If you live outside of Canada and you’ve heard of Kitchener-Waterloo, это может быть потому, что из Исследование в Движении.

No offense to Kitchener-Waterloo, but this Ontario region’s most famous product is much better known than the cities themselves. Штаб-квартира в Ватерлоо, Исследование в Движении (ака RIM) is the maker of the now-ubiquitous Blackberry.

Но близнецы города Китченер–Ватерлоо, находится примерно 100 км (60 км) к западу от Торонто, есть еще один иск к славе: The region is home to a large German-Canadian community, и их годовой Октоберфест is the largest Bavarian festival in North America.

This year’s Oktoberfest opens today, Октябрь 9, и проходит через субботу, Октябрь 17. Ð’Ñ‹ можете get the whole calendar of Oktoberfest events here.

Here’s an excerpt from my book, Проживающих за рубежом в Канаде, about the Kitchener-Waterloo region’s German heritage:

В начале 1800-х годов, communities of Pennsylvania “Dutch” (actually settlers from Germany) moved north to southern Ontario to escape religious persecution in the United States. One of Ontario’s original Mennonite settlements, город Санкт-. Jacobs outside Waterloo still has a significant Mennonite population, including bonnet-clad women and bearded men who sell vegetables, мясо, и джемы в local farmers’ markets.

For a more detailed history of German immigration to Canada, have a look at The Encyclopedia of Canada’s Peoples.

In the meantime, tuck into a Шницель and hoist a glass at Canada’s largest Oktoberfest!