Tapping of the keg kicks off Friday of the 60th Oktoberfest

Warm and sunny weather helped draw a large crowd to the tapping of the Golden Keg at the 2021 Oktoberfest Friday morning.

Festgoers cheered the pouring of beer to start the fall festival, even though Oktoberfest officially started on Thursday with the Torchlight Parade and other events.

The 2021 royal family, led by Festmaster Tom Tiggelaar, led the audience in the “Jump Around” dance as they took to a stage at the southside Festgrounds. “Do you even remember how to do this?” asked emcee Brian Jackson from Mid-West Family, noting that the crowd has waited two years to celebrate, after the 2020 Oktoberfest was cancelled because of COVID-19.

Some of the loudest cheers were for 1991 Festmaster Karl Friedline. who traditionally sings the German national anthem for the keg ceremony.

The Skyrockers group set off fireworks near the festgrounds during the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The group put on a brief fireworks show there Thursday night, and will do it again on Saturday.