosymchak, executive director of the Schuylkill County Historical Society.

"I am pleasantly surprised at how well it went," said Gillespie, executive director of the Majestic Theater.

She expects there will be another Oktoberfest next year but is uncertain of the date.

The Pottsville Business Association sponsored the event.

Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007