Page 9 - Cullman Oktoberfest 2021

“The first thing I thought when they called me and told me I had been named Burgermeister, I thought - ‘Aw, man - I’ve gotta learn the chicken dance real fast!” he teases. “See? I’m not even sure that’s what that’s called. It has a German name, but ‘the chicken dance’ is what I know it as.
“Really, though, all of this is just a lot of fun,” he adds. “I mean, yeah, I’ll probably be tired and it’ll probably all go by like a blur - but come on, it’s worth it! To get to be Burgermeister; to have that honor, and not just embrace it to the fullest? It’s a dream come true.”
Plus, if he does hit a snag, Harbin can always call on Burgermeisters past for advice.
“When I first met up to learn what my responsibilities are, the Oktoberfest people were hitting me with some quick facts: Maybe visit and talk to the primary or elementary schools, maybe greet people at the museum; things like that,” he says. “Off the top of my head, I don’t even remember anything specific. It’s been that much of a rush, just finding out that I’d been named Burgermeister.
“But those guys who’ve done this before, I already know a lot of them. They can definitely teach me a thing or two about how to do it,” he jokes. “Steve Sides was [Burgermeister] last year, right? I know Steve pretty well through my parents. I’m sure I’ll run into him pretty soon, and just get him aside and grill him. All those guys together really, I should get them aside and be like, ‘Hit me with it! Tell me everything I need to know!’”
Call it an Oktoberfest hunch, but we’re doubting that he’ll need much of an assist. After all, Harbin’s got the enthusiasm to power through any Oktoberfest challenges the same way his Bearcats soccer squad powered through the playoffs on the way to a 2016 state title. “I’m gonna approach being Burgermeister, like I approach school every day: just fired up to be there, ready to give it my all,” he says. “I’m going for it!”
Of course he is - after all, we’re talking about a guy who wants to run a 5K... in lederhosen.
Oh, and about that - will he actually do it?
“Oh I’m ready,” Harbin says - with just enough deadpan to make it tough to tell if he’s being completely serious. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
“TO GET TO BE BURGERMEISTER; TO HAVE THAT HONOR, AND NOT JUST EMBRACE IT TO THE FULLEST? IT’S A DREAM COME TRUE!”
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