NEW PALESTINE — Streamers in the colors of the German flag — red, yellow and black — decorate the cafeteria. Words in the German language — schule (school), lecker (delicious) and bitte (you’re welcome) — hang from the ceiling. It’s time for the annual GermanFest at Zion Lutheran School.
Food is the star of the show at Saturday’s celebration of German heritage. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., an a la carte lunch, catered by the Smoking Goose, is available featuring both German and American food. Beginning at 4 p.m. and running through 7:30 p.m., dinner will be served at a price of $15 for adults and $6 for children. The meal includes sauerbraten, ribs and kraut, ham, green beans, German potato salad, brats and wieners, potato pancakes, pretzels and desserts.
The popular Touch a Truck display will be on hand featuring an Indycar racer and a Red Bull Air Race plane and pylons. Bounce houses, face painting, a hayride, cotton candy, popcorn and pretzels are also part of the event.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
A Lafayette-based German band will provide polkas and Bavarian folk tunes from 4 to 7 p.m.
GermanFest’s roots date back to 1975 when Bob Rathmacher and Freeda Nelis organized a German dinner as a Parent-Teacher League fundraiser. It began as a meal using family recipes for homestyle German food. Rathmacher and Nelis would spend the entire day cooking in their homes and then transporting the food to the school. Zion Lutheran teachers pitched n by making German chocolate cakes to serve as dessert. Last year, with more than 500 people in attendance, the event expanded into a day-long festival.
GermanFest wouldn’t be GermanFest, however, without Hans and Heidi, two life-size wooden cutouts of a man and woman dressed in traditional German attire. The two will be available for photo opportunities at the festival.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
GermanFest
Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Zion Lutheran Church and School, 6513 W. County Road 300 S., New Palestine
Admission is free. Food service for lunch and dinner is available.
For more information, email [email protected].
[sc:pullout-text-end]
