Oom Pah Pah

Is there anything better than an Oom Pah Pah band? I don’t think so, unless it’s an Oom Pah Pah band and a large tent full of people all drinking beer and doing the polka! Yes folks, it’s time for Oktoberfest! And to celebrate, I’m heading to Kitchener-Waterloo for the biggest and best Oktoberfest outside of Munich. My locale of choice? The Concordia Club, of course!

I just did the math, and I have been going to Family Day at the Concordia Club on Thanksgiving Sunday for the last 24 years. Not only does that make me very, very old, it makes me very, very predictable.

Oh sure, there have been a few years that I’ve missed, for one reason or another (living on the other side of the continent for 6+ years did somewhat affect my attendance), but it’s still a constant in my life, as are the friends that have this has a tradition as well. While new friends are always welcome and encouraged, it’s great to know that there are certain people you are bound to see at least once a year. And their parents. And their children, all now adorably clad in wee leiderhosen.

The experience has changed over the years. In University, the coal was to get there early, stay there late, and drink as much as humanely possible. I believe these antics are part of the reason the Concordia Club now closes its doors at 7pm on this infamous day (I’m not sure what time they closed previously – I rarely made it past midnight, although that was still an impressive 12 hour span). There are fewer drunk people there now; it’s much more family-oriented. Which fits perfectly for me and my young family. My daughter already appreciates the accordion far more than I did at her age, and can dance a mean polka.

But I plan on raising quite a few glasses with my friends to toast this ongoing and wonderful occasion. Prosit!