Club welcomes all downtown for Oktoberfest

May your cup overfloweth with German revelry during the third annual Oktoberfest at Centennial Plaza from 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St.

Feast on traditional food and drink -- German potato cakes, potato salad, sauerkraut, bratwurst, Polish sausage, apple strudel and a variety of beers -- and take in entertainment by German musicians. Children's activities and games will be provided.

Herbie Autobahn is set to entertain in the biergarden with yodeling and German Schlager music on the accordion and keyboard.

Alpine music by Salzburger Echo and German folk dancing by the Las Vegas Bavarian Dancers also are planned throughout the day.

Salzburger Echo plays Old World and contemporary folk music from the alpine regions of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Performances in authentic costumes include 12-foot alphorns, Swiss cowbells, harmony yodeling and audience participation. Salzburger Echo frequently tours festivals throughout the United States and Europe.

Brian Kendall, program manager with city of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs, said visitors can bring the family, indulge in pastimes or experience something new.

"There are going to be instruments that people may have never seen before," he said. "The band will be encouraging a lot of participation."

The free celebration is presented by the city of Las Vegas and the German-American Social Club of Nevada.

Club director Stanley France said German culture gets a time to shine during events such as Oktoberfest.

He joked that it pales in some respects to the real German festival.

"Theirs is about 100 times larger," he said. "We don't have any waitresses going around with 10-12 mugs of beer in their hands."

The social club had hosted the event at its clubhouse, 1011 E. Lake Mead Blvd., but said the partnership with the city has benefited both parties.

"We hope to continue that," he said.

Kendall said past events have been a place for new family memories to be formed.

"It has provided that family experience to have a nice time with each other," he said.

Limited free parking is available at the Historic Fifth Street School lot. Metered parking is available directly across the street from the event.

For details, visit artslasvegas.org or call 229-3515 or 649-8503. For more information on the German-American Social Club of Nevada, visit german-americansocialclubofnevada.org. For more on Salzburger Echo, visit http://salzburgerecho.com.

Contact Centennial and North Las Vegas View reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@viewnews.com or 477-3839.