The Historic Downtown Plano Association threw a street party this past Saturday to celebrate Plano’s first and only Oktoberfest, SteinFest. 15th Street closed down, replacing vehicular traffic with the pedestrian kind, lined with food trucks and tents from downtown restaurants. German beer was offered by The Fillmore Pub.
The storms we’d had for several days subsided just in time for the party and attendees were rewarded with a lovely fall day—cool, overcast and a light wind. The crowd was a diverse group, lots of families, young and old. Competitions like the Stein Dash and Barrel Roll offered fun for adults and there were also activities for little ones, too—face painting, arts and crafts.
As for the Brute Challenge Tug o’ War Exhibition between the Plano Firefighters and Police Officers, well, the Police Officers never had a chance. The Firefighters showed up ready for the challenge and took care of the Police Officers in short order. The Tug o’ War ended with good cheer, and congratulations were shared all around.
A stage was set up for musicians to entertain throughout the day. We captured photos of The Flying Balalaika Brothers. Their music is a blend of gypsy-folk, traditional Russian and electric rock n’ roll, perfect for a day celebrating the blending of American and European cultures.
Photos and recap of SteinFest provided by Charlise Larson. (Click photos to start slideshow.)
