For More Information Contact:
Colleen Pillus
845-486-2000
Email: cpillus@dutchessny.gov
Poughkeepsie...Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro is pleased to announce that a focused effort to utilize the Dutchess County Airport and other county facilities for event opportunities kicks off with the inaugural Hudson Valley Oktoberfest at the Dutchess County Airport on Saturday, October 4th. The event will be a public German Oktoberfest celebration, featuring authentic German food, German and American craft beers and entertainment from 12pm to 6pm hosted by the Mid-Hudson Civic Center. The Dutchess County Airport is located at 263 New Hackensack Road in the Town of Wappinger.
Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the gate. VIP tickets are also available for $50. For more information about the event and to purchase tickets, visit www.hvoktoberfest.com.
Paul Lloyd, President of Mid Hudson Civic Center said, “We are very excited to host this inaugural Oktoberfest at the Dutchess County Airport. Outdoor events that can capitalize on the area’s natural beauty, particularly during the fall foliage season, are always well received and we are thrilled to be able to work with Dutchess County to host this great event at the Airport. We have gotten a tremendous response already and look forward to making this annual tradition.”
This will be the first large public event held at the Dutchess County Airport, with the exception of the airport’s annual Open House event, held in several years. The County will receive $10,000 in rental fees for the event. Mid-Hudson Civic Center will be responsible for staffing, insurance, security, traffic control, emergency medical services and all other event logistics and costs.
The airport’s convenient location, ample parking and wide open space make it an ideal location for large public events, as are several other County assets including Bowdoin Park in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, Wilcox Park in Milan as well as the WRS Dutchess Rail Trail and Harlem Valley Rail Trail. To capitalize on increasing interest in large scale events at these facilities, the Dutchess County Department of Public Works will be issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) later this month for experienced event planning & management promoters to host a variety of events such as sporting events, fairs or competitions at the county’s facilities, for which the County would receive a fixed fee or percentage of admission depending upon the event. “We are anticipating a great event with HV Oktoberfest and Mid-Hudson Civic Center looks forward to putting together a proposal for many more outdoor venue events at Dutchess County facilities in the future,” said Mr. Lloyd.
“We have great county assets that can host large number of people and are well situated. However, the County does not have promotional event expertise. So by partnering with a private entity who can seek out new events to bring to the area and can manage the logistics of those events, we can offer our residents and visitors new entertainment opportunities while generating increased revenues from rental fees,” said County Executive Molinaro.
Dutchess County Tourism Executive Director Mary Kay Vrba said, “Events like these expand Dutchess County’s appeal to visitors. People always want to know what events are happening that they can work into their day trip or weekend visit itinerary. The Dutchess County Airport and the other county locations are easy to get, which visitors love, so we are eager to see the County expand the events that occur at these sites.”
“Great events at great county facilities are a win-win for everyone – for our local economy, for our taxpayers and our visitors and for our quality of life. We are pleased to welcome the Hudson Valley Oktoberfest and look forward to many other successful events at our county venues,” concluded County Executive Molinaro.
