WELCOME TO THE HOME OF Galena Oktoberfest!

TBA - Midwest Health and Fitness Center 5K Walk/Run - Starts and ends at Galena River Trail/Depot Park -      - - - -   Register at WWW.MIDWESTMEDICALCENTER.ORG

TBA - Live music with The Jim Busta Band

TBA - The New Glarus Alphorners - George Albright & Heinz Mattmann 

TBA - Traditional Cannon Blast and Ceremonial Tapping of the Keg

TBA - Wiener Dog Registration

TBA - Beer Stein Endurance Contest and Bean Bag Tournament Registration

TBA - Dog treats and toys for sale by New Earth Animals, and pet adoptions by Safe Haven

TBA - Bounce House and Art Station for the kids

TBA - Food Service by The Galena Elks Club

TBA - Galena Oktoberfest Merchandise for sale, while supplies last

TBA - Food Service by Orchard Landing

TBA - Polka Lessons with Tim & Kathy

TBA - Raising of The American Flag by The Galena Fire Department

TBA - Wiener Dog Parade and the Call to the Post

TBA - Wiener Dog Races begin

TBA - Live Music with The Goodtime Dutchmen

TBA - Wiener Dog Champion races commence

TBA - Galena Oktoberfest Poster Art Auction

TBA - Beer Stein Endurance Contest

TBA - Bean Bag Tournament

TBA - Live Music with The Backstreet Betty Band

TBA - Wiener Dog Registration

TBA - Call to the Post and Wiener Dog Parade

TBA - Best Dressed Wiener Dog Event

TBA - Begin Heat Races (3 divisions: Puppy, Adult, and Senior)

TBA - Semifinal Races for all 3 divisions

TBA - Senior Championship Race

TBA - Adult Championship Race

TBA - Puppy Championship Race

TBA - Legends Race (all previous champions)

This years wiener dog races will have many dogs of varying ages, racing in single-elimination format throughout the day, and ending with 3 (three) champions. One champion in each age division.

Each champion will receive prizes (to be announced). Other events include a wiener dog parade and best dressed contest for both male and female wiener dogs.

Other dogs are welcome to come watch. A water station/bathroom area will be clearly marked. We thank you in advance for cleaning up after your dog(s).

Divisions: There are three divisions - Puppy (under one year of age), Adult (one year of age and older), and Senior (nine years of age and older). 

Heats: Heats are organized according tho the dogs' age. Puppy (under one year of age), Adult (one year of age and older), and Senior (nine years of age and older). Each heat will have a winner. All winners will qualify for a semi-final race. Winners of the semi-final race will compete in the championship race to determine best of day honors in each age division

Handlers: Each dog must have someone to release the dog and someone to receive. Volunteers are available to release, if needed. The receivers may use any means to call the dog (holding a toy or treat/ and/or calling the dog). Throwing objects is not allowed. If you are bringing multiple dogs, please bring enough people to care for them while you are involved with the races.

Race Entry Fee: There is no entry fee for all dogs pre-registered by October 2nd, 2021. There will be a $5.00 entry fee for all dogs registered on-site the day of the event. On-site registration is from Noon-1:00 P.M.

Race Times: The call to post is at 1:10 P.M., followed by The Wiener Dog Parade and the Crowning of the King and Queen. Heat races will begin immediately after the completion of the Crowning of the King and Queen. The championship races will begin at approximately 4:00 P.M.

Online registration is now available! 

You can also register your dog on the day of the event for $5.00, at the registration table.

Entry Fee: $10.00 per team (must be 16 or older to participate).

Tournament is Single Elimination Format.

1st Place Prize is $100.00.

2nd Place prize is $50.00.

Pre-Registration is requested and preferred.

Tournament starts at 5:00 P.M. Rain or Shine.

BEAN BAG TOURNAMENT RULES

1. The boards are placed 27 feet apart from one another.
2. There are eight (8) bags, four (4) bags of each color. Only bean bags provided by the Lions club will be used during competition. NO FOREIGN BAGS.
3. In this tournament, we are playing doubles. Partners play from opposing boards. Each team has four (4) bags, all of the same color.
4. The team who has honors begins by throwing a bag at the opposing board. They continue to alternate until all eight (8) bags are thrown. A coin flip determines who has honors to start the game. The winning team has honors from that point on. If no-one wins a round, it defaults back to the previous round's winner, or the person who won the coin flip, if a round hasn't been won yet.
5. POINTS: A team scores three (3) points if they make a bag through the hole, and 1 (one) point for a bag on the board. No points will be awarded for a bag that is touching the ground. bags that bounce up onto the board will be removed and do not count. At the end of the round, you add up the total points for each team, and the winning team adds the difference to their total score. The game ends when the first team reaches a total score of 21.
6. TIME LIMIT: Each game has a time limit of 25 minutes. The round starts at the scheduled starting time. When the time limit is up, the current round taking place is finished and the team with the highest total score wins the game. If tied, another round is played, and the winner of that round is declared the winner. If still tied, we continue to use this method until a winner is declared.

ENTRY FEE: The entry fee for one team is $10.00.

ENTRY FEE MUST BE PAID IN CASH AT REGISTRATION TABLE. NO CASH, NO PARTICIPATION. 

Players must be 16 or older to participate.

A challenging and fun event that tests both strength and endurance. This well-known and competitive Bavarian strength contest sounds much easier than it actually is.

The goal is simple, hold a full stein at shoulder height, parallel with the ground as long as possible. If the contestant waivers (or spills), he/she is eliminated.

How long could you last?

Entry fee: $10.00 per person

Limited to first twenty people per gender who sign up the day of the event, beginning at noon.

BEER STEIN ENDURANCE CONTEST RULES

1. Contestants hold a beer stein in one hand with one arm stretched outright, parallel with the ground for as long as possible.
2. Contestants will be ruled out of the contest with any bend of the elbow holding the stein or will any beer spillage.
3. The winner is the person who holds the stein the longest among the other nine competitors. The winner  of each heat will compete in a final round to determine the champion.
4. There will be no practice period or grace period before each round. Once the competition begins, it will continue until there is only one person standing properly with their full stein.
5. Each male and female winner receives a Galena Oktoberfest beer stein and a commemorative t-shirt.

Galena Oktoberfest will feature non-stop live music all day and into the night by Jim Busta Band, The Goodtime Dutchmen, and Backseat Betty.

JIM BUSTA BAND (11:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.)

The Jim Busta Band is a Czech-German, five-piece polka band with many vocal arrangements. Their music includes waltzes, polkas, schottisches and foxtrots. For nearly 30 years, the band has played numerous events and festivals and spent one summer touring Europe.

THE GOODTIME DUTCHMEN (3:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.)

The Goodtime Dutchmen is an award-winning dutchmen-style band that plays German, Bohemian, and Polish styles. The seven-piece Goodtime Dutchmen received the "Horizon Award" and "Band of the Year" from the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame. They have performed on "The Today Show". Whether its a waltz, polka, foxtrot or schottische, The Goodtime Dutchmen deliver their music with fun and enthusiasm, and they have a good time doing it.

POLKA LESSONS BY TIM WESTEMEYER & KATHY HULSE (12:30 AND 4:30)

Tim and Kathy have been dancing together for 10 years, since meeting at a polka dancing event. They travel around to various polka festivals, entertain at assisted living and long-term care homes around Iowa, and look forward to providing lessons at this years' Galena Oktoberfest. Tim is of German descent and is from Dubuque, Iowa, and Kathy is Czechoslovakian and from Duncan, Iowa. They attended Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany a few years ago, and it was a highlight of their lives.