Seymour Oktoberfest in Mellencamp's Hometown
Indiana' Small Town Proudly Claims German Heritage Each October
Sep 1, 2009
Nestled in the heart of south central Indiana off of I-65 midway between Indianapolis and Louisville, John Mellencamp's small town of Seymour changes overnight from a growing city of 20,000 to an easygoing village with picnic tables in the middle of busy historic downtown streets freshly lined with food and crafts booths and decorated with fall and Bavarian accents.
Festival Celebrates German Immigrants, and Cool Weather
Incorporated in 1973 to commemorate the area's 19th century German immigrants, Seymour Oktoberfest attracts over 100,000 festival attendees for the first October weekend of each year, which is usually highlighted with cool weather and glowing red and orange fall colors. In spite of the crowd, there’s a good-natured feel as local residents greet those who have long moved away and gladly welcome first-time and repeat visitors. While many tourist towns emit resentment towards the seasonal onslaught, Seymour's hospitality remains genuine during the three-day festival.
Oktoberfest's multi-block area allows for multiple stages for talent shows, German, Gospel and contemporary music performances, dancers, and the official Oktoberfest Prince and Princess contest. Men sometimes wander around wearing lederhosen while business signs and decorated windows welcome revelers with a hearty Guten Tag!
Bier, Root Bier, Parades, and Enormous Air-filled Balloons
Oktoberfest does feature the requisite Bier Garden although with American beer in a fenced-in area, but it also provides a complimentary Root Bier garden with free kid-friendly activities. In fact, Oktoberfest sponsors an air balloon race on Friday evening and the city’s largest parade on Saturday, making the daytime atmosphere eminently kid-friendly.
Ethnic Food, Handmade Crafts, and Old-Fashioned Delights
Hungry visitors can enjoy German-themed desserts, Brats, barbeque, Vietnamese, and other ethnic foods while wandering through the festival. Arts and crafts booths sell handmade items (a festival requirement) while homemade pies and cakes are given as prizes in the popular cakewalk. A carnival inhabits a large parking lot, delighting kids with sticky cotton candy, a variety of fast, noisy rides, and a place to enjoy the pure Americana of the Midwestern autumn.
Clean and Safe Family-Friendly Festival in John Mellencamp's Hometown
The local Seymour Department of Public Works and Park and Recreation Department keep the streets clean of litter, cheerfully provide directions to booths and the area honoring John Mellenamp, and work the entire festival from the beginning when Second Street’s sign is replaced by Zweite Strasse to late Saturday night when the festival magically disappears like Cinderella’s ballgown and coach. By dawn on Sunday morning, souvenirs and happy grins are the only reminder of another Seymour Oktoberfest.
Year-long Cinderella Effect Benefits Seymour Non-Profits
Best of all, the incredibly efficient Seymour Oktoberfest Committee periodically gives grants to non-profits in the community, ensuring that the good feelings from the festival extend throughout the year.
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