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KBIA’s Arts & Culture Desk covers arts and culture activities, events and movements in Missouri and beyond.

Prost! Hundreds flock to Hermann to celebrate Oktoberfest

Participants of the lederhosen contest gather to chat after the winner is announced in Hermann, Missouri, on Oct. 11, 2025.
Nora Crutcher-McGowan
/
KBIA
Lederhosen contest participants gather to chat after the winner is announced in Hermann, Missouri, on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.
Daniel Russell holds his son Lief, along with his son's ribbon for first place in the lederhosen contest in Hermann, Missouri, on Oct. 11, 2025.
Nora Crutcher-McGowan
/
KBIA
Daniel Russell holds his son Lief, along with the ribbon Lief won for scoring first place in the lederhosen contest in Hermann, Missouri, on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. The contest is one of many festivities that celebrate Hermann's German heritage.

Hermann celebrates its German heritage every year through Oktoberfest, where businesses open their doors for beer-sipping, bratwurst-eating and even a lederhosen contest. KBIA’s Nora Crutcher-McGowan brings us this audio postcard from the festival, where she met several first-time attendees who traveled from across the Midwest to help celebrate Hermann’s German roots.

We talked to a Michael Bruening, musician from Rolla; Ryan Schmollinger, who traveled with his wife from Lebanon, Illinois; Eric Donovan from Kansas City; Daniel Russell and his son Lief, who won a lederhosen contest; and Patricia Sword, who traveled with friends from Lee’s Summit.

Oktoberfest activities take place in Hermann every weekend in October.

Nora is a senior studying cross-platform editing and producing at the Missouri School of Journalism.
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