A New festival arrives in Port Royal

Back in 2014, I was approached by some clients that became good friends over in Port Royal, Nancy and her husband, Larry, to come and meet with them so they could pick my brain about something. Nancy just started in her tenure as the head of the Old Village Association in town.

When I got to our meeting, Nancy was looking for some ideas. “The town has several events, but they’re all scheduled during the same five month period,” she told me. “We need to think of an event in the fall. Not in the summer, because of the Water Festival and the heat, but in the fall.”

That was easy. I suggested the organization consider hosting an Oktoberfest event. I remembered that Port Royal used to have one that probably ceased to exist about a decade earlier, and it just seemed natural since Nancy & Larry owned a restaurant that specialized in BBQ and smoked meats, including bratwurst.

Yeah, no-brainer for sure.

Nancy liked the idea and we discussed it at length. I suggested plenty of beer and food, like a traditional Oktoberfest, along with a roving accordion player, tents with seating, and perhaps a dance troop wearing traditional German clothing.

She took the idea back to the town and to OVA. A few days later, I was told it was a go.

The town also decided to add a Arts & Crafts Market, live music, and a Classic Car Show to the event, because it’s tradition that every festival in Port Royal has them.

It’s changed slightly in the past 10 years. The first event was over two days. Friday night was all about the beer with a Friday Night Craft Beer Tasting inside The Shed on Paris Avenue, followed by the festival outside on Paris Avenue the next day.

But, that’s how today’s OktoPRfest started in Port Royal, with the first event in September 2015.

OktoPRfest…Party Port Royal Style.