There’s going to be some new art making its way to Germanfest this year as Dave Gutbrod with Germantown Iron and Steel has created three beautiful new arched entryways.
Several months ago Gutbrod gave an Insider look at the art in its development stage as it went from a concept plan to a finished product.
“All finished and powder coated and in… shop for the colors on the letters. Will complete this weekend,” said Gutbrod.
-“This is going to be a good visual, welcoming experience,” said Gutbrod.
– Two of the archways will be right over the street on Fifth Avenue and there will be by the alley off Walnut Street, just west of Fifth Avenue.
-The Stammtisch will be inside the tent next to a picket fence area that can hold up to 25 people and it will have beer-hall style benches and sponsors will pay $500 for a 2-hour block to get prime seating for the band and the bar.
-German definition of Stammtisch is “regular get-together or “a table in a bar or restaurant which is reserved for the same guests at the same time every day or every week.” (definition courtesy toytowngermany.com/wiki/Stammtisch)
-Daren Lehto is the shop foreman at Germantown Iron and Steel. Far from the days of old with forging, sweat and anvil, Lehto used laser cutting to craft the pieces with an autoCAD file and then cut the pieces which were heated and raised.
-Lehto used new technology to craft some of the old-world charm.
-West Bend’s annual Germanfest runs Aug. 25 – 28 in downtown West Bend.
On a history note:
Hand-painted beer steins and murals by Eileen Eckart still dot the borders of the downtown as West Bend prepares to raise a frothy stein and toast its German heritage.
