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Ann Arbor
Saturday, June 28th with the torrential down pour, didn't look like a good
day for a picnic. Even one with lots of good German food, beer, music and
dancing. Many, who had been looking forward to the first public picnic of
the Ann Arbor German Park 2008 season, were disappointed when they awoke
that morning to a rainy day.
However, the
disappointment was short lived because the sky cleared and the sun came out.
Around 3 o'clock in the afternoon, a line formed outside the park gate. At 4
o'clock visitors were welcomed in. Music played from the band stand and
folks eagerly lined up to buy their favorite German foods.
The property on
Pontiac Trail was purchased 1936 by a group of German immigrants. Public
picnics started in 1938 and drew crowds of about 200, mostly those of German
descent. Now as the park celebrates its 70th anniversary, German Park hosts
as many as 300,000 visitors at each monthly picnic.
According to
President John Mueller, many picnickers are of German descent but most come
just because they've heard it's a nice time. Sheila Mueller (John Mueller's
wife) says that while visitors love all the food, beer and dancing, what
they enjoy most is the atmosphere of our outdoor café."
Marianne Rauer,
who herself is the president of the Ann Arbor German Benevolent Union (GBU),
agrees. She says that the picnics are a beautiful event for families."
Besides the food
and beer (soda for those under 21) there is also dancing to be enjoyed.
Performances are held twice at each picnic by the German Park Schuhplatters.
There are three groups; the youngest kleiner kinder" ages 3-12, the youth
dancers ages 12-18 and the adult group. Dancers must be members of the
German Park (or in case of the children, have a parent who is).
Otto Moehrle, son
of one the German Park founders, has been a schuhplattler since he was 11
years old. Now at the age of 70, he is the eldest schuhplattler in the
state. When asked about the park he says, I spent a life time there,"
Moehrle's youngest daughter Amy Napolitan and granddaughter Meghan have
followed in his footsteps as German Park Schuhplatters.
A German heritage
isn't required for membership into the German Park, but a willingness to
work is. According to two year member, Dawn Leimstoll, applicants must have
two sponsors and do a year of volunteer work. Volunteer work includes spring
cleaning to get the park ready for the picnics, and fall clean up at the end
of the season. Meetings are a must for members as well as working at least
two picnics a year.
Not only do the
Ann Arbor German Park members host three public picnics a year, there are
also parties and events for the members only. Members often take bus trips
to Toledo to visit the German Park group there. Occasionally there are even
trips to Germany.
So if you have a
little German in you, a lot or none at all, take a Saturday and come to the
German Park. Public picnics are held the last Saturday of June, July and
August. Gates open at 4pm, the entrance fee is $5.00 a person.
You can talk to
someone about joining, or just be like many others who come for the food,
fun and friends!
L.M. |
