Pat Shingleton for Oct. 12, 2012

For 16 years, Richard and Brenda Netzberger delighted thousands with a marvelous Oktoberfest for Baton Rouge. Their event embraced the tradition of the harvest with wurstel, or sausage; brezel, or pretzels; reiberdatschi, or potato pancakes; and blaukraut, or red cabbage. Their respective business commitments are now fond memories. On Oct. 12, 1810, citizens of Munich, Germany, were invited to attend the wedding reception of King Ludwig I to Princess Therese of Saxony. As noted in a previous article, the event was held in front of the city gates and for 202 years Oktoberfest has become a 16-day festival that showcases the harvest. The remaining Oktoberfests in our area include the Deutsches Haus in Kenner every weekend through Oct. 27. The Taste of Bavaria in Ponchatoula offers German fare. Fastcast: Dry.