Rising Stars: Meet Judy Schneider of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Judy Schneider.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I joined the Dayton Liederkranz Turner, Dayton’s German Club’s Choir, in 1984 so my husband and I could go on a trip in 1985 to help Dayton’s Sister City, Augsburg, Germany celebrate its 2,000 birthday! They had chartered a plane, and active club members had first dibs on seats. We had a wonderful time, and renewing our membership every year since then has become a given. We became members of the folkdance team in 1987, and performed with them for almost 30 years. Since I was a music teacher, Ivolunteered to direct a Children’s Christmas Choir in 1987, and I am still doing that. Carl was a Board member for many years and we were even chosen to be Prince and Princess of Fasching (the German Mardi Gras) one year.
The biggest event for the Club each year is the Germanfest Picnic, now in its 43rd year. My chief responsibilities there include Publicity (with the help of my graphic designer sons, Greg and Jon), Polka Mass coordinator, Culture Display Chairperson, and event signage. I am currently serving as Cultural Liaison on the Board.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The Germanfest Picnic began as a small club gathering in a local museum park. As attendance grew, it evolved into a three-day celebration of German heritage. The park’s wooded setting provided the perfect atmosphere, and German bands regularly traveled to perform.
A change in museum administration led to a contract dispute, forcing the festival to relocate to the Dayton Fairgrounds. Although heavily promoted, attendance declined as many people never found the new location, and those who did missed the charm of the original park.
Three years later, the park invited Germanfest back, but extensive construction had reduced the grounds so much that the site no longer met the festival’s needs. Then, just months before the event, the park informed us we could not return and announced plans to hold its own German festival the same weekend. Public opposition ended that plan, but Germanfest was again left without a home. The festival ultimately moved downtown to a site used by several other successful community festivals. But it really wasn’t a comfortable “fit” for us. And then COVID reared its ugly head. Thanks to Debbie Venys, we were able to hold a “Germanfest Lite” with mostly carryout food, and widely spaced seating in a huge tent on our clubhouse grounds. And we realized it was much easier to put on the fest right there on our own turf.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Germanfest Picnic offers an authentic cultural experience to our visitors, From our homemade potato salad, schnitzel and baked goods, to “the best selection of German bier this side of Munich” to German bands, and all-German car show = we strive to immerse our visitors in a true taste of Germany. Our new location, at our clubhouse, is in one of the oldest German neighborhoods in Dayton, and the neighbors have welcomed us with open arms. We have been able to expand – first by getting permission to close of several blocks of a major artery for the weekend, and then including the neighborhood park and playground.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
Personally, I like the size of the Dayton area and the amazing number of occupational, cultural and recreational opportunities it affords. If you can’t find something enjoyable to do here, you are not looking very hard.
I am dismayed by the deeply ingrained segregation that continues to exist here, even after years of efforts to mitigate it.

Pricing:

• Admission to the Germanfest Picnic is FREE
• Surveys show that our food and beer prices are consistently as reasonable or evenmore reasonale that similar events.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.germanfestdayton.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GermanfestPicnicDayton/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dayton+liederkranz+turner+german+club