Going strong: Organizers continue legacies at German-American Festival

Fifty-eight years is a long time for most, but not for Mike Willinger.

“I have been involved for a very, very long time,” said Willinger, the chairman of the 58th German-American Festival, which begins Friday. “I was actually at the first [Festival], I was 13 years old.”

“Don’t do the math,” he added with a chuckle.

Willinger has been chairman of the last four German-American Festivals, the celebration of all things Deutschland that will take place once again at Oak Shade Grove in Oregon.

What: German-American Festival

When: Fri. (6 p.m. - 1 a.m.), Sat. (2 p.m. - 1 a.m.), Sun. (Noon - 8 p.m.)

Where: Oak Shade Grove, 3624 Seaman Rd., Oregon

Cost: $15 for one-day pass (other ticketing options available)

Information: germanamericanfestival.net

He said there is nothing new or major that will be introduced to the festival this year but that is kind of the point — after nearly six decades there are some things that draw people in and just work.

Over the years, some things like brat and cheese eating contests have come and gone but there are several of the festival’s famed “contests” that make the weekend what it is.

“We are very invested in all the cultural aspects,” Willinger said. “We have contests that are very culturally oriented from stone tossing to beer stein holding, called the masskrugstemmen. They do these contests all over the place. There is a national organization you can register for and then your winners can enter regional competitions — it is quite interesting.”

In a similar manner, on Sunday, the festival will host for the 32nd time the “Hummel” look alike contest, for kids ages 2 to 10 where they select an M.I. Hummel figurine to dress like and then pose for a panel of judges. First, second, and third place prizes will be awarded in each age category and participants will receive an award as well as a wrist band for rides.

“Some of them are skiing, and the scarf is sticking straight out the back, so the parents have to figure out how to make that prop and have that scarf look like its actually moving,” Willinger said, noting that the German-American Festival’s Hummel contest is among the oldest and longest running in the United States. “It is quite an interesting thing for the children to get involved with.”

The stone toss, or steinstossen, has its roots in Switzerland and often draws competitors from other states to see who can throw a large 135 pound stone more than 15 feet. There is also a women’s category with a 95 pound stone. Willinger said this is perhaps the most popular contest at the festival in his opinion.

“It doesn’t have handles or anything like that like a discus,” he said. “You have to pick it up and balance it. Some people push it off their chest, others try to pick it up over their heads. These are professional weight lifters that want to prove their strength.”

The mentioned beer stein holding contest is also a fan favorite.

“It’s a full liter of beer in a glass stein and it weighs about five pounds,” said Christa Luttman, the festival’s entertainment chairman. “You hold the stein out in front of you and you see how long you can hold it. It’s really hard to do. The men’s record, which was set a few years ago in New York, is 21 minutes and 17 seconds. The women’s record is five minutes and that was also set in New York.”

Luttman remembers helping clear off tables at the very first German-American Festival when she was five years old.

Fifty eight years later, she now helps organize the popular festival as its entertainment chair. But Luttman is already thinking ahead to next year’s festival and then the milestone 60th festival in 2026.

“It’s my family heritage and it’s just something I’ve always done and I love celebrating my German and Austrian heritage,” said Luttman. “We’ve already started planning for next year. We really plan year round. There are so many moving parts that we have to look after. We have to rent tents and tables and chairs and then there’s the lights in the parking lot. I’m already thinking about the 60th. I’ve got some ideas in my head that will make it special.”

The festival will also have plenty of food — including pickled eggs and the legendary potato salad — and of course, plenty of German beer.

To make the German-American Festival’s acclaimed potato salad for this year, it took 200 volunteers two hours to peel and slice 2,500 pounds of potatoes.

“Many hands make light work,” said Luttman. “And really good potato salad.”

There’s also a soccer game on Saturday, where the German-American Festival team will face a soccer team from Windsor, Ont.