Fairfield to host Oktoberfest Friday

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield First Fridays Art Walk will host its annual Oktoberfest celebration from 6-10 p.m. Friday in Central Park.

This is the 16th year the Oktoberfest Committee has planned a fall festival, which will feature wiener dog races, live music, lawn games, carriage rides, as well as food and craft vendors.

The band originally scheduled to perform, Van & the Movers, had to withdraw due to illness, and instead residents will be treated to the sweet sound of the band Disciples of Rock and Blues, who will begin their set at 6 p.m.

Registration for the wiener dog races begins at 6 p.m., too, and the races begin at 6:30 p.m. Marla Brader, executive director of Fairfield First Fridays, said there will be a race for wiener dogs, and another race for “wiener wannabes,” which are other breeds of dogs less than 20 pounds.

The sponsor of this year’s Oktoberfest is Community 1st Credit Union, and the sponsor of the wiener races is Iowa State Bank. Winners will receive prize packages courtesy of Iowa State Bank, Community 1st Credit Union, Overland Sheepskin, Moonwalk Salon, Everybody’s Whole Foods and Libertyville Savings Bank.

This will be the last chance to attend an outdoor art walk in 2022, since the art walks will move indoors from November through May.

“Our outdoor season has gone pretty well,” Brader said. “We’ve had some really hot events, but they were still great events.”

The November art walk will be on Friday, Nov. 4, and will be the gallery hop. Residents will receive a passport which they can stamp at the participating art galleries in the downtown, and can then turn in the completed passport for a chance to win a piece of art from a local artist.

Apart from planning its monthly art walks, Fairfield First Fridays has been busy with its monthly outdoor movies, which it does in collaboration with the Fairfield Parks and Recreation Department. The final outdoor movie of the season will be in Central Park on Friday, Oct. 21, when “Casper” will be shown on the large inflatable screen. Admission is free. Fairfield First Fridays will have its popcorn machine on site as well as drinks. The sale of these concessions goes toward supporting next year’s round of outdoor movies.

Brader said another big event residents should put on their calendar is the Annual Holiday Trade Fair Dec. 16-17 at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center. She said the trade fair has attracted as many as 75 vendors from across southeast Iowa and other states.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com