Geneva to have Penrose’s Octoberfest, Vargo Dance’s Thriller on 38

GENEVA – Beer steins will be hoisted again as Penrose Brewing will host Octoberfest on Sept. 18 and zombies will dance again at Vargo’s Dance’s Thriller on 38 on Oct. 28, as Geneva aldermen approved their special events applications Monday.

Both events were canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Penrose’s event will be outside the business on the front parking lot at 509 Stevens St., from 2 to 10 p.m., and will expect about 600 people, according to its application.

“We had to put this event off last year, due to everything that was going on,” said Penrose general manager Katie Pilcher. “We are looking forward to hold an outdoor event before it gets too cold again. We are planning to have a day full of fun activities for families along with people who want to get out and dress up and celebrate Octoberfest.”

The staff dress up in tradition lederhosen dirndls so the public is encouraged to do so as well, Pilcher said.

The event includes have a stein-hoisting competition, live music throughout the day and Beardsgaard Barbers of Batavia will pick five people to cut their mustache and beard and the crowd will vote on who looks the best, Pilcher said.

Octoberfest will include two large tents, a stage, the Fire & Smoke Food Truck and will need Geneva police officers on site to monitor the crowds, according to the application.

This is the third year of Thriller on 38, a Michael Jackson “Thriller” dance performance with food and non-alcoholic beverage sales, according to Vargo Dance’s application.

Jamie Vargo said she also canceled the event last year because of the pandemic. This year, the event will go from 7 to 10 p.m.

“We are excited this year,” Vargo said. “We have four food trucks lined up – Grumpy Gaucho, Patriot’s Popcorn, Puff Truck and My Funnel Truck. Also I’m super fortunate that K.C. Gulbro, who owns Foxfire Steakhouse and Copper Fox, is exclusively sponsoring Thriller on 38 this year.”

A five-week dance workshop for Thriller starts Sept. 2 with details on pricing and time to be posted on Vargo Dance’s website, she said.

People still have to audition to perform, Vargo said, but this year there will be two performances so people who could not see it the first one can see it the second one.

The event will include a live DJ and stilt walkers and Copper Fox will host an after party, but details are not available yet, she said.

About 200 to 300 people are expected to attend, according to the application.