Wauktoberfest was a blast
The world’s only Waunakee is also the home to Wauktoberfest on the grounds of Endres Manufacturing. The event is a huge fundraiser for local charities and service organizations, but it’s also a good time to get a jump start on the Oktoberfest season.
The path to Wauktoberfest started with Madison Magazine. After the magazine editors invited me to write the April edition opener on COVID-era hobbies and how we’re learning new things, that sparked interviews in other places like Wisconsin Public Radio. The Waunakee Rotary was looking for interesting speakers, so they invited me to give a talk about my quirky hobby.
As a classic overthinker, I made a whole plan on what to say to the Rotary. It was a mini-TED Talk on how to overcome imposter syndrome and follow your dreams. While I’m available for consultation and motivational speaking engagements, I’ll give you the key takeaway: things changed when I made the shift from saying “I want to be a DJ” to “I am a DJ.”
That shift happened when I realized if I had a friend who was in a band, but hadn’t yet performed in front of an audience, I wouldn't say that person “wasn’t really in a band.” By the same logic, why would someone say I wasn’t a DJ just because I hadn’t yet shared my records with an audience? I did my research, bought my equipment, amassed a lovely collection of polka records, practiced, developed setlists, and had a vision for how I would share this music with a future audience. I was a DJ. And I was ready to play.
The Waunakee Rotary planted the seed and Wauktoberfest organizers invited me to play. I was under the tent and plugged into the full-grounds PA system right after the David Allen polka band. It was a thrill to share my old polka records with a crowd that was happy to be outside on a warm, September day. The grounds’ grass wasn’t ideal for polka dancers, but the little kids spun around and loved it. I appreciated the folks who came up to comment on their memories of the recordings I played, or their enthusiasm over the vintage record covers they remembered.
I’m thankful to Endres Manufacturing and the Waunakee Community Foundation for having me play music for their event. I’m thankful to the crowd who were good sports when my needle skipped a few times. I just laugh and smile and say , “that’s how you know it’s a real record!”