Lieber Oktoberfest Von wo kommst du?

Swiss German Translation for the above headline: "Dear Oktoberfest, where do you come from?" Talk about a loaded question! Truth is, from what I can gather from old newspaper clippings, hand-written notes and word of mouth from those who experienced it, it's a mash up. It didn't just spring forth out of one grand idea. It was actually a few great ideas that joined forces so as to create one great festival.

It's like, "Hey, Lion's Club with your pancake breakfast, you're successful. Why don't you join this successful Volksmarch? And, while we're joining forces, get the Meriwether Lewis Country Fair and Arts Festival at the Natchez Trace Parkway to hop on board. Oh, and we need some pretty faces, too, so let's invite the High Forest Beauty Pageant into the group."

But, this mash-up of "awesomeness" only happened because of a project first introduced by then Governor Lamar Alexander during his inaugural speech on January 15, 1983.

During the late 1980s, Governor Alexander launched Homecoming '86, a state-wide event featuring community history projects, festivals, parades and other events in over 700 communities state-wide.

The intention of Homecoming '86 was to "give Tennesseans an opportunity to celebrate our past, recognize our present and prepare for our future." Many Tennesseans learned more about their state and local history, including those right here in Lewis County.

"If you're looking for a different, healthy way to celebrate Tennessee's Homecoming '86, come on over, and join us for a good time." Those were the words from Lucille Gordon, president of the Lewis County Senior Citizens. She was speaking in reference to the Volksmarch, which was started in 1985 by local senior citizens as a way to recognize the Swiss Heritage of the early settlers of Hohenwald. It is a popular event held by Swiss and German people in their homeland, and due to it's foundation, Lewis Countians kept the tradition.

Tommy Haskins, descendant of the Lewis County Swiss Colonists, recalls it as, "Being about a 10 kilometer walk. German songs were sung and participants got credits for distance and events. The credits accumulated, and you could earn a patch upon completion."

To give an idea of the activity, the 1986 march was the Five Mile High Forest Peoples Walk. According to a write-up in the newspaper from that year, the walk started at the Lewis County Courthouse and retraced the perimeter of the original town laid out by the settlers in 1896 and included the later annexed part of the city. They then ended back at the courthouse. That particular year, participants could pay a $5 fee if they wished to receive a medal boasting Tennessee's Homecoming '86 logo.

The Lion's Club gathering was an annual tradition even before the Volksmarch. Pancake breakfasts and spaghetti dinners always brought the community together to help raise funds for locals who needed assistance with their vision/getting eyeglasses. Not their only mission, however, all around humanitarians, the group worked to better the community around them.

The Meriwether Lewis Country Fair and Arts Festival held at the Natchez Trace had also been around a while; over ten years longer than the Volksmarch and pancake breakfast. Traditionally, it was held the second weekend of October and boasted the displays of approximately 110 craft vendors.

Native American traditionals, culinary arts, Amish crafts and more could be found hidden (but not really) deep in the woods of the Natchez Trace, surrounded by old trails, waterfalls and historical territory, unexplored. By 1988, it was celebrating it's 13th year.

Speaking of 1988, that October marked the Fourth Annual High Forest Jamboree, yet another October tradition. It occurred in conjunction with the annual High Forest Beauty Contest, which was also in it's fourth year along with the pancake breakfast.

The annual Jamboree included lots of activities considered to be festive in nature: Arts and crafts booths, the Hits and Skits Program, tettered hot air balloon rides, merchant sidewalk sales. And, what festival would be complete without a parade?

In the parade that year were float entries, antique cars, bicycles, four-wheelers, horses and clowns. The Hohenwald National Guard even entered a carrier tank driven by service men.

Also that year, Judge Billy Townsend dedicated a woodsman sculpture to all woodsmen who contributed to the past, present and future of Lewis County. He spent more than 100 hours constructing the statue made of concrete, burlap and fence wire. That ceremony began the two-day festivities of the High Forest Jamboree.

A historical display at the L & N Depot on East Main Street for the Jamboree was of a 1924 Time Capsule donated by Carlene Pollock, which was a Drey Mason jar filled with items from 1924.

That jar had a copy of the August 14, 1924 Herald, a small American Flag, premium list for the October 19 and 20, 1924 fair, a small copy of the gospel of Matthew and a copy of the fair book for the September 19 and 20, 1924 fair.

In the parade that year, Ryan Skelton won first place in the decorated 4-wheeler category. Randy Johnson received the Grand Marshal's Choice trophy for antique cars for his 1948 Chevrolet pickup. Stephanie Overby won first place for a Best Dressed pet, and her brother, Chris Overbey won second. Joe and Georgia Devore gave wagon rides to the children who attended the Jamboree, and Shane Lowery and Carmen Holt clogged as part of the Hits and Skits program.

By the following year, everything was finally fitting together like a puzzle that didn't realize it was a puzzle. But, when the light bulb came on, the pieces all seemed to fit.

In 1989, the annual High Forest Jamboree "An Oktoberfest" made it's debut as one big Swiss/Germanic production.

Tommy Haskins announced the Oktoberfest Opening Ceremonies in English while Yolanda Gilreath translated into Swiss German. During that weekend, there was a Meriwether Lewis Commemoration at Meriwether Lewis National Monument. A Fritz German Band played during a German Meal held at the Depot. There were museum tours, arts and crafts booths and even a Newlywed game at the courthouse. The "Rod Run" car show was held Sunday on the court house lawn, and there was also a gospel singing at the Depot.

Kenneth Kistler, Gypsy Jo Schwendimann, Noah Woodall and Crystal Rogers were the winners of the Germanic Costume Contest that year.

Oktoberfest is a Germanic tradition. For Lewis County, the festival was sponsored by the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce with other civic organizations taking part, and activities centered around the Depot. In fact, the Depot seemed to play a huge role in the festival. It was the chamber office, was newly renovated, and the proceeds from the events that weekend went to the continued restoration and upkeep of the space. Personally, I'm thankful. Because of a desire to preserve history, Hohenwald has some truly antiquated pieces of history still standing. Some even seem to have been frozen in time.

Throughout the years, things have been added and taken away as folks have continued to tweak in hopes of perfecting an imperfectable. (Yes, I just made up a word. But, you get it.)

Yard sales started popping up, which turned into one of the "main attractions" of the weekend. The Meriwether Lewis Country Fair and Arts Festival is no longer around, and it seems as if the Sunday of the weekend has turned into the "mad mile" in which there are no events going on in town, and everyone races to scavenge what's left of the yard sales on Summertown Highway.

"I've always loved the yard sales," says Linda Duncan Riley. "It's the thrill of the hunt. You never know what you're going to find. However the last few years, the sales have gone downhill."

Jonathan Nagy agrees, "Living on Summertown Highway my whole life, I will say traffic hasn't been nearly as bad as it used to be 10-15 years ago. You usually always see the same people every year, but I've also seen a big decrease in sellers. It used to be yard sales at almost every house. But now, in some spots, there are a couple of miles of open road. I don't know if it's due to less people renting out land or less actually having a sale."

There's no longer a beauty pageant, no volksmarch, and there have been many name changes.

These days, you'll find flyers, facebook posts, and newspaper ads donning the name: Hohenwald Oktober Heritage Festival. As Jeremy Roden points out, "there is no beer, so it's not a true Swiss festival." Therefore, it cannot properly be called Oktoberfest. However, it can be and is a festival that celebrates the heritage of the citizens of Hohenwald. Swiss, German, Appalachian, Native American: All here from the beginning.

This year's festival will be held Friday 13th and Saturday 14th.

On Friday, meet at the stage on the corner of Main and Maple at 2 P.M. for opening ceremonies. Kenny Durham and Cross Bridges will take the stage at 3, followed by Barry Bigbie, Boomerang, and Hippies & Cowboys.

On Saturday, enjoy breakfast with the Elks Riders of Hohenwald. Meet them in the parking lot on Maple and Main for the annual Pancake Breakfast beginning at 7 a.m. and will be served until 10:30 a.m. Once your bellies are nice and full, head over to the Lewis County Court House 8-noon for both the Car and Truck Show, as well as the Big Rig Show. As you make your way back to the stage on Main, stop by the Kids Corner, visit the arts & crafts vendors and food trucks along Main Street. Find a candle, jewelry, leather wallet, or wooden baskets. With several vendors, there's plenty to be explored!

Trace Lawrence takes the stage at 11:00 followed by Catchfire, Murphy Ridge Bluegrass, Grinders Switch Ensemble, and Overdrive.

Later, mosey on over to check out all the "cool" cars on display on the court house lawn at the 25th Annual Fall Classics Car and Truck Show.

In next week's issue, look for interviews with this year's Bergermeister Richard Amacher, and History & Heritage Award Winner Annette Peery.

Essentially, just like Hohenwald is a melting pot, mash-up, puzzle of a place, so is the festival that celebrates it's heritage. But, one thing is constant: the citizens. We are what continue traditions like this event so that our children and future generations will be reminded of whence they came: here, there and over yonder.

Schönen Oktober! (Happy October!)