St. Mary's Oktoberfest Draws Large Crowds With Varied Activities

The annual Alton event concluded with Kathy Budde winning the $10,000 raffle prize amid a weekend filled with races, music, and festivities.

Dan Brannan, Content Director

Oct 13, 2025 3:58 PM Oct 13, 2025 7:03 PM

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ALTON - Kathy Budde emerged as the top raffle winner in the $10,000 Sweepstakes at St. Mary's Oktoberfest, held Friday through Sunday, Oct. 10-12, 2025, on the church grounds in Alton. The annual event, overseen this year by new Chairman Ryan Downey, featured a range of activities including a 5K race, live music, games, and traditional German ceremonies.

The full raffle sweepstakes winners will be released once everyone is notified, Carolyn Simansky, a spokesperson for the event, said.

Simansky described the weekend as having “great weather and really good” attendance. She noted that the event saw strong support from sponsors and participants, with sweepstakes sales potentially breaking previous records.

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“It is such a good fundraiser for both church and school building updates,” Simansky said.

The festivities began Friday evening with a 5K Race and 1-mile walk, followed by a performance from The Glendale Riders. On Saturday at 1 p.m., Fr. Chris Uhl, OMV, pastor of St. Mary’s, offered an opening prayer in both German and English and blessed the beer and attendees in the Main Tent. Activities throughout the day included food, drinks, music on two stages, children’s games and inflatables, adult games of chance, a basket raffle, silent auction, and the $10,000 Sweepstakes.

Sunday’s schedule featured an 11 a.m. Mass in the Grass at Garfield/Barth Park, followed by lunch and the reopening of Oktoberfest activities. New additions this year included Oktoberfest Games immediately after Mass in the Main Tent and Traditional Bingo in Suddes Hall Gymnasium from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The basket raffle and silent online auction closed at 4 p.m. Sunday, with the $10,000 Sweepstakes winners drawn at 8:15 p.m. in the Main Tent. Sweepstakes tickets were available on the grounds until 8 p.m. Sunday, priced at $25 each or five for $100.