You can experience an energetic, traditional Oktoberfest musical show featuring former Darien resident Melina Bruhn this Saturday, Sept. 30 at the “CanToberfest” in Mill River Park in Stamford.
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Melina with an essential Oktoberfest comestible.
Singer/songwriter Melina Bruhn will perform live with her traditional German Oompah band starting at 6 p.m. at the North Lawn and Grand Steps of the park at 1010 Washington Blvd. in downtown Stamford.
Tickets for general admittance and one free beer ticket are available online or at the door the day of the event.
The band performs starting at 6 p.m. at the North Lawn and Grand Steps of the park at 1010 Washington Blvd. in downtown Stamford.
It’s an Oktoberfest style event featuring a true “garden” themed pop up beer garden, lawn games, a “can stein hoist competition” and “some of the best food trucks around,” according to an announcement.
Melina & the Oompahs is a band (in authentic traditional garb, lederhosened up and dirndled out) made out of musicians hand-picked by Melina. They specialize in traditional Oktoberfest entertainment and put on a high-energy show with music anywhere from German Oompah, polkas and waltzes to hits from the 50s through today.
Most people will recognize the melodies of songs typically played at the Oktoberfest, like “Roll out the barrel,” “Country Roads,” etc. and many can dance along to the “Chicken Dance.”
Melina grew up in Germany, moved to Darien when she was 15, and now lives in New York City.
She has put together a program, which will take you on a musical ride based on the Original Oktoberfest in Munich/Germany, where she’s performed and learned the ins and outs of the popular and ever-growing festival.
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Meet Melina & the Oompahs
“Oktoberfest Season officially started on Sept. 16, when I performed at the German-American Steuben Parade Oktoberfest in Central Park on the famous Summerstage, in front of over 5000 spectators,” Melina wrote in an email.
“It’s the biggest Oktoberfest in New York City. This popular fest is spreading like crazy throughout the United States and especially again in the Tri State and NYC area.”
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Oktoberfest time
Melina is an alumna Berklee College of Music and has made a living singing jingles, doing voice overs, acting for commercials and some movies. She has recorded and toured with major artists in the U.S., Germany, Italy and France, singing both lead and backing vocals.
Once Oktoberfest ends Melina goes back to performing a mix of her own compositions, jazz standards and popular songs at well-known venues like the Friars Club and The Bitter End.
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Melina’s a sweet Darien Fräulein, but don’t get in her way when she’s performing.
Melina says she’s still very much in touch with some of her former high school friends back in Darien, and she enjoys visiting and dining at (as she calls it) the town’s “new and hip restaurant row” when visiting her parents, Pat and Dieter Bruhn.
Saturday’s event will be her first Oktoberfest performance in Connecticut, but her band has a chock full schedule of events in the New York City area.
The Stamford festival is held in support of the Mill River Park Collaborative
If You’re Going …
- Tickets for general admittance and one free beer ticket are available online or at the door the day of the event.
- The band performs starting at 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30 at the North Lawn and Grand Steps of Mill River Park at 1010 Washington Blvd. in downtown Stamford.
- You can get more information from event organizers here.
Editor’s note: This article originally was published on Thursday, Sept. 28. The time stamp has been changed to bring the link high up on the Darienite.com home page, as a reminder of the event.