From Porch Talk to Polka: The Women Behind Saline’s Oktoberfest
Why don't we have an Oktoberfest?
Some traditions begin with parades. Others start with polka. In Saline, Michigan, it started with a porch and a question:
“Why don’t we have an Oktoberfest in downtown Saline?”
It was a fair question, especially coming from someone raised in Frankenmuth—a town with German blood in its bratwurst. Rebecca Schneider remembers it well:
“Matthew—my husband—kept asking, ‘Why do we have a Celtic Fest and no Oktoberfest? This is a German town!’”
At the time, the Saline Lindenberg Friendship Committee had an Oktoberfest dinner. It was a smaller event held outside of town. Rebecca and Matthew went once and thought they’d like to see something outdoors that would bring people to downtown Saline.
So, over porch conversations with then-Mayor Gretchen Driscoll and Council Member Alicia Ping, the idea was brewed: A true, downtown Oktoberfest to celebrate Saline’s German heritage. The festival was initially tacked onto Harvest of the Arts, and the Downtown Merchants Association (SDMA) brought in a German caterer, a band, and set up shop on South Ann Arbor Street.
Over the years, the SDMA increased the event footprint and attendance. Eventually the SDMA gave Oktoberfest to Saline Main Street, once the organization was up and running.
Then came Katie.
Enter: The Agile Visionary
Katie Spence remembers stumbling across a volunteer posting from Saline Main Street nearly a decade ago.
“I saw something online about events, and I was like, ‘This looks fun. I want to do something in the community.’ So, I messaged them."
Before she knew it, she was leading the promotions team and serving on the board, and eventually—Katie found herself co-chairing Oktoberfest.
“Cindy Czubco, then-president of Saline Main Street, was stepping back, and she asked me to take over her role with Oktoberfest. I said sure... even though I didn’t think Rebecca liked me!” Katie laughs.
Rebecca exclaims, “Oh, no! That makes me so sad! I’m just kind of protective of Oktoberfest! I like things done a certain way.”
Their dynamic is the perfect example of Saline Main Street’s magic—collaboration with heart, humor, and vision. Katie brought project management skills and entertainment savvy to the table.
“She pushed us forward in entertainment, in marketing,” Rebecca says. “She’s just a really great project manager.” Katie jumps in, “That just means I can jump through hoops.”
Beyond the Tent: Why It Matters
Why does Oktoberfest matter in a town like Saline? Because downtown is more than storefronts. It’s the soul.
“Downtown Saline is the heart of our community,” says Katie. “And Saline Main Street is the only organization solely focused on keeping that heart beating.”
The Main Street approach—built on the four points of Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization—keeps the festival, and the community, strong.
“You need a downtown where people gather, celebrate, and connect,” Katie continues. “A good school system can’t carry it all. You need community. You need places to loiter—in the best way.”
Rebecca agrees, “People want to live where there’s something to be part of. A vibrant downtown gives people a reason to stay.”
After the Last Stein
Oktoberfest is full of festive highlights—accordion music, brats and kraut, stein-holding contests (new in 2025) —but for these two leaders, the quiet moments are just as powerful.
“At the end of the night, after the cleanup crew is done and everyone’s gone home, it’s just peaceful,” Katie says.
“You stand in this space that hours ago was a bustling gathering, and it’s like... wow. We built something here. And next year, we’ll do it again.”
Cheers to that.
