<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0VImEU_0vkdWn9O00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0VImEU_0vkdWn9O00" width="1200" height="800" ><figcaption>Jason Houtz holds aloft the winner of the 2019 Lovettsville Oktoberfest Wiener Dog Races, Huck.</figcaption></figure>After news that Lovettsville’s renowned Oktoberfest celebration was canceled this year, a group of residents and local businesses banded together to throw a smaller, but equally enthusiastic, festival.Blocktoberfest will have many of the fan favorite elements of the town’s traditional celebration including weiner dog races, stein hoisting and hauling competitions, traditional German dinner hosted by the Lovettsville Lions Club, a vendor village, breakfast at Lovettsville Elementary School, Kinderfest and, of course, beer.What will be missing this year is the organized live music, beer garden and food offerings traditionally held at the Town Green. Roads, which are usually closed to nonresidential traffic, will remain open and parking will not be provided by the town.Event coordinator Ann Arena said businesses are each in charge of their own celebrations – she’s only acting as an organizer so residents can easily find what and where they want to be.Local musician Brad the Guitar Guy was the first gather a group, she said.“He kind of banded everybody together originally, and we had our first meeting, and it was like, ‘OK, what could we do to kind of kick this thing off?’” Arena said.“We decided if we were able to coordinate businesses and get them on social media and advertise it as kind of a Blocktoberfest umbrella - and I don't even know who came up with that name – that's what we ended up going with,” she said.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=02xQQv_0vkdWn9O00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=02xQQv_0vkdWn9O00" width="1265" height="1637" ><figcaption>The schedule for Bloktoberfest 2024 features a week of events hosted by Lovettsville businesses.&nbsp; Contributed</figcaption></figure>The festivities kicked off last Friday night with beer and live music at Andy’s followed Saturday night by the weighs in for competitors in the weiner dog race at the 1836 Kitchen and Tap Room. Two-year champion Huck Houtz returns this year, hoping to claim his third title.Velocity Wings is hosting an Oktoberfest Bike Night, Thursday Sept. 26, followed by the Lovettsville Lions dinner at the fire station Friday night.Saturday, Sept. 28 will begin with breakfast at the elementary school and vendors at Willow’s Charm. Contests will kick off at the Town Hall beginning at 1:30 p.m. Music, food and beer will be offered at businesses throughout town for both weekends, with final celebrations at Flying Ace Farm and Market Table Bistro and a traditional Harvest Thanksgiving or "Erntedank" at New Jerusalem Lutheran Church Sunday, Sept. 29.Arena said she’s not sure how many residents will turn out for Blocktoberfest.“Hopefully it’ll go well. We’ll see how it goes,” she said. “To me it’s been fun. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been fun too.”To stay up to date with the event follow Bloktoberfest 2024 on Facebook.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Lovettsville Celebrates Community with Bloktoberfest Week

After news that Lovettsville’s renowned Oktoberfest celebration was canceled this year, a group of residents and local businesses banded together to throw a smaller, but equally enthusiastic, festival. Blocktoberfest will have many of the fan favorite elements of the town’s traditional celebration including weiner dog races, stein hoisting and...