No they don’t have their dates mixed up – Tenterfield will host their 8th Bennial Bavarian beer and music festival, starting in March.
October is the traditional time for a German Beerfest, but organisers say that date was out of the question for the visiting 30-piece brass band. Because the musical exchange is an important part of the March 1-8 festivities, the band is travelling direct from Germany to perform for the occasion.
The 30 musicians from the Unter Allgau region of Bavaria, playing under the baton of Alfred Schneider, will perform a number of concerts in Tenterfield over the eight-day period.
The band plays traditional Bavarian brass music as well as rock and pop music, with many members being multi-instrumentalists.
They bring a welcome show of sound and colour to Tenterfield, the sister town of the Bavarian region Ottobeuren.
The band members will be welcomed by Tenterfield Shire Mayor Toby Smith at a civic reception to be held in the Tenterfield Shire Council and Bruxner Park on Wednesday, March 2, starting at 11am. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and welcome the German visitors.
During the band’s visit to Tenterfield, they will perform several concerts. On Thursday, March 3, the band will perform a concert in the Sir Henry Parkes Memorial School of Arts Theatre starting at 7pm (bookings essential).
On Friday, March 4, the band performs a series of free children’s concerts at the Tenterfield High School Multi Purpose Unit (MPU) for all school children in the Tenterfield district. These concerts will then be followed by a free concert at Millrace aged care facility for Millrace residents.
The signature event, the Beerfest, kicks off at 5pm at the Memorial Hall on Saturday, March 5. Bookings are essential. Then on Sunday morning at 10am, the band will assist in performing the Franz Schubert Mass at the Catholic Church.
There will also be some extra activities for anyone visiting Tenterfield and looking for a little more in the way of entertainment. A midday luncheon and wine tasting at Dumaresq Valley Vineyard (Zappa Wines) has been organised by Tenterfield Rotary.
Alternatively, you can experience a bush lunch with a fair spattering of Australian Bush and folk music at Steinbrook Hall (east of town).
Events are ticketed and include coach travel to and from the venues; bookings are essential. For those not wishing to venture away from town, a car boot market and entertainment will be in full swing from 10.30am to 1.30pm in Bruxner Park in the centre of town. This will be a combined craft, produce and secondhand goods sale. Prospective stallholders or car-booters should contact Ten FM on (02) 6736 3444, or after hours call the coordinator Dennis Andrews on (02) 6736 3444.
Festival organiser Graham Braid, the president of Tenterfield Rotary Club, said the Beerfest is a not-for-profit festival. Rotary is sponsoring the event in cooperation with the Tenterfield Shire Council and Tenterfield Shire Council International Town Partnership Committee.
For tickets please contact Tenterfield Insurance Agency on (02) 6736 2426.
For accommodation and other enquiries phone Tenterfield Tourism on (02) 6736 1082.
