Prost!
Lift your mugs to celebrate a traditional Oktoberfest celebration to benefit the Macomb Food Co-op Saturday, Oct. 11 beginning at noon at the co-op's South McArthur Street location. A portion of Washington Street will be closed to accommodate tents, seating, games and a bounce house. Tickets, $20 per person at the gate, includes traditional German food (brats and kraut served by Paddy's Patties of Macomb), while German beer, provided by The Ice House and The Ritz, and apple cider will be available for purchase. Children under 12 will be admitted free.
According to Lars Gossel, who is a part of the Macomb Food Co-op's Foundation through the Prairie Hills Conservation Resource & Development, which is the co-op's nonprofit fiscal sponsor, said the first-ever event is not only a fundraiser for the co-op, but is also designed to raise awareness for this open-to-the-community market that features locally grown produce, organic goods and sustainable food options. The co-op is looking to raise $110,000 to purchase its current home, which its renting from Macomb Telephone Cooperative (MTC). MTC is selling the building, and the only option for the food co-op, in order to remain in its current home, is to purchase the building, noted Aly Sturgis, co-op manager.
'We're going to have traditional German games such as corn husking and nail driving,' Gossel said. 'We'll also be having a stein holding contest, and the person that holds a 12-ounce stein (filled with water) the longest wins.'
Event organizers are looking for volunteers to help with check-in, security, serving food and setting up and tearing down. To volunteer, email [email protected].
'We'll also be showing off our kitchen at the food co-op, where we'll be dishing up homemade French fries and giant pretzels,' he added. 'Co-op Manager Aly Sturgis will be giving tours of the market and answering questions about the co-op.'
The Macomb Food Co-op, located at the intersection of South McArthur and East Washington, opened at its current location in 2016. Sturgis took over at the general manager in January 2025. While the co-op is set up as a share-based ownership model, anyone – member or not – can shop the co-op.
'This event really showcases this excellent for-the-community- by-the community market. This is your neighborhood grocery store, with produce, eggs, meat and other items grown and made by your friends and neighbors, plus so many other options, like sustainable coffee and homemade bread and more,' Sturgis said. 'Oktoberfest will help our co-op raise funds to make our kitchen a commercial kitchen that can serve as an incubator space for small business endeavors. We have applied for a grant thanks to John Bannon and his participation on our Foundation Board. We have hopes of creating a food hub at the co-op where local growers can aggregate their specialty crops to be transported to bigger markets. If you can't make it to Oktoberfest, please swing by when we're open on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. to see what we offer.'
For more information, follow the Macomb Food Co-op on Facebook at facebook.com/macombfoodcoop. To purchase a membership, which is a one-time payment for a lifetime share, contact the co-op at [email protected]. A share is $100 and monthly payments can be arranged; however, even without a membership, individuals are welcome to shop at the co-op.
To donate to the Macomb Food Co-op Foundation, visit prairiehillsrcd.org/macomb-food-co-op-foundation.html
