The Pilot Point Square was filled with families, food and beer Saturday for the Pilot Point Oktoberfest.
Oktoberfest is more than just a festival with German and Bavarian roots—it’s a chance for the community to come together, celebrate and give back.
Proceeds from the festival support Shepherd’s Storehouse, a local nonprofit that provides food assistance to residents in need, making the event both festive and meaningful.
Planning for the festival begins months in advance.
Monica David, co-founder of the Pilot Point Neighborhood Events nonprofit, said preparations started back in February.
“It’s a lot of work,” she said. “We got a lot of new vendors this year, which I’m really excited about. We had a veteran who makes pretzels and ginger cookies—things you’d find in Germany—and another veteran who does balloon art. My favorite part is just seeing smiles on everybody’s faces and watching the wiener dog races.”
Those races were a main attraction of the afternoon, drawing crowds to the back of Leo’s Pizzeria.
Owners crouched at the starting and finish lines, waving squeaky toys and shouting encouragement.
Some dogs bolted straight to the finish while others zigzagged or stopped to sniff the grass, sending the crowd into even louder laughter.
In the final heat, a dachshund named Willie streaked ahead to claim the win, drawing cheers as his owner scooped him up.
Among the groups at the festival was the Lake Ray Roberts Rotary Club.
“Community involvement is what it’s about,” said Rotarian Ronda Robinson. “You meet new people, run into old friends, get dressed up, eat, drink—it’s all for a good cause.”
Club Secretary Gina Webber elaborated.
“That cause is Shepherd’s Storehouse,” she said. “If you need food, you can go there and sign up. They’ve helped a lot of people in this community.”
Past President Whitney Delcourt loved the chance to volunteer for the club at the event and to celebrate along with the crowd.
“We like beer,” she said. “You buy a beer, and some of that goes to polio eradication. So, it’s fun, and it does good at the same time.”
By late afternoon, kids were still tugging on balloons, neighbors were swapping stories over cold pints and little dachshunds were still chasing each other’s tails. For David, that was the payoff.
“Just watching it all happen, seeing the joy on people’s faces—that’s the best part,” she said.
