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Highland Park council backs city role in Oktoberfest planning, will fold World Music elements into downtown concerts
Summary
City staff recommended folding World Music Fest into the Port Clinton concert series and warned against reverting Oktoberfest to a city-produced event; council signaled majority support for the city organizing Oktoberfest and for modest in-kind aid to several third-party festivals while asking staff to return with sites, budgets and a detailed plan.
Highland Park's Committee of the Whole on Nov. 10 debated the city's role in major 2026 events, signaling a majority preference to have the city organize Oktoberfest while incorporating World Music Fest programming into existing downtown concerts.
Diane Larson, communications and marketing coordinator, told the council that World Music Fest is not budgeted as a standalone 2026 event and staff's recommendation is to "incorporate elements of world music into existing events, specifically into the downtown concerts" to give performers more time and avoid a short, single-day program. Larson said this approach would allow each genre to have a full set and broaden audience appeal.
On Oktoberfest, Larson said the draft budget currently contains a $220,000 sponsorship line for the event and reported roughly 2,000 attendees in 2025. "Staff does not…
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