Willkommen zum Germanfest 2009

Germanfest begins tomorrow in Fort Wayne, and runs through 14 June providing a week-long celebration of Essen, Trinken, und Gemuetlichkeit ('Eating, Drinking, and having a really Good Time').

The Germanfest Konzert & Heimatabend will be held at Park Edelweiss, 3355 Elmhurst Avenue, at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow, followed by a dinner from 6-8 p.m. Doors open at 3 p.m. Fort Wayne’s second oldest German organization, the Fort Wayne Männerchor/Damenchor will be your hosts for the official opening Konzert of Germanfest 2009, led by their director Greg Vey. You will be entertained with authentic German folk music. Following the Konzert, stay and enjoy Heimatabend when the Männerchor/Damenchor are the hosts for an evening of great food: Roast Pork, Hot Vegetables, Bratkartoffeln, Salat and desserts, German style beverages, entertainment and gemutlichkeit. Admission is free, and dinner tickets can be purchased at the door for $10. George Berger will provide the music for your listening and singing pleasure.

Köstritzer Abend/Köstritzer Night is from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday (8 June) at Club Soda in Fort Wayne. The German Heritage Society will be the host for an evening of food, music and fun on the open air patio at Club Soda. Traditional Thuringer Brats hot off the grill and Köstritzer Schwarzbier will be available. Köstritzer is the beer brewed near Fort Wayne's German Sister City, Gera. As part of the evening's entertainment, Rock 104 will again be hosting a Germanfest tradition: The Masskrugstemmen Contest. Admission is free.

Bitburger Abend/Bitburger Night at the Fort Wayne Sport Club, 3102 Ardmore Avenue, takes place beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday (9 June). Join the Fort Wayne Sport Club for another Germanfest tradition: Bitburger Abend! Plenty of Bitburger Bier, food, and live musical entertainment will be available at this event - the evening kick-off party prior to opening the Bier Tent at Headwaters Park.

The festival pavilion and beer tent hours in Fort Wayne's Headwaters Park are 10:30 a.m. to midnight 10 June, 11 a.m. to midnight 11 June, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. 12 June and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. 13 June.

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