One of the traditional highlights of autumn in the Fox Valley takes place in downtown Appleton the last Saturday of September and after two years, Octoberfest was back, and the Appleton Fox Cities Kiwanis were ready to serve.
The pandemic shut down 2020’s Octoberfest while 2021’s event didn’t go on due to a vendor and volunteer shortage and COVID-19 concerns. The event, sponsored by the Fox Cities Chamber, provides free music, arts and craft vendors, family fun, and great food booths staffed by not-for-profits to raise money for their organizations.
Traditionally the Kiwanis club has supported selling wristbands and beer tickets to patrons but additionally this year, the club added an ice cream truck to sell Dilly Bars as an additional way to raise money. The ice cream truck, provided by the Appleton International Airport, was the perfect way to sell Dilly Bars and bottled water to attendees while getting Kiwanis out in the community.
Organizers estimated that over 100,000 people came out to the festival on Saturday which provides a big boost for small businesses in the area.