By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
Community members and volunteers came together to celebrate the fall season at the
Whitehead Memorial Museum 31st Annual Oktoberfest event on Saturday evening.
Michael Diaz, the museum’s executive director, said 235 people attended Oktoberfest this year.
Oktoberfest is an annual festival organized by the Whitehead to celebrate German culture,
music and food.
right) at the 31st annual Oktoberfest. Patino and his parents, Victor and Blanca Coronado, have
been volunteering at the Whitehead Memorial Museum for more than 10 years. Victor said he
enjoys seeing the German culture celebrated in the community. (Photo by Louis Zylka)
Focusing on southern German Bavarian traditions, Oktoberfest features polka music and
traditional German party foods, including potato salad, coleslaw and various German sausages.
Oktoberfest is one of the two main fundraisers supporting the Whitehead (the other being Cajun
Fest in March). Because the Whitehead is a non-profit organization, Diaz said the museum
depends on fundraisers, grants and donations to help its mission to preserve the history of Val
Verde County, the city of Del Rio and its surrounding areas.
Diaz elaborated on how the museum not only preserves its local history, but also the memories
and legacy of the community coming together to help one another and join in celebratory
events.
Oktoberfest has seen both organizations and families returning every year to support the
museum and be a part of the celebration. One of the museum’s longtime volunteers is Victor
Coronado, his wife, Blanca Coronado and his stepson, Alex Patino. Victor and his family have
been volunteering at the Whitehead for more than 10 years. Blanca said she enjoys seeing
people come together and celebrate different cultures.
One of the long-time partners the Whitehead collaborates with during Oktoberfest is the Seven
Dutchmen Orchestra group. Diaz said the Dutchmen have been performing at the museum for
29 years. Randy Birkelbach, saxophone player, said the Dutchmen love performing at the
Whitehead because it is the beginning of Oktoberfest season.
“The crowd is really friendly, everybody is having a good time, and it is a relaxing place. So we
love coming (to the Whitehad), and we look forward to coming every year,” Birkelbach said.
Tom Knowles, saxophone player, said one of the fondest memories of performing at the
Whitehead was in 2016, when it rained and the band still performed under the porch near the
museum’s train caboose exhibit. He said the museum is a “wonderful place” that holds events
for the community.
The sponsors for this year’s Oktoberfest included Amistad Heating and Air Conditioning,
Amistad Bank, Care Etc., Arc Rite Welding, Southwest Abstract, HTeaO, Cecil Atkission Ford
Lincoln, Border Federal Credit Union, Texas Community Bank, Cardinal Points Coffee Shop and
Jianghuai Automobile Co. (JAC) Lifts & Equipment.
