Germania Männerchor Volksfest
Encyclopedia
The Germania Maennerchor Volksfest is an annual German heritage festival that takes place each August in Evansville, Indiana
, USA.
. The first Volksfest was held in 1934. It was discontinued in 1941 when patriotic feelings stirred by World War II
turned public opinion against anything of German culture. It was revived in 1962 as part of Evansville's sesquicentennial celebration.
The festival lasts over the course of 3 days and consists of German food, drink, dance, and music. Many attendees dress in old world German apparel . The festival also utilizes the historic Germania Mannerchor building which is complete with a Rathskeller
, Festhalle. and outdoor beer garden
.
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
, USA.
History
The festival is run by the Germania Maennerchor, which is a social and singing club founded in 1900 by Evansville area immigrants from GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The first Volksfest was held in 1934. It was discontinued in 1941 when patriotic feelings stirred by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
turned public opinion against anything of German culture. It was revived in 1962 as part of Evansville's sesquicentennial celebration.
The festival lasts over the course of 3 days and consists of German food, drink, dance, and music. Many attendees dress in old world German apparel . The festival also utilizes the historic Germania Mannerchor building which is complete with a Rathskeller
Rathskeller
Ratskeller is a name in German-speaking countries for a bar or restaurant located in the basement of a city hall or nearby...
, Festhalle. and outdoor beer garden
Beer garden
Beer garden is an open-air area where beer, other drinks and local food are served. The concept originates from and is most common in Southern Germany...
.