‘Volksfest’ puts the focus on community with a cultural flair

Published: Jul. 3, 2022 at 9:08 PM CDT

DUNLAP (25 News Now) - The Peoria German American Society celebrated Fourth of July weekend with some European flair.

The annual ‘Volksfest’ — German for ‘people’s fest’ — is the second of four summer festivals the group hosts at Hickory Grove Park in Dunlap. It’s a celebration of all things German culture, complete with culturally appropriate food, music, and beer. Plenty of activities were spread out across the park, including a craft show, soccer, and even a shooting tent.

Organizer Bryan Brown says these events help create feelings of camaraderie.

“We call it ‘gemütlichkeit,’ which has no translation to English, but it basically means feeling of comfort with good friends surrounding you,” says Brown

The origins of the festival date back to the 1930s, when the society first hosted Volksfest on their club grounds.

The society has two more festivals are scheduled for this summer. For more information on future events, you can find information on their official website here.

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