Committee recognizes original members
Oktoberfest Committee Members Dave Wesener, Lori Kuehl, Donna Teynor and Mike Ulrich. Kuehl and Teynor are stepping down from the committee after 15 years helping organize various parts of the event. Prairie du Chien’s Oktoberfest will host its 16th event on St. Feriole Island this year. (Steve Van Kooten/Courier Press)
By Steve Van Kooten
Oktoberfest remains one of the Prairie du Chien area’s premiere events each year, with hundreds of people congregating on Blackhawk Avenue to see the parade before walking down to St. Feriole Island for the day-long festivities.
This past week, the Oktoberfest Committee, which organizes the event each year, announced that Lori Kuehl and Donna Teynor, two of its charter members, are stepping away from their duties.
The two “founding festers” worked on the event when it started more than 15 years ago.
“I’m a little social butterfly. I like people, and I’m a Chatty Cathy, too,” said Kuehl.
Kuehl helped with Cajunfest for several years before adding a helping hand to Oktoberfest in the late 2000s. She said that the event is important because it provides opportunities for families to go out together and interact with their community.
“It has always been family-oriented, and it has grown so much. It’s great to see these people come year after year, and then we’ll have bridal parties and family reunions,” she said.
During her time on the Oktoberfest Committee, Kuehl helped organize the beer for the event along with the “Beer Meister.” She also assisted with public relations, worked at the bar cart during the event and held the title of Miss Oktoberfest in 2021.
“It’s fun to see families that were here 15–16 years ago and had little kids that were in my line doing kids crafts, and now those people are bringing their kids to our Oktoberfest,” said Teynor.
Teynor has helped develop various kids’ activities for the event and held the Miss Oktoberfest mantle in 2022.
“Basically, my role has been to work with the kids and work with the advertising,” she said. “I help go out and get sponsors and put out flyers.”
Mike Ulrich, former parks, recreation and forestry director for the city and a founding member of the PdC Oktoberfest, said, “Both of these gals are busy throughout the day [of the festival], so they haven’t been able to see some of the other things that go on at Oktoberfest.”
Kuehl and Teynor agree that Oktoberfest needs new people to keep making improvements.
“I think we need these younger people,” said Teynor. “They have new ideas, and they have young kids, so they know what they’re in tune with. We need more family involvement.”
“It’s nice to see more young people coming onto our board and having new ideas and new thoughts to keep it going,” said Kuehl.
“These gals have probably forgotten more about Oktoberfest than we’ll ever know, and they’re just generally very cheerful people. They make Oktoberfest what it’s all about: a family event. The board is going to miss them,” said Ulrich.
