Das Awkscht Fescht
(The August Festival)
On August 5, 2016, when Macungie Memorial Park opens its gates for the 2016 antique automobile classic, Das Awkscht Fescht, it will mark a 53-year tradition dating back to the year 1964. Although originally conceived as a local summer fundraising activity for the Park, the Fescht has grown over these five decades to national distinction, annually hosting 40,000 spectators, with over 3000 show vehicles and more than 600 flea market venders. This great success did not happen overnight, but rather was the result of a tremendous effort by a local committee of volunteers and Ontelaunee Antique Car Club officials. As we celebrate the 53rd annual Fescht, we thought it would be a good time to take a look back at our roots.
When the Greater Macungie Area Swimming Pool opened in July 1960, the park committee realized that some form of additional fundraising would be needed to maintain both the park grounds and the pool, and at the same time pay off the pool construction mortgage and bonds. The park was busy all year long, raising funds with weekly bingo, summer picnics, and a few special summer events; and the Macungie Minstrelaires, formed after the 1957 Macungie Centennial, were performing benefit musicals in the park auditorium. But something more was needed.
In 1963, George Wendling and LeRoy Schaeffer began discussing the possibility of a major antique automobile show at Macungie Park. There had been other automobile shows in the past. The Macungie chapter of the American Business Club had run a local Antique Automobile Derby from 1956 to 1963 under the leadership of Raymond Hutchinson and Horace Kirby, but these events were more localized in scope. So in May 1963, a committee of 14 people met to plan a new and different antique automobile festival. Wendling and Schaeffer served as co-chairmen of the automobile show, and Bob Young chaired the community volunteers. The date chosen for the first festival was August 8, 1964, and a “Dutch”-sounding name was suggested: Das Awkscht Fescht (The August Festival).
George and his brother Bob Wendling were no newcomers to the antique automobile business. They had operated a successful garage on Buckeye Road since 1936, rebuilding cars for customers from all over the United States, including the DuPont family of Wilmington, and a Packard once owned by Clark Gable. LeRoy Schaeffer, president of the American Sash Company on Lehigh Street, also owned several antique automobiles and had exhibited cars in numerous AACA regional events.
The first Fescht began with a preview on Friday evening, August 7, including a tour of the Allen Organ Company and a restoration demonstration at the Wendling Brothers garage. Saturday’s activities featured 432 registered antique, classic, and sports cars from 14 different states and the District of Columbia, a Lehigh Valley Kennel Club dog show, a fashion show, Pennsylvania German-style arts and crafts, music, and plenty of good food. Each car owner received a brass dash plaque designed by Donald Wendling and a souvenir “My Motor Trip” booklet printed by Progress Printing House. Award trophies were designed by the Allen Organ Company, and on Saturday evening, an awards banquet was held at nearby Carwood Grove. The 1964 event was considered a resounding success, with attendance approaching 10,000 spectators and $5,447.79 raised for the Park swimming pool fund.
The Fescht committee decided to continue the festival in 1965, this time as a two-day event with Bob Young as general chairman. At the same time, the Ontelaunee Region of the AACA was chartered at the AACA national board meeting held in Philadelphia on February 5, 1965; and the Region soon after began a 49 year relationship with the local Das Awkscht Fescht committee. Meetings were held during the winter months and new ideas were introduced and blended with the best of the 1964 show. An auto flea market and two-day horse show were added to the event. Friday evening activities included a tour of the Buckeye Pipe Line Company and a square dance in Memorial Hall; and Sunday activities featured an excursion to the Trexler-Lehigh Game Preserve, as well as a Gimkhana, and potato, balloon, and water races on Sunday afternoon. The August Festival once again proved to be a success, with more than 500 cars registered and attendance reaching close to 12,000 over the two-day event. Ontelaunee members provided AACA approved judging for the 1965 event, and beginning with the 1966 Fescht, coordinated all car show and flea market activities.
Many changes have been made to the festival throughout the past fifty-three years, but the original philosophy of good, affordable family entertainment, which has proven so successful, remains the same. In 1964, the spring edition of The Macungie Park and Pool News proclaimed: “What a summer we’re planning for Macungie, and as it moves along we’ll be more and more proud to be members of such a community that can do such big things so well.” Who could have known how prophetic this statement would be! Fifty-three years later, this feeling of excitement is still present in our community, and now there are three major and several smaller auto/truck/custom car events at Macungie Memorial Park that draw over 100,000 people annually to our small community. When the 1964 Park and Pool News posed the rhetorical question: “Why does anyone want to live in Macungie?” The answer was: “living here offers a citizen enough pleasant things to keep him always proud of his town.” The 1964 Das Awkscht Fescht was only the beginning!
When the Greater Macungie Area Swimming Pool opened in July 1960, the park committee realized that some form of additional fundraising would be needed to maintain both the park grounds and the pool, and at the same time pay off the pool construction mortgage and bonds. The park was busy all year long, raising funds with weekly bingo, summer picnics, and a few special summer events; and the Macungie Minstrelaires, formed after the 1957 Macungie Centennial, were performing benefit musicals in the park auditorium. But something more was needed.
In 1963, George Wendling and LeRoy Schaeffer began discussing the possibility of a major antique automobile show at Macungie Park. There had been other automobile shows in the past. The Macungie chapter of the American Business Club had run a local Antique Automobile Derby from 1956 to 1963 under the leadership of Raymond Hutchinson and Horace Kirby, but these events were more localized in scope. So in May 1963, a committee of 14 people met to plan a new and different antique automobile festival. Wendling and Schaeffer served as co-chairmen of the automobile show, and Bob Young chaired the community volunteers. The date chosen for the first festival was August 8, 1964, and a “Dutch”-sounding name was suggested: Das Awkscht Fescht (The August Festival).
George and his brother Bob Wendling were no newcomers to the antique automobile business. They had operated a successful garage on Buckeye Road since 1936, rebuilding cars for customers from all over the United States, including the DuPont family of Wilmington, and a Packard once owned by Clark Gable. LeRoy Schaeffer, president of the American Sash Company on Lehigh Street, also owned several antique automobiles and had exhibited cars in numerous AACA regional events.
The first Fescht began with a preview on Friday evening, August 7, including a tour of the Allen Organ Company and a restoration demonstration at the Wendling Brothers garage. Saturday’s activities featured 432 registered antique, classic, and sports cars from 14 different states and the District of Columbia, a Lehigh Valley Kennel Club dog show, a fashion show, Pennsylvania German-style arts and crafts, music, and plenty of good food. Each car owner received a brass dash plaque designed by Donald Wendling and a souvenir “My Motor Trip” booklet printed by Progress Printing House. Award trophies were designed by the Allen Organ Company, and on Saturday evening, an awards banquet was held at nearby Carwood Grove. The 1964 event was considered a resounding success, with attendance approaching 10,000 spectators and $5,447.79 raised for the Park swimming pool fund.
The Fescht committee decided to continue the festival in 1965, this time as a two-day event with Bob Young as general chairman. At the same time, the Ontelaunee Region of the AACA was chartered at the AACA national board meeting held in Philadelphia on February 5, 1965; and the Region soon after began a 49 year relationship with the local Das Awkscht Fescht committee. Meetings were held during the winter months and new ideas were introduced and blended with the best of the 1964 show. An auto flea market and two-day horse show were added to the event. Friday evening activities included a tour of the Buckeye Pipe Line Company and a square dance in Memorial Hall; and Sunday activities featured an excursion to the Trexler-Lehigh Game Preserve, as well as a Gimkhana, and potato, balloon, and water races on Sunday afternoon. The August Festival once again proved to be a success, with more than 500 cars registered and attendance reaching close to 12,000 over the two-day event. Ontelaunee members provided AACA approved judging for the 1965 event, and beginning with the 1966 Fescht, coordinated all car show and flea market activities.
Many changes have been made to the festival throughout the past fifty-three years, but the original philosophy of good, affordable family entertainment, which has proven so successful, remains the same. In 1964, the spring edition of The Macungie Park and Pool News proclaimed: “What a summer we’re planning for Macungie, and as it moves along we’ll be more and more proud to be members of such a community that can do such big things so well.” Who could have known how prophetic this statement would be! Fifty-three years later, this feeling of excitement is still present in our community, and now there are three major and several smaller auto/truck/custom car events at Macungie Memorial Park that draw over 100,000 people annually to our small community. When the 1964 Park and Pool News posed the rhetorical question: “Why does anyone want to live in Macungie?” The answer was: “living here offers a citizen enough pleasant things to keep him always proud of his town.” The 1964 Das Awkscht Fescht was only the beginning!
Original 1964 Dash Plaque designed by Donald J. Wendling.
For more information on Das Awkscht Fescht, check out the Fescht web site at www.awkscht.com.
For more information on Das Awkscht Fescht, check out the Fescht web site at www.awkscht.com.
Copyright (c) 2013, 2016 by the Macungie Historical Society, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
For consideration only, no reproduction without prior written permission.
For consideration only, no reproduction without prior written permission.