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License to Cruise AND Octoberfest
Today's Octoberfest was the result of a brainstorming session of the Appleton Downtown Retail Association, (the predecessor of Appleton Downtown Inc.) and the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. in 1981. They were searching for a way to promote their businesses, to improve their community image and to showcase Downtown Appleton and the businesses located there.
They decided to hold a huge party and to invite the entire community to participate.
This very pro-active and visionary group decided on several courses of action, which have contributed to the ongoing success of Octoberfest. They decided to invite non-profit groups from throughout the community to sponsor food booths and they decided to feature several music venues and to ask the "experts", the radio stations, to choose the entertainment.
Although music and food have remained as the central focus of Octoberfest, almost everything else about the event has changed, some several times, during the 27 years of its existence.
Beer has been a part of Octoberfest since the beginning. Originally, there were several beer gardens, which were enclosed with snow fence. Our volunteer bartenders were responsible for checking identifications, serving beer and keeping the area secure. In 1992, the Appleton Police Department asked us to explore the possibility of changing our beer sale operation. Our director and board, with help from a Leadership Fox Cities work group, wrote a plan to contract with non-profit groups to check ID's and sell wristbands. Amidst dire predictions of a free-for-all, we took down the fences and sold beer in open areas. A year later we initiated the "ticket for a beer" plan, which has been very successful.
During the first years, Octoberfest was a one-day, stand-alone event. In 1987, the Octoberfest Board of Directors decided to make the precededing Friday night into a retail event by sponsoring a "sock hop". This was marginally successful and in 1990, a car show was added to the Friday night festivities and it was named "License To Cruise" to celebrate the popular past-time of "Cruising The Ave."
Food, a live band, a variety of food booths and an annual automobile related theme have combined to the phenomenal success of License To Cruise, which is now attended by 75,000 plus people.
During the "building years" of Octoberfest, it was managed by the director of ADRA, under the direction of an operations committee. For several years, the board hired private individuals to manage the event and, in 1992, new by-laws were written, a Board of Directors was elected and the operation of Octoberfest was returned to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce office. The board now contracts with the chamber to provide management, bookkeeping and clerical services for the event under the direction of an Octoberfest President and elected board.
During the 27 years of its existence, Octoberfest has evolved and improved into today's safe, successful and entertaining event, which other area and regional festivals use as a model.
License To Cruise is now a "must attend" event. For the past few years, more than 75,000 attendees have enjoyed looking at 400 antique and classic cars, our yearly "theme" cars, live music in Houdini Plaza and a large variety of outdoor food booths.
During our 2005 25th Anniversary Celebration, we introduced a Thursday "Heritage Day" which celebrates "German Style" with music, bratwurst and other ethnic entertainment. This was so popular that it is now a regular feature of Octoberfest.
One of the primary "draws" for the 150,000 people who attend each year's Octoberfest is the 100 plus food booths, each sponsored by a not-for-profit group and offering a huge variety of food including candy, bakery, ethnic and variety foods along with the traditional hamburgers and brats. There is truly something for every taste. All profits from these booths is used by the group to fund their individual community projects.
We have expanded to now include 5 live music stages. Although our stages are still sponsored by area radio stations, our Entertainment Committee, made up of entertainment professionals, now selects the entertainment for each stage. Local "start up bands", bands with a regional following and national acts have all appeared.
In our on-going effort to make Octoberfest truly a family event, we have improved and enlarged the Family Fun Area, which now includes rides, safety demonstrations, continuous entertainment and other activities that families enjoy.
Appleton Downtown Inc. or ADI, which is the current association of downtown businesses, has continued to be involved in Octoberfest. They have been the holder of the beer license for recent Octoberfest celebrations and have played a role in the planning and presentation of both License To Cruise and Octoberfest.
Octoberfest operating funds are generated in three primary ways, through the sponsorship of area businesses, income from beer sales and food booth fees. We have invested enough funds to keep Octoberfest solvent through 2 "wash out" years. Any operational profits that we generate are reinvested in our community.
Through our association with ADI, we support the downtown that has played a key role in our success. We supported signage during the reconstruction, contributed to the downtown Christmas lights, have supported downtown concerts and ADI technology and installed electrical service in Houdini Plaza. We are a proud sponsor of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and have supported the Building For Kids and the Team Fox Cities program which will support and maintain the Fox Cities quality of life. We were a contributor to the recent Appleton Police Dept. Canine program and, through our ongoing grant process, we support the special projects of countless area not-for-profit associations.
Octoberfest is "volunteer driven". From the 15 people who serve on our Executive Committee, to the 250 volunteers who tend bar, work in our headquarters, sell beer tickets and work as block captains, to the 2,000 plus people who work in the food booths, each person feels a personal ownership of Octoberfest.
Octoberfest is "community driven". Each not-for-profit booth that sells food at Octoberfest uses their profits to support their community project. Many of these groups have been involved in all 27 Octoberfest celebrations. Some of them view Octoberfest as their major fundraiser for the year. We estimate that more than 2.5 million dollars have been reinvested in our community as a result of Octoberfest.
Each year brings new challenges and new opportunities. We have been fortunate to have officers and directors with a proactive attitude who have embraced challenges, taken advantage of opportunities and allowed Octoberfest to evolve and succeed while other festivals have faltered and failed.
Octoberfest is truly a "Fox Cities Institution". It is a legacy that we hope to pass on to our children and our grandchildren.