Campus Connection

UWL students make their mark at Oktoberfest with expanded Lederhosen Games

The Lederhosen Games are set to bring even more excitement to this year’s Oktoberfest, thanks to the dedicated efforts of recreation management students from UW-La Crosse. This popular event, designed by students in the Advanced Event Planning and Management class, will now span all four days of the festival, Sept. 26-29, featuring a new family-friendly afternoon on Sunday.

“The Lederhosen Games has become a beloved tradition for many festgoers who return year after year,” says Hannah Amundson, executive director of Oktoberfest. "The students have done such a great job of putting together interactive and exciting games that bring people coming back."

Amundson adds that while Oktoberfest has long been about creating memories with family and friends, they are excited about the addition of Sunday's new family-friendly Lederhosen Games, which will create new way for families to celebrate Oktoberfest together while on the grounds.

Since their inception in 2017, the Lederhosen Games have grown significantly, with the 2024 edition marking the first time the games will be offered every day of the festival. This expansion reflects the success and increasing popularity of the student-led initiative, notes Dan Plunkett, UWL associate professor of Recreation Management and instructor of the class.

The Lederhosen Games are one of many community-based projects in UWL’s Community Engaged Learning program, which pairs local organizations with students seeking hands-on, real-world experience. The Advanced Event Planning and Management class uses the festival as a practical laboratory for planning, designing, and executing community events.

“It's wonderful to see young adults participate in this strong, local tradition by applying newly learned job skills that benefit the community,” says Lisa Klein, UWL Community Engagement coordinator.

The games themselves have a distinctly Oktoberfest flavor, featuring favorites like grain toss and barrel rolling, alongside new family-oriented activities such as pretzel necklace making, rope crafting, and balloon art. This year’s Sunday family events also include lighter variations of traditional games designed to entertain younger participants.

Plunkett notes, “Every year, I see students coming up with new games and making it their own. It’s rewarding to see them take ownership and innovate.”

From its humble beginnings in 2017 with just 50 participants in a small corner of the grounds, the Lederhosen Games have expanded to accommodate 300-400 participants in a larger, dedicated section of the festival. “It is a credit to the students that it has been so successful,” Plunkett says. “An event succeeds and grows each year if organizers are doing something right.”

Graduate student Emily Van Hammond, who is actively involved in planning this year’s games, says the process has taught her lessons in communication, delegation, and event management under tight deadlines.

The students, who had less than a month to plan, gather supplies, and market the event, will also oversee the games during Oktoberfest and provide feedback for future iterations. This fast-paced environment mimics real-world challenges in event planning, offering students a unique opportunity to apply their skills in a high-stakes setting, says Plunkett. He adds that students take time to reflect on their struggles and successes post-event, and whether event planning is something they want to do in their career.

Van Hammond says this experience and a previous event planning project last year at the Children’s Museum have confirmed her aspirations to pursue event planning. She’d like to secure an internship in event planning at Disney World after graduation, inspired by her childhood experiences. “The events at Disney World left a lasting impression on me. I want to contribute to creating magical experiences for others,” she says.

What is Community Engaged Learning?

The university's Community Engaged Learning (CEL) program is just one of many ways UWL students are contributing to the community.

The program matches local businesses and organizations with faculty experts seeking real-world experiences and skill applications for their students. During the 2024-2025 academic year, a minimum of 25 classes will be participating in different types of community projects through the CEL program, including Plunkett’s Oktoberfest event planning, grant writing for local non-profits, curriculum creation for public use of the new Northside Hear, Here project, a parenting program development for incarcerated fathers and more.

Community organizations can submit project ideas through the UWL Community Idea Exchange.
Faculty can apply to have their course designated for Community Engaged Learning.

Plunkett says the Community Engaged Learning designation fits well with the objectives of his class and also helps draw attention to the great things his students are doing in the community.  Students are also able to recognize the value of their class work beyond learning to plan events.

If You Go:

The Lederhosen Games will be held in the Garden Stage Area on the Oktoberfest grounds on the following schedule:

• 5-7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 26
• 2-4 p.m., Friday, Sept. 27
• 2-4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 28
• Noon-2 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 29

For more information, visit the Oktoberfest website or the UW-La Crosse Community Engaged Learning page.