Hello Klaberheads!
 
Our Oktoberfest season was incredibly busy, and I am just now catching my breath!  We have played at least once a week since mid-July!!  Most weekends we played at least twice, sometimes three times.  It was our busiest Fest season ever!! But don’t worry, we have lots of fun stuff lined up for the remainder of 2016.
 
Here are a few important highlights to put on your calendar!!
 
Please join us for our annual New Year’s Party at the Marriott in downtown Hamilton, 12/31/16!
New this year—event only ticket will also include unlimited soft drinks, beer, and wine!  As well as champagne toast at midnight and an amazing hot and cold appetizer bar.
Space is limited, so don’t delay in getting your tickets!  Tickets are $75 and can be purchased through www.klaberheads.com or contact Erika at 513-218-6017.
If you are interested in a New Year’s package, it’s quite a deal!  $250 includes the unlimited soft drinks, beer and wine, champagne toast at midnight, and amazing hot and cold appetizer bar, as well as a room at the Marriott and a breakfast voucher.  It’s a steal of a deal!
Contact the Marriott at 513-896-6200 to reserve your package today!


 
Please join us for our 1st annual “A Very Klaber Christmas” concert.  Filled with holiday music favorites, you won’t want to miss singing along and learning the words to the Christmas Schnitzelbank!  This 2 hour concert we be filled with fun, laughter, and good music!  Bandmembers will share favorite holiday memories and traditions, and we’ll share some classic Santa pictures of when we all were younger.  The man in the red suit might make a special appearance at the end, so kids, bring your wish lists!
We will debut the music from our new Christmas CD, “Man with the Bag”, which will be available for purchase that evening.
Bring a canned good for donation to the Open Door Pantry.
Tickets are $10 per person, children 12 and under are free. 



Hope to see you soon!!
Erika

 



 
Hope to see you soon!!
Erika


 

 
On behalf of all of us, I wish all of YOU a very special holiday, filled with lots of music, laughter, family, and friends!  
 
It was great to see so many of you last Friday at the Niederman Family Farm.  It may have been cold outside, but it was toasty in the barn.  In fact, the Niederman’s served over 500 cups of hot chocolate!
 
On another note, we have a very important announcement.  The voice of our band, Uncle Bill Klaber, will be retiring. 

As he said, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to very purpose under the heaven.”  Bill is ready to spend more time with family, and to say that we will miss him is an understatement.  2016 marks his 50th year in the Franz Klaber Orchestra, and he is and always will be a vital member of our organization.  So…you have TWO more opportunities to see Bill perform.  New Year’s Eve, and our Big Band show at the Fitton Center on January 23, 2016.  Tickets are still available for both events, but they are selling fast!  For New Year’s Eve tickets, go to www.klaberheads.com, or call 513-218-6017.  For “A Night of Big Band” tickets, go to www.fittoncenter.org or call 513-863-8873.
 
We hope you will join us in thanking Bill for the memories.  We encourage you to send us your thoughts about a special song or memory, or just to wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life.  We will present these to him on New Year’s Eve!  If you’d rather send a video message you can do that too!  Be creative!  Please send all entries to Erika Klaber:  eklaber@cinci.rr.com or message us through our FaceBook page.  You can also send it through the mail at:  800 Abbot Dr., Fairfield, OH  45014.  Thank you in advance for your help with this gift!
 
THIS JUST IN:
We now have 6 room packages available for NYE.  Please call the Marriott ASAP to reserve your room!
 
Much love,
Erika

 
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Hello Klaberheads!
Thanks to all of you that came out to the Christkindlmarkt.  What a great turn out!  We had such a good time.  It really is a treat for us to get to play holiday music. 

You have one more chance to hear the Klaberheads do Christmas.  This Friday, December 18, we will be playing all your favorites of the season at the Niederman Family Farm from 7-9pm.  We play indoors, and the Niedermans provide free cookies and hot chocolate.  What more could you ask for? J  We will have some CDs and Klaberhead Christmas ornaments for sale, so if you need a last minute gift for that someone special, look no further!








New Years Eve update:  There are only a few rooms left at the Marriott, so if you wanted on overnight package, this would be the last week to reserve your room.  However, there are still tickets available for the evening.  Contact Erika at 513-218-6017, or go to www.klaberheads.com to get your ticket.


Hope to see you at the Niederman Family Farm! www.niedermanfamilyfarm.com

Thanks!
Erika
 
Happy Thanksgiving Klaberheads!

We hope you are having a day filled with good food, good beer, good desserts, and sharing some Gemuetlichkeit with family and friends.  Wait…that sounds a lot like Oktoberfest!

On behalf of all the bandmembers, we sincerely thank you for supporting us throughout the year.  Thanks to you, we sold out our 2014 NYE bash.  Thanks to you, we sold out of “Night of Big Band” at the Fitton Center, and thanks to you, we sold out our 85th anniversary gala.  We appreciate you coming out in the rain, the heat, the cold—and we’ve had it all this year—to come be a part of our show.  Some of you even traveled all the way to New Braunfels, Texas, for the Wurstfest!  Being able to entertain YOU is what we are truly thankful for!
 
It’s not too late to get your ticket to our 2015 NYE party at the Hamilton Marriott.  But if you’re interested in the package deal, which includes a hotel room, don’t procrastinate.  Rooms are almost sold-out, and they predict to be fully sold out in the next 2 weeks!
 
Please enjoy our drummer, Mark Becknell, singing a classic!  Happy Thanksgiving!
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNVQmMIDLDw 
 
One last Fest to get Klabered!
 
We’re taking the show on the road, folks!  The Klaberheads are headed to New Braunfels, TX on Thursday to play for the Wurstfest on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 6-8.  We are thrilled that we have been asked back, and can’t wait to see our Texas friends!  Thankfully, the recent weather and flooding hasn’t affected the Wurstfest grounds too drastically.



This festival was just ranked #1 in a recent national poll, and we can see why.  So MANY beers to choose from, so MUCH wurst, a great play area for kids, SEVERAL venues for bands (including a HUGE tent and a very BIG Wursthalle!) 

Speaking of bands, it’s a line-up like no other!  We will perform with the likes of Die Bayerishe 7, Jodie Mikula Band, and of course, the great Alex Meixner Band.  Click the picture below to see us having a blast dancing the Fliegerlied with those lovely ladies from Die Bayerishe 7.  :)




If you’re up for a road trip, I suggest coming to New Braunfels for the Wurstfest!
See you at the Fest!!
Erika
 
Thanks to all who made the trip to Columbus this past weekend.  We had a great time and it was a great turn-out. 
It’s always fun to catch up with our C-bus friends.  Our tailgate Oktoberfest was a success!  This is growing, so there’s
a good chance we could do this again!...
 


I can’t believe that the Oktoberfest season is winding down.  Saturday we return to Minster, OH, and this marks the last stop
for Ohio Oktoberfests for the Klaberheads for 2015. 





If you’ve never been to Minster, you need to go!  The schnitzel alone is worth the trip. 
It’s HUGE and delicious!  I’m sure Robb won’t mind me telling you that he likes to get a
schnitzel when we arrive, one when we break, and one for the way home.  They are THAT good! :)











Don’t let Mother Nature scare you away.  We are playing under a big tent with lots of people, so it will be toasty!  For more information, please go to:
http://www.minsteroktoberfest.com
 
I need to give a shout-out to our Minster friends—in particular, the Bruns family, and Sean & Mindy.  We can’t wait to Fest with you!

See you at the Fest!!
Erika

 
 
Getting Klabered Tour:  Week of 9/21!!
 
Hello Klaberheads!  WOW!! What a showing at the Cincinnati Oktoberfest.  I hope you were able to come on down Friday, Saturday or Sunday.  We had great weather all three days, and all of the crowds were SO much fun!  I don’t know if you realize how much you, the audience, motivate US with your energy and enthusiasm.  It’s contagious!



















One of the best parts of this weekend is seeing so many of our friends that make the yearly trip to Zinzinnati to Fest with us.  We have a wonderful group of ladies that come from Buffalo, NY.  We had Klaberheads from Virginia! 











We made new friends with some more folks from Newburgh, NY.  Friday night, we even got to Fest with some great folks from New Braunfels, TX—home of the Wurstfest.  It was easy to pick out the men—they had on their Opa vests!  The list goes on and on.  And of course, the Klaberheads that show up on a weekly basis:  Ed, Charile & Sharon, Ann & Deb, Craig Klaberhead, and Doug!  Again, the list is long.











If you are our friend on FaceBook, no doubt you will see many pictures and videos from the weekend.  Or course, pictures will be on our website and don’t forget to check out our Shatzie page. 

There’s something about being in the heart of the Queen City that make the Zinzinnati Oktoberfest so special.  We are so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this unique Fest, and so proud to call it home.
 











Onward and forward!  This weekend we travel north to Columbus.  This location of this fest makes you feel like you are in a beer hall in Munich.  Beautifully decorated, it truly gives the feel of Gemutlichkeit!  Wonderful craft vendors and amazing food.  You must try a Bahama Mama from Schmidt’s!  Plenty of tables and chairs, and two big, covered areas with two stages.  A great area for the kids, too!  Our little boys particularly love the puppet show. J
I also want to mention two other bands that will playing at the Oktoberfest.  The Chardon Polka Band will be performing right before us, and Tommy Schober will be performing after us.  Besides being great bands, they are really great people, too!  Please get there early and stick around to hear both of them!  For more details about the Fest, please go to www.columbusoktoberfest.com.


 






Another item off the bucket list for the Klaberheads this coming weekend: we will be playing for our first Tailgate Event!!
For all our Columbus friends, and for our other friends traveling up to Columbus for the game, please check out The O-Team Tailgate on Facebook for details and come visit us prior to the game - we will play 11:30 to 1:30, and will be bringing our special brand of Gemütlichkeit to help celebrate in advance of another Buckeye victory!!  Donation jar to help the hosts with the cost of feeding you! :)
 
See you at the Fest!
Erika
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Gettin’ Klabered Tour 2015  - September 16th                     
 
Mother Nature may think she can rain on our Fests, but what she doesn’t realize is that it’s not going to stop people from getting their polka on!







Many thanks to the Klaberheads that came out this past weekend to Vandalia and Springboro.  Friday night was an intimate crowd, but man oh man, what fun we had!  We had the honor once again of singing “Happy Birthday”  to Miss Marie, who turned 93!  Marie knows what Festing is all about.  She loves to dance the Flieger, sing the old German waltzes, and even dances on the newer Fest songs.  I want to be like her when I grow up!! :)























Saturday in Springboro was a blast!  The tent was filled with energy, laughter, and beer!   Such a fun group to Fest with!  A big shout out to Dee and Theresa who made sure the band was taken care of.  And let me say, I’ve never experienced a more tasty cabbage roll.  It was divine!  Thanks, Springboro!  You gave us a taste of what we’re expecting this upcoming weekend!




























OKTOBERFEST ZINZINNATI!!!!!  The countdown is on!  If there was ever an opportunity for a German band to feel like rock stars, Cincinnati Oktoberfest on Fountain Square is one of them.  Don’t let the crowds keep you from experiencing the largest Fest in America! 



Here’s what you do….Friday, come on down early (we perform from 5:30-11:00), grab a table, and enjoy the ambiance of the Square.  It will be crowded, but it’s manageable.  It’s so fun to people watch, and everyone is having a great time.  Now if you’re really ready to party, Saturday night is the night for you.  We perform 7:30-11:00, and you’ll feel like you’re at a rock concert.  It’s the coolest view to watch thousands of people schunkling, doing the Flieger, and singing E-I-E-I-E-I-O. 




If you want to keep it low-key, I suggest Sunday afternoon.  We perform on 5th and Main St., 5-9pm.  Not as crowded, and definitely a more laid back vibe.  So to recap:  Friday:  TGIF Fest on the Square; Saturday:  Oktoberfest on steroids!  Sunday:  Family Fest Day.  Pick your day and come on down.  This is one that you’ll want to experience and don’t want to miss!
 












For us, this is one of the biggest crowds we get to play for, and the energy is contagious!  I don’t know who is having more fun—the crowd or the band :)






















Also debuting this weekend is our new Klaberhead shirt.  It’s a red shirt with a beer mug that takes a quote from one of our new songs on our new CD:  “BEER ME”!
 
See you at the Fest!
Erika

 

 
Getting Klabered Tour 2015:  Weekend of Sept. 11 &12
 
What a RAINY and STEAMY weekend!  We enjoyed celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hamilton’s Oktoberfest.  The rain may have kept some people away, but those that were in attendance were gettin’ their polka on!
 
It was great to head back north and see our Cleveland friends for the rest of the weekend.  We always have such a great time catching up with our friends from the Chardon Polka Band (www.chardonpolkaband.com) and Alex Meixner and the Alex Meixner Band (www.alexmeixner.com).   Franz got to sing his duet with Alex, “You Don’t Look German”!  We will definitely post this on our website.  I’d also like to give a shout out to our friends at Schnitzels and Giggles (www.schnitzelsngiggles.com).  This family makes the BEST schnitzels on a stick and they always feed us well!  We have enjoyed getting to know them over the past three years.  I encourage you to check out all these talented groups and give them a like on their Facebook page.


 
 
This weekend we are headed north again, but up I-75, for the Dayton-area leg of our 2015 Tour.  Friday we return to the Vandalia Oktoberfest.  These people love their polka, but they really love our Chicago songs, too.  We’ve made some great friends here, and can’t wait to celebrate with them.  Our show starts at 8pm and goes till midnight.  Please visit http://vandaliasistercities.org/oktoberfest-information.  Admission is $4 per person.










Saturday we return to the 3rd annual Springboro Oktoberfest.  This fest was listed on the up and coming list, and we certainly know why.  Great food, and a great tent filled with “Gemuetlichkeit!”  You will definitely want to check this one out.  Admission is $3.  For more information, please go to www.oktoberfestspringboro.org.
 

 











We hope you are enjoying the pictures and videos on our website and Facebook pages.  Thanks for your support.  Hope to fest with you this weekend!
 
See you at the 'Fest!!
Erika
 
Getting Klabered Tour 2015         
 
Weekend of Labor Day!  A perfect weekend to get Klabered!
 
Thanks to all you Klaberheads who came out this past weekend to the Germania Oktoberfest.  Friday night was just…WOW!  Once again, Mother Nature was in a good mood and we had perfect weather.  Record crowds, and a very fun and interactive audience.   We had a blast again on Sunday night to close out the 2015 Germania Oktoberfest.  A little rain for a few minutes, but hours of fun.  A special thanks to those of you that came back out on Sunday.  We sure appreciate your support!
 
So, it’s time to fill you in on the happenings for Labor Day weekend.  Friday night will be the LAST CHANCE to see the Klaberheads in Butler County during the Fest season of 2015.  We will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Hamilton Oktoberfest at the Liberty Home from 7-11pm.  We hope you locals can join us!  You may not be aware, but Franz and his brother-in-law, Dave Keller, were instrumental in getting the Oktoberfest started.  There is a great article on our webpage that shows these young guys picking up the beer barrel from the airport!  For those new to this Fest, it’s a down-home kind of Fest.  A lovely beer garten with picnic-style benches, a covered shelter with a dance floor, and good food.  I would advise getting there early, as parking and admission can be a wait.  There is only one food line, and that can be a long wait, too.  But well worth it!  Admission is $3 per person.  Children 14 and under are free.  For a menu and complete schedule, go to www.libertyhomeassociation.com.
 
We are so excited to be returning to the Cleveland Oktoberfest Saturday and Sunday!  Saturday we will be sharing the stage with our colleague and friend, Grammy nominated Alex Meixner.  Alex is an amazingly talented musician, a highly enthusiastic performer, and an all around nice guy! 
There is much to see at this Oktoberfest.  MANY ethnic dance groups representing several cultures put on fantastic shows.  Of course, there will be great German bands reflecting the many styles of polka.   We are very proud to be representing the southwest Ohio German sound!  And the food….so many delicious choices!  A real-time and interactive glockenspiel is a lot of fun, too.  For more information, please visit www.clevelandoktoberfest.com.
 
See you at the 'Fest!!
Erika   
 
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