By Dixon Bledsoe
As both a mother of four and an educator, Audrey Nieswandt of Silverton knows traditions are important to families.
Even when the thought of one more Chicken Dance at Mt. Angel’s Oktoberfest can step on her last nerve, she knows that with the last name of Nieswandt, and with her children Lauzons, the festival is in the family’s blood.
Take Sebastian. The 4-year old whirling dervish loves a good Oom Pah Pah rhythm, especially when it comes to dancing with his mom or Opa – German for Grandpa. His happens to be Oktoberfest icon Jerry Lauzon. Oma Connie is there, too, twirling 7-year-old granddaughter and dirndl-dressed Avielle around in a perfect polka.
Nathan, a 17-year-old senior at Silverton High school, always looks resplendent in his lederhosen as he drives from venue to venue in a golf cart, shuttling folks from distant parking lots or running errands.
Roman, his 12-year-old brother, is a poster child for Oktoberfest, with his blond hair, and award-winning smile.
It isn’t an easy chore getting four kids ready for Oktoberfest, but the family has rituals that the kids know by heart. Dancing in the streets to the beat of the entertaining schuplatters (those are the dancers with the hand-slapping feet!). Bratwurst on a stick (Nieswandt reveals that the bun thing is not really a German tradition) is a given.
Traditions and rituals play just as big a part for the Baumans – Mt. Angel Mayor Tom, wife Diane, daughters Trina and Teresa and son Matt. The traditions are followed by the entire extended family, including relatives from all over and Matt’s wife, Sarah.
There is Thursday lunch in the Wiengarten so they can hear Z Musikmakers play their first set and have the local family group (the Zollners) sing happy birthday to Tom. Matt and Sarah have to grab a doughboy from the JFK Booster Club.
Then the entire extended family gets together on Saturday for the Knights of Columbus (of Gervais) chicken dinner. To top off the tradition, the Bauman family has organized the annual Oktoberfest race (10k and 5 k) five years running (pun intended).
For the Zollners, Oktoberfest follows the same rituals every year.
“We have three shows a day and two on Sunday. Our most requested songs are The Chicken Dance, of course, and the Orange Blossom Special,.” explains Christiana, 17, a singer and a fiddle/violin player with Z Musimakers. She won’t say anymore about the latter song, but anyone who hears her fiddle magic on the toe-tappin’ classic knows it is world class.
She does laugh when asked if she ever gets tired of the Chicken Dance.
“Not at all. It’s only four days a year and a big tradition at Oktoberfest.”
