Cannstatter Volksfest Verein 2024

Just north of Philadelphia is Cannstatter Volksfest Verein, a German-American social club that hosts an amazing festival every September over the Labor Day weekend. This year (2024) was the 152nd Volksfest.

Sign over the parking lot entrance

Seal on the building

While it is not advertised as an Oktoberfest, it sure felt like it. One tent had a wheel of fortune, which we did not try. The prize was meat, which would have been tempting if we had been closer to home.

Waiting for more contestants

In addition to the bands playing polkas and German folk music, occasional performances like the one below entertained the crowd. They were trying to convince the old lady to go down the slide. It seemed like a comedy but the kids wanted to move on so we never found out what the final resolution was.

Seems like some very specific architecture--what's it used for the rest of the year?

Carnival rides were available. The older kids joined me on the tilt-a-whirl, then the youngest took a spin on the swings.

Slides and swings

Teacup ride

Was the tilt-a-whirl the right choice?

Caged

Caged and slanted

Swinging

Happy 

Excited

We had dinner there with plenty of German items available. My wife wanted to try the maultaschen, a meat-filled dumpling. We were late, though, and it had sold out! Among the items we bought and shared were potato pancakes (with sour cream and apple sauce), soft pretzels, bratwurst, and wiener schnitzel. 

Some of the food items

I had a Bavarian hefeweizen which was delicious.

Not a traditional Oktoberfest cup, sadly

Cotton-candy dessert

They had bands playing music but we never managed to dance. The people on the dance floor looked like they were having fun. A lot of them were dancing with beers in hand!

The festival also featured a fruit column, which was a small tower made of (or just decorated with?) fruit. We didn't get the story on it. I suppose it is a celebration of the harvest.

Fruit column

Hopefully we can convince the kids to go again next year!