Before the Homecoming football game kicks off, the orchestra will host a German themed event in the gym to pay homage to the German festival Oktoberfest.

“This idea of community is what I think is really important at Oktoberfest,” orchestra director Jonathan Wiebe said.

This annual event is one of the largest fundraisers the orchestra puts on all year. The money raised will go to the orchestra for a variety of things, one being their trip to Overland Park’s sister city of Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany this summer. Students finance most of the trip on their own, but fundraisers like this help make the trip possible for chaperones.

“Whether it be bringing in clinicians from the symphony, going to see the Kansas City Symphony, or possibly purchasing music… That couldn’t happen without fundraisers like Oktoberfest,” Wiebe said.

While traditional Oktoberfest celebrations center around beer, the orchestra’s version features German dishes such as bratwursts, German potato salad, and pretzels, all available for purchase. Students and parent volunteers met in the FACs room Monday night and collectively made over 300 pretzels to be served at Oktoberfest. The rest of the food will come from parents and other donations.

Orchestra students of all grade levels have also been working hard to prepare the music to be performed. All three of the high school orchestras as well as orchestras from Indian Woods Middle School will be performing, and many of the songs have a German influence. Students have also been preparing skits to be performed at the concert.

“I’m helping get pretzels done for it and getting decorations and helping to make sure my section knows their music,” junior cellist Cheyenne Wheeler said.

Oktoberfest will be held in the Main Gym Friday, Sept. 30 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, before the Homecoming football game.