The population of Buell’s Island in Lowell will swell this weekend as thousands make the trip to the park to enjoy good food, good company and one of the largest flea markets to be found in the valley. A trip to the festival is always fun and a great excuse to enjoy some really good food prepared by the different groups in the area that use the festival, and the proceeds from it to fund the good work that they do all year. The park on the island is a real jewel for the small community along the banks of the Muskingum River. Improvements made to the park over the years have been possible, in part, because of the annual festival.

The very first Octoberfest was held on the island on Oct. 9, 1976, and was a bicentennial project for the village. It has been a key part of the fall ever since. This year is number 48. The heritage of Lowell is strongly tied to Germany, so it makes sense that they would become a village to host Octoberfest. Visit some of the older cemeteries in the area, like Ava Maria and you are certain to find some of the stones in German.

Octoberfest was first held in Munich, Germany, in 1810. Traditionally Octoberfests start in September and end on the first Sunday in October. The one in Munich runs for 16-days so it is mostly in September, confusing, I know, for a festival with the word October in it. Unlike the Lowell festival, the German one is firmly centered on beer, and a lot of it. Two million gallons of the beverage were served in 2014. To put it in perspective, it would take around 210 tankers to haul that much beer along the interstate.

All other Octoberfests are somewhat patterned on the German one. Cincinnati, which has both a strong German heritage and beer making legacy, holds the largest in Ohio each year in September. It claims to be the largest in the country, with nearly a million people attending Oktoberfest Zinzinnati last year. That’s a lot of people and a lot of beer. I attended one year and it was a bit, well, crazy.

The one in Lowell of course, is shorter, much smaller and a lot tamer.

It’s hard to visit the island and not leave full of barbeque chicken, homemade German potato salad and pie. You cannot forget the pie, because we all know everything is better with pie.

The festival is one of several in Washington County that put a spotlight on some of the smaller communities that some of us call home.

If you have never visited Octoberfest give it a try today and go hungry.

Art Smith is online manager of The Times, you can reach him at asmith@newsandsentinel.com