ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
October has arrived, and along with the cooler temperatures, many events will be taking place both in Liberal and surrounding communities throughout the month.
Oct. 10, Seward County United Way will host its second annual Oktoberfest from 4 to 11 p.m. at Third Street and Lincoln Avenue in downtown Liberal, and Director Patricia Fierro said there will be lots of great entertainment, food and fun.
“We are full with our vendors, and we will have some German food, in addition to all of the usual foods that are at our events, a free kids zone,” she said.
Fierro said the first edition of Oktoberfest in 2025 went well, and SCUW is looking to build on that success.
“Last year was about the foundation,” she said. “We had just had the ‘Common Consumption’ area passed. We were trying to figure out how we would do it moving forward. Overall, it was a success. We continue to learn from our events and how we can continue to improve them to have quality events for everyone to enjoy.”
Fierro said she is confident Oktoberfest will become a mainstay in Liberal.
“We’ve had a lot of acceptance,” she said. “We’ve grown a lot. We’ve built a lot of great partnerships, and businesses are very welcoming of the downtown area and how it’s being utilized and creating something different and being able to provide these community events where people are coming and staying versus them have to go elsewhere to look for entertainment. It’s a plus for us to bring in other folks from different areas to come into Liberal and stay and play.”
Autumn officially began in late September, and the date for Oktoberfest is nearly three weeks into the season. Fierro said this means United Way is starting off fall with a great event.
“Not only is it a community event, but it is a fundraiser,” she said. “Being able to collect as much as we can, selling all the things we have available for you to purchase, knowing everything is going for a good cause. Not only are you being entertained with your family and giving the community something positive, but we’re also raising funds for our wonderful neighbors.”
Fierro said Oktoberfest is as fun as people want to make it.
“It all depends on the person,” she said. “I can’t measure fun. That all depends on you. It all depends on the attitude you come with. Our point is for you to enjoy yourself, and we hope you do. That’s all on you, not on me.”
Though it is still in its early stages, Fierro said Oktoberfest is already one of SCUW’s staple events.
“We’ve been very blessed to have very successful large events in the course of a year,” she said. “We have seen how they have grown and the acceptance they have. To a lot of our businesses and their trust in how we utilize the funding to fulfill our fundraising needs, but also provide something of quality for our residents. We’re very happy to have their trusts, and we hope to continue building on it and continue having their support.”
SCUW hosts several fundraising events throughout the year, and Fierro said she feels there is always a need for more due to the ever increasing need for funds to support community members.
“Right now, there’s so much need in our community,” she said. “A lot of folks wouldn’t assume a small rural county has food insecurities and homelessness, but we do. Being able to satisfy those needs is our purpose, and any funding we can get, whether it’s through fundraising, grants or anything of that nature goes back into our community.”
Fierro said she has ideas for additional fundraiser, but for now, United Way has plenty of staple events on its schedule.
“We have seen they are a complete success, and we’ll continue to grow those events,” she said.
Though Oktoberfest takes place in Liberal’s common consumption area, which allows for drinking of alcoholic beverages outdoors, Fierro said measures will still be taken to make sure everyone feels safe.
“We want everybody to be responsible,” she said. “That is not on us. That is on you. We can’t control what you do, what you don’t do. We ask everyone to behave themselves, allow us to have a wonderful event for everyone. Be mindful, and if you’re not well, we can get you a designated driver. There’s one that’s close by. There is transportation to get home. We want everyone to drink responsibly and enjoy themselves and keep in mind this is a family event, and we’re not wanting anyone to act a fool. We will have security there taking care of folks if they do get out of line.”
Thus far, Fierro said there have not been any problems with serving alcohol at Oktoberfest.
“I think it’s because people are very mindful,” she said. “Everyone has been very respectful of the place they’re at and the fact they know this is a family event, not a bar. This is a community event where there’s all ages. We’re very happy and thankful for everyone who has attended and continues to look forward to our events we have planned.”
As with vendors, Fierro said there are many sponsors for this year’s Oktoberfest, but she said more are always welcome.
“We’ll never say ‘no’ to money,” she said. “This is a fundraising event. We welcome anyone who would still like to provide funding for us. This makes our goal a lot more reachable. If you feel in your heart you would like to give, please do so. We always welcome those donations.”
For more information about Oktoberfest, go to the Seward County United Way Facebook page, message the page on Messenger, call 620-621-1358, or e-mail
“We can get them the information they need,” Fierro said.
Fierro said SCUW leaders are excited and hope to have a wonderful event Oct. 10 in Liberal.
“It’s a lot of pressure, commitment, stress and everything else that goes along with it, but it will be a wonderful event for everyone,” she said.
