Plans are afoot to make the second- annual OktoberfeSteveston bigger and better than last year’s success — but organizers need a little help to pull it off.
The festival, which attracted around 2,000 participants last year, is a celebration of all things German – primarily beer and food – and is run by The Steveston Village Voice Society (SVVS).
One of the organizers, Davood Khatami, said the society harbours hopes of stretching the event over three days, including brewery-sponsored “pavilions” dotted around local restaurants.
However, he is appealing for sponsors and volunteers to come forward to take the second running of the event to a new level.
“Lots of people got involved later on last year, but we need more help this time around if it is to grow,” said Khatami, who owns and operates Davood’s Bistro in the village.
“The plan is to go around five to 10 local restaurants, which have a liquor licence, who will host an OktoberfeSteveston pavilion; perhaps in association with a particular brewery.
“We would like to start on the Friday, Sept. 29, in the evening, continuing through to Saturday and Sunday, with prizes and promotions, German music, and food.”
Khatami has again applied to the City of Richmond to shut down No. 1 Road, from Moncton to Bayview, on Sept. 30, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“There was no resistance last year from the business owners; we had lots of great feedback and lots of them have been asking if we’re doing it again.”
Khatami said unlike the bigger festivals hosted throughout the year in Steveston, there will be no food trucks, as he believes “they just take away from local businesses.”
“But there will be lots of food and entertainment from local businesses,” he added.
“The plan is for the closed-off street to have another car show, a DJ and other booths. But, as I said, we do need volunteers and sponsorship.”
Last year, about 700 or so were estimated to have partaken of the German beer garden a few yards away at Steveston Seafood House.
Anyone interested in getting involved in OktoberfeSteveston should contact Khatami at 604-277-2687 or go to the society’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/StevestonVillageVoice.
