The live music, pitchers of beer, nonprofit booths selling German-style treats and guests clad in lederhosen that Wurstfest has become famous for were all part of the opening day of the 60th annual celebration.
A new Marktplatz building also welcomed visitors to this year’s festival after the original building was destroyed in a fire.
Just four days after the conclusion of the 2019 festival, two fires broke out on the historic grounds and left the Marktplatz building structurally unsound, according to city reports.
Following the destruction, the Wurstfest Association formed the Marktplatz Rebuild Committee and began working with MarmonMok Architecture to rebuild the facility ahead of the 2020 festival, which was to be the 60th annual celebration.
Ultimately, the association elected to cancel the 2020 festival due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but work on the facility continued and this year's event began with no coronavirus-related restrictions.
The 10-day festival kicked off with members of the Wurstfest Association and city officials participating in the “biting of the sausage” and opening a keg of Shiner Oktoberfest beer.
Guests can visit the festival through Nov. 14 and more information can be found on the Wurstfest website.
