Hermann Missouri was founded because of the location, beauty and resemblance to the German countryside. “German in every particular” was the mission. Since Hermann was founded by Germans their heritage continued on in this beautiful town. One heritage passed down was celebrations throughout the year. Hermann celebrates many different occasions; Maifest, Oktoberfest and Wurstfest to name a few.
The Hermann Maifest was originally a celebration of spring and the end of school for the summer. Children poured into the streets outside the German School for the opportunity to participate in a community parade to the park for games and a special treat; knockwurst inside a small bun, washed down with a glass of lemonade, colored pink by a drop of red wine.
The Maifest celebration as we know it today began in 1952 with the goal of funding restoration of historic structures in Hermann including the Rotunda in Upper City Park. It was a huge success and the beginning of tourism in Hermann was born.
The Hermann Maifest Council is a non-profit organization in Hermann with 8 board members. It seeks to continue the tradition of Maifest in the area, but also much more. The Maifest Council sponsors many of the events during Maifest but sees a need for unity among the businesses and organizations for a collaborative effort in planning and promoting some of the events.
In addition to collaborating efforts for the Maifest celebration, the Maifest Council plans other activities throughout the year, a German Oktoberfest Biergarten with live music, food and beverage. It has a goal to beautify the streets and sidewalks of the downtown area. It is an advocate for the Hermann Food Pantry and plans to continue those efforts.
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