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Ich liebe Plano! Steinfest brings German festival to downtown

There’s nothing like good German beer and bratwursts to scare the rain away. On Sunday, October 25, Steinfest brought downtown Plano alive with the traditional German festival of Oktoberfest.
Steinfest 2015, Downtown Plano by RB2 Photography
Steinfest, Downtown Plano

There’s nothing like good German beer and bratwursts to scare the rain away. On Sunday, October 25, Steinfest brought downtown Plano alive with the traditional German festival of Oktoberfest.

Steinfest Downtown Plano

With live music in front of the recently opened Junction 15 Apartments, the fest stretched from the corner of Haggard Park right up 15th Street to the corner of K Avenue, with stands, stalls and a community bench attracting Planoites who raised their Steins for the love of Plano. “Ich liebe Plano!”

Activities included face-painting and crafts for little ones and a barrel rolling contest, as well as, of course, lots of beer drinking. The live entertainment opened with the Flying Balalaika Brothers, whose “Gypsy folk and electric rock ‘n’ roll” certainly got the party started. Next up was Buffalo Ruckus, winners of the 2014 Texas Music Showdown and 2014 Shiner Rising Star competitions, followed by American Idol finalist Tim Halperin. Spectators enjoyed the show from rustic hay bale seats, while others took to their feet and danced in the street.

Steinfest Downtown Plano

While all seemed happy to embrace the tradition of beer-drinking, some took the festivities a step further in Ledenhosen and traditional Dirndl dresses. We even spotted viking horns, a chicken headdress, a fairy and a sharply dressed dog…so not strictly speaking typical Germanic wear, but fun nevertheless!

Organized by the Historic Downtown Plano Association, Steinfest brought together the merchants and residents of downtown Plano, while also attracting visitors from across Plano, as well as the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, many of whom arrived via DART.

Participating in Steinfest was Junction 15 Apartments, Urban Crust, Ye Ole Butcher Shop, Jorg’s Cafe Vienna, Lockhart Smokehouse, Angela’s at the Crosswalk, Cajun Tailgators, Kelly’s Eastside, Sweet As Sugar Childrens Boutique, the Filmore Pub and Pipe & Palette Home Outfitters & Mixed Media Art Classes.

Photography by RB2-PHOTOGRAPHY