Schmeckfest

Schmeckfest (festival of tasting) is an annual four-day festival in Freeman, South Dakota, that celebrates the heritage and culture of Russian Mennonites who emigrated to North America starting in the 1870s. Established in 1959, Schmeckfest showcases the traditional foods and crafts of the Freeman community with an ethnic meal, demonstrations and displays. Schmeckfest has been held every spring since and has grown to accommodate more than 5,000 guests every year. The event is held at Freeman Academy, a grade 5 to 12 private school, and raises about $90,000 annually for the school.

A multi-course meal and a musical—Kiss Me, Kate in 2011, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2010, Into the Woods in 2009, The Sound of Music in 2008, for example — are the main fundraising events. The festival also includes displays, demonstrations and sales of ethnic handcrafts and culinary arts.

The 2012 Schmeckfest will be held the last two weekends in March — March 23 and 24 and March 30 and 31. The musical production for 2012 is The Wizard of Oz. Advance sale tickets for the festival go on sale in November. All meal tickets are advance sale only.

Schmeckfest celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008, and officials at Freeman Academy called it the most successful Schmeckfest to date, with more than 6,000 guests visiting the Freeman Academy campus.^{[citation needed]}

Schmeckfest Menu

German	English
Nudel Suppe	Noodle Soup
Grune Schauble Suppe	Green Bean Soup
Danpfleisch	Stewed Beef
Bratwurst	Pork Sausage
Gebratene Kartofflen	Fried Potatoes
Kase mit Knopfle	Cheese Buttons
Salat	Lettuce Salad
Geschmacke	Relishes
Sauerkraut
Zwiebach	Twin Buns
Schwarzbrotchen	Whole Wheat Buns
Pluma Moos	Dried Fruit Sauce
Kuchen Mach Kuchen	Poppy Seed Rolls
Kaffee	Coffee

Beginning

"South Dakota Mennonite College" was founded in 1900, and three years later, classes began in "The College" building (today's "Music Hall"), located one quarter mile south of the downtown area of Freeman, S.D. Today, Freeman Academy is a private Christian school for grades 5-12, which offers students a strong academic program with an emphasis in faith and the arts.

The first Schmeckfest was Friday, March 13, 1959. The German "tasting festival" was served buffet style in the basement of Pioneer Hall in Freeman, SD. All guests were encouraged to "take all you want, but eat all you take". The cost of meal tickets was one dollar for adults and fifty cents for grade school children. Preschool aged kids ate free. Serving began at 5:00 p.m. followed at 7:00 by a "period of relaxation with recorded German music" and a talent program. The popularity of that first festival exceeded expectations; many people were disappointed to learn the food was gone by the time they arrived. But the organizers, the Freeman Junior College Women's Auxiliary, saw the interest in the event and the potential it offered. The second Schmeckfest was held in 1960 and the festival became an annual event. Since then Schmeckfest has expanded to two days, then to three days and now to four days — two days for two consecutive weekends in late March or early April.

1959	Food	2008
4 gal.	Green Bean Soup	48 gal.
None	Noodle Soup	48 gal.
None	Pigs-in-a-blanket	None
None	Pig's Stomach	None
None	Pork Sausage	300 lbs.
90 lbs.	Stewed Beef	500 lbs.
None	Hamburger in Dough Pockets	None
None	Fried Potatoes	260 lbs.
None	Potato Pancakes	None
None	Bean-Filled Pockets	None
None	Dried Beans	None
None	Cheese Buttons	24 gal.
7 gal.	Sauerkraut	34 gal.
5 gal.	Relishes	None
20 loaves	Rye Bread	None
62.5 doz.	Twin Buns	80 doz.
None	Russian Pancakes	None
10 gal.	Dried Fruit Sauce	32 gal.
None	Fruit Rolls	None
None	Poppyseed & Wheat Sauce	None
800 Cookies	New Year's Cookies	None
25 rolls	Poppyseed Rolls	55 rolls
60 cakes	Coffee Cake	None
None	Kuchen	150 pies
1.3 lbs.	Coffee	48 lbs.

The Sound of Music (2008)

Cast - 21 People
Nuns Chorus - 30 People
Soldiers - 6 People
Orchestra - 12 People
Production Staff - 15 People

Productions at Schmeckfest -
The Red Mill - 1967
Twilight Auction - 1968
Vignettes - 1969
The Mikado - 1970
Plain and Fancy - 1971
Fiddler on the Roof - 1972
Oklahoma! - 1973
The Student Prince - 1974
The Sound of Music - 1975
Hello Dolly - 1976
The Gondoliers - 1977
Family Reunion - 1978
The Music Man - 1979
The King and I - 1980
Pirates of Penzance - 1981
Plain and Fancy - 1982
Oliver! - 1983
Camelot - 1984
Shenandoah - 1985
100* in the Shade - 1986
Fiddler on the Roof -1987
H.M.S. Pinafore - 1988
Brigadoon - 1989
Kiss Me, Kate - 1990
The Sound of Music - 1991
Big River - 1992
My Fair Lady - 1993
Oklahoma! - 1994
Anything Goes - 1995
The Music Man - 1996
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers - 1997
Annie - 1998
Pirates of Penzance - 1999
Hello, Dolly! - 2000
The Secret Garden - 2001
Carousel - 2002
Oliver! - 2003
Lucky Stiff - 2004
Guys & Dolls - 2005
Cinderella - 2006
The Pajama Game - 2007
The Sound of Music - 2008
Into the Woods - 2009
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat- 2010
Kiss Me, Kate - 2011

External links

• Schmeckfest Web site
• Schmeckfest: Food Traditions of the Germans from Russia, on The Libraries North Dakota State University
• Senate (of S.D.) Commemoration 5, of Schmeckfest