Heritagefest'04 gets underway

NU man wins

Star Search

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Large numbers of teens and middle aged fest-goers enjoyed themselves, the music and each other Friday as the 30th Annual Heritagefest got underway with a wider variety of music at the Brown County Fairgrounds.

Don Klossner of New Ulm got his band going in the air conditioned Fest Halle while more local talent, the Salty Dogs, started singing in the Bayerwald Tent in the morning.

Not long after that, Bermannorchester Woldmirstedt began playing their own type of march, dance and swing music for the first time in New Ulm since 1996.

The band's female lead singer, Rosemary Bieuner, said she appreciated the warm weather compared to much cooler temperatures in Germany. Things won't get much cooler for them very soon. The band is going to Orlando, Fla. next week.

Maria Loose, 18, part of the band's entourage, said she appreciated how friendly everybody in New Ulm was and how much bigger the houses of New Ulm were compared to Germany.

She was interested in going to McDonald's in New Ulm to see if her favorite food there, a McChicken, tasted the same here as it did at McDonald's in Germany.

Loose said she'd try to find some of her favorite music, hip hop, in Orlando.

New Ulm Chamber of Commerce tour director Terry Sveine took a moment out from his busy schedule to talk. He said he felt more and more local people are taking notice of the new and improved Heritagefest.

"It seems people around here are opening their eyes up more to it," Sveine said. "I hear more buzz about it. I can't imagine what we'd do without this (Heritagefest). I can't imagine what we'd do better."

Donna Frederickson of New Ulm felt the same way. She said Heritagefest is her favorite time of the year since she enjoys old-time music and the Concord Singers.

"It's nice to see so many teens around too," Frederickson said.

Tour groups from as far away as Nebraska enjoyed the festival's opening day. Martha Talmon of Mercy-Fontonelle Tours of Bellevue, Neb. said she liked the way Heritagefest adds more variety each year.

"It's great, really something," Talmon said. "I heard so much about it, I had to come this year." She is part of a 38-member group here on a three-day tour.

Irene Blohal of Bellevue was amazed at how clean the festival and community are. She said the festival is improved over what it was four years ago.

Three New Ulm acts were among the 10 that performed at a regional Star Search event in the Fest Halle. Carl Wachholz of New Ulm got a little help from his friends in Michael Larsen (conga drums) and vocalist Martha Stuckey to win the contest and a $1,000 check.

Wachholz dedicated the performance to his brother U.S. Army Lieutenant Jason Wachholz who has been serving in Kosovo since last fall.

A 2004 Minnesota State University Mankato graduate that majored in the Music Industry, Wachholz hopes to get a contemporary Christian music internship in Nashville.

"I'm just totally, totally excited," Wachholz said. "I've always wanted to be a contemporary Christian musician. This gives me some pep to keep going."

Next weekend, he hopes to be on the improv stage at the Sonshine (Christian music) Festival in Willmar.

Star Search runner-up was yodeler Tom Paschke of Edina. Kirsten Hall of Mankato was third.

The Walburg Boys of Walburg, Texas, who performed at the Munich Octoberfest as well as festivals across the country, mixed some Country Western Music, Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville" and "In Heaven There is No Beer" in with their German Alpine tunes.

New Odyssey of Chicago entertained a large crowd using 30 different instruments to perform soul, jazz, rock and roll, polka, Big Band, classical and Country Western music. Songs ranged from "In The Mood" that got the middle-aged on the dance floor to "Cheeseburger in Paradise."

New highlight events scheduled for Saturday include sauerkraut wrestling starting at 4 p.m. in a 15x15 ring, a European Auto Rally with Mercedes-Benz, Audis, Volzwagons and BMWs on display, and Bob Wooten and Six Mile Grove at 8:30 p.m. in the Bayerwald Tent.

Wooten played lead guitar for Johnny Cash and his music will remind listeners of Cash. Wooten will be joined by a local musician, New Ulm attorney Jeff Braegelmann.

The Alpencasanovas of Germany were not able to make the trip due to visa difficulties. They were replaced by Die Wolpertinger, a strong performing band from Watertown.