MAMAKATING — The Town of Mamakating might be getting their Bavarian on next year, according to Matthew Conlon and Chris Carey of Festival Works, following last month's Town Board meeting. Conlon assured that this wouldn’t be Festival Works’ first venture in the Hudson Valley, as they previously hosted an Oktoberfest in Greenwood Lake back in 2022.

“The event at that time kind of outgrew the space and was then looking to be relocated, and we were able to find, through a connection with Councilman Jim Post, a connection to the Wurtsboro Airport,” stated Conlon. “We’ve done some preliminary work on this. I know the main questions you’re probably going to ask are: How much work do we have to do? How much is it going to cost the taxpayers? And is it going to be fun?”

He detailed that this would be a private event held on private property. Festival Works will comply with all requirements for permitting and any other approvals necessitated by the municipality. Conlon also promised that this venture would cost the town nothing, as the money will be generated through ticket revenue, sponsorships, and private investment.

The three-day experience will bring Oktoberfest attendees together to celebrate in the “heart of Sullivan County” while drawing visitors from across the Hudson Valley, northern New Jersey, southern Connecticut, and eastern Pennsylvania. Conlon alluded to the airport venue being a beautiful natural landscape for any event, noting its large area and flat terrain.

“The airport owner has been a very welcoming, positive, and encouraging partner with whom to have these conversations and start working out logistics,” said Conlon.

He also pointed out that Carey and himself have been trying to get in contact with community civic groups and veterans’ organizations. They’ve also reached out to Town Clerk Karen Barclay and the Building Department to begin the permitting process.

“I’m a government guy,” Conlon stated. “I like the paperwork to have its i’s dotted and t’s crossed early, so there are no problems down the line.”

The event is slated for October 16–18, 2026, and is expected to feature live music, traditional Bavarian entertainment, food vendors, and activities for all ages—ranging from lederhosen contests to games and craft booths. Conlon also noted that local participation will play a major part in the potential festival.

“We want to bring in the people that the community wants to see,” Conlon stated. “We’re talking about a mix of traditional Oktoberfest performers and some more mainstream acts, so everyone has something to enjoy.”

That past weekend, Festival Works had also been reaching out to local veterans’ groups such as the American Legion and VFW to see how they can participate and benefit from the event. Conlon assured that proceeds from specific booths and activities would go directly toward supporting such organizations.

“It’s not just about paying a company to come and produce an event,” Conlon emphasized. “There’s going to be a lot of community involvement and opportunities for local organizations to raise funds.”

Carey and Conlon expressed their enthusiasm for building relationships with local businesses and said they were eager to get to know town officials better as the planning stages progress.

“You have a very unique opportunity with this particular property that you can really do some wonderful things,” Conlon noted, referring to the Wurtsboro Airport.