August is the New October – Join the Evansville Germania Maennerchor for the 53rd Annual Volksfest 2014

Kraut, sausages, bands and beer gardens. You'll find all that and lederhosen, too! The Germania Mannerchor Volksfest is an Evansville tradition that celebrates our German Heritage starting at lunch and ending well into the evening. This year, the folks at Germania will be celebrating the 100th birthday of their building.

Volksfest 2014 - Germania Maennerchor

August 7 - 9, 2014 (11 AM - Midnight)

916 N. Fulton Ave, Evansville, IN 47710

Admission is free before 4 PM and $5 after 4 PM with serving of German-style meals that include bratwurst or pig knuckles, potatoes and sauerkraut beginning at 11 a.m. You must be 21 or over after 2 PM. Anyone under 25-years-of-age must supply two forms of ID. Non-alcoholic beer is free to all designated drivers. Festivities continue through midnight each day of the festival.

Germania's own Ratskeller band plus Rhein Valley Brass and the Cincinnati Schnapps will be on hand to keep folks dancing well into the night! A special German opening ceremony will be held at 6 PM on Thursday, celebrity weenie toss at 8 PM on Friday and special children's event at 11 AM on Saturday. Don't forget your lederhosen!

My personal favorite are the krautballs. If you've never had a piece of this deef-fried goodness, you really need to get over there and order a few!

Three things you probably didn't know about Volksfest:

1. It began in 1934 here in Evansville but took a hiatus from 1941-1962 due to WWII.

2. It's held in a Ratskeller. (According to Wikipedia, a Rathskeller is German for a bar or restaurant located in the basement of a city hall (Rathaus) or nearby)

3. Many of the Evansville Germania Maennerchor hosts wear traditional German apparel including lederhosen.