‘Oktoberfest’ raises funds for St. John church missionary work

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - More than 2,000 people visited St. John Lutheran Church in Hattiesburg Saturday, for the church’s 42nd “Oktoberfest” celebration.

“It’s such a great event every year,” said Joe Bost, who we’re glad to have it back,” said Joe Bost, who came to Saturday’s event.

German folk music and polka dancing were enjoyed by visitors, who also bought plate lunches of bratwurst, sauerkraut and German potato salad.

The event raised money for nearly a dozen church mission projects in the United States and overseas.

“The turnout has been fantastic (Saturday),” Oktoberfest Committee President Mark Keyl said. “We’ve had people come up and said ‘Boy, we’ve really missed you’ and I said, We’ve missed you, too.’”

The festival was canceled each of the last two years because of the pandemic.

“We (missed the festival), we wondered if they had it last year, but yes, we missed it very much,” said Martha Pierce.

Oktoberfest began as a pot luck supper, just for members of the church.

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