Daily Freeman-Journal file photo: Achtung! Polka Band rallies for the Oktoberfest cause last year at the Seneca Street Saloon. The band is pictured in action. They are from left in the front row: Barb Wollan and Tamiann Parrott. In the back row, from left, are Kyle Kain, Dave Parrott, Hannah Pierson, Tom Rauch and Joe Pierson. The band returns this year for Oktoberfest, but bigger and better.

Webster City’s Achtung! Polka Band is a year old this month. That’s 12 months since its first performance at last year’s Oktoberfest

Hannah Pierson, who plays trombone, said a lot has happened in that year.

“We started with seven musicians last year, but this year we’ve grown to 13, and every one of the original seven have returned.”

The 13 each cite their love of music, a chance to perform and fun as their impetus. And because their numbers are greater this year, the sound will be bigger.

A number of Achtung! players are true professionals.

Take, for example, Eric Hanson. The making and teaching of music are his life’s work. Webster City-born and raised, Hanson began playing music in fourth grade and toured one year with the legendary Lynx Imperials of Webster City High School. He played and toured with the famed Dubuque Colts Drum and Bugle Corps for six years, and spent a further six years as a Colts instructor.

Today he’s assistant director of the All-American Dodger Marching Band at Fort Dodge Senior High.

“I’ve taught marching band all over Iowa,” he said. “There are still some really tremendous marching bands in Iowa.”

Today’s Lynx marching band is represented by Jasmin Benegas, who plays trumpet for Achtung! She also plays lead trumpet for the Lynx.

Polka, she said, “is a new experience in music.” She praises her fellow polka band members as “dedicated, fun and very welcoming.”

Another well-known Webster Citian, Kyle Kain, plays trombone in the polka band.

“I played trumpet for 20 years, but switched to trombone in college,” he said. “This year at Oktoberfest we’ll be playing authentic German marching music, and drinking music. Most of it is polka, but there are some waltzes as well.”

He added, “Performing music is a service to others. I like that.”

Where exactly does this music come from?

Germany, originally, but band member Dave Parrott (trumpet and flugelhorn) and his wife, Tamiann Parrott (flute and clarinet), reconnected with musicians they know from California for this year’s selections.

“We bought five to six pieces of music from the American-Bavarian Brass Band of Banning, California,” Dave Parrott said. “They like what we’re doing, and have been very kind, very encouraging.”

Tamiann Parrott, who learned flute from her mother, began playing in first grade. Polka music is miles from her instruction in classical flute. She tutors WCHS students on flute.

“This is just for fun,” she said.

By the way, she taught herself to play clarinet for Achtung!

The opportunity to play polka, even for just one performance, hasn’t been lost on Amaia Walsh, of Fort Dodge. Another accomplished musical professional, she teaches music at Iowa Central and plays in the Fort Dodge Area Symphony and Karl King Band. She’s also an organist at First United Methodist Church, Fort Dodge. Her wife, Darien Walsh, plays tuba in the polka band.

“There aren’t many opportunities to play tuba, but it’s a great addition to our band,” she said.

Barb Wollan, of Webster City, is another example of someone who loved playing in band during her school years, and who is thrilled for the opportunity to play her clarinet again. She’s had that particular clarinet 50 years.

“We have a lot of great musicians in this band,” she said, adding, “We’re also performing a gallop this year. It’s titled ‘Warum So Schnell.’ Translated from German, it means ‘why so fast?'”

David Lass, whose day job is designing farm machinery for Hagie Manufacturing Co., Clarion, played trumpet in the Iowa State Wind Ensemble and also is a member of the Karl King Band. “This year’s music is fully orchestrated — in German,” he said.

Essentially, that means there’s a careful plan that coordinates each instrument and the role it plays in each part of the music.

An estimated 400 people attended last year’s Oktoberfest, so many that the kitchen at the Seneca Street Saloon struggled to keep up with orders. This year, reinforcements will be on hand in the form of food trucks parked near the Saloon at Bank and Seneca streets. In addition to their regular menu, Saloon owners Greg and Tami Olson plan to serve special tap beers, a bratwurst and sauerkraut pizza, and pretzels.

The city is closing Seneca Street to car traffic to provide room for revelers to sit outside and enjoy the September weather.

The band is also planning to play outside this year.

Polka music begins at 5 p.m. Saturday, September 27, continuing until about 8 p.m.

There is no charge to listen to the music, but freewill donations will be accepted. Last year all money raised was donated to support music programs at Webster City High School.