The annual event ‘brings back many, many good memories for lots of our residents,’ says Village’s fun co-ordinator
By Deron Hamel – October 28, 2026
Lanark Village residents celebrated Oktoberfest on Oct. 9 with traditional German food, beer, live music and dancing, bringing a taste of the famous Bavarian festival to the Kitchener seniors living community.
For residents, Oktoberfest is an important celebration that sparks fond memories, and for years, many celebrated the festival every fall at German clubs and other community hubs across the region, explains Lisa Rathier, the Village’s fun co-ordinator.
“It brings back many, many good memories for lots of our residents, who share all about cooking food for the clubs, being servers (during) Oktoberfest, different things they did at the clubs and, in general, the good memories they have,” she tells S&R Today.
“Oktoberfest transforms the city of Kitchener each year. Many of our residents still attend the events that are presented by the German clubs they helped shape during their lives.”
Kitchener-Waterloo’s Oktoberfest is the largest in North America and the second-largest in the world after the festival in Munich, where the first Oktoberfest was held on Oct. 12, 1810, to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.
Along with German beer, residents could enjoy ginger ale and an assortment of food, including sauerkraut balls and German-inspired egg rolls stuffed with bratwurst, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut.
Music is another major attraction at Oktoberfest celebrations. Lanark Village residents and team members, many of whom were decked out in their finest Bavarian outfits, gave a warm welcome to the Ziggy Zaggies, a local Bavarian-style band that performs waltzes and polkas.
For an added touch of authenticity, residents and team members were supplied with cowbell noisemakers to cheer on the Ziggy Zaggies, who have performed at Oktoberfest events in Kitchener-Waterloo for several years.
Lisa says Oktoberfest brings out the festive spirit at Lanark Village every year.
“Oktoberfest is one of my favourite events we do here – it is just happy; the singing, the dancing and the overall joy you see on the residents’ and staff’s faces,” she says.
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