The Dayton Art Institute (DAI) recently made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Oktoberfest–the first time in its 49-year history the event has been canceled–due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the museum still wants to spread some Oktoberfest cheer.
Today, the DAI launched its first ever “Virtual Oktoberfest” fundraiser, offering a unique way to celebrate the popular festival and raise important operating revenue for the museum.
“Oktoberfest is an immensely popular community festival, and we wanted to make certain the spirit of the event continues, even though we can’t celebrate at the museum this year,” DAI Director & CEO Michael R. Roediger said. “This virtual fundraiser offers the opportunity to keep the tradition of the Oktoberfest mugs, t-shirts and hat pins alive, while also generating much-needed support for the museum.”
Virtual Oktoberfest offers an exclusive, limited-edition 2020 Oktoberfest mug and hat pin, as well as three different Oktoberfest t-shirts, and an invitation to a special livestream event to take place on September 26.
“Even though you can’t spend the traditional weekend at the museum, listening to polka bands, perusing the artisans and having a pretzel with a mug of beer, you can take the DAI’s ‘party-in-a-box’ and have your own Oktoberfest celebration at home,” Roediger said. “Many collect the Oktoberfest mugs–a tradition dating back to the late 1970s–and you definitely won’t want to miss out on the 2020 mug, created specifically for this event. A very limited number are being produced, and they will only be available through this online fundraiser.”
Three different Virtual Oktoberfest Party Packs are being offered:
- VIP Party Pack ($200): Contains the exclusive 2020 Oktoberfest mug, two Oktoberfest hat pins, two Oktoberfest logo t-shirts and an invitation to the Virtual Oktoberfest livestream event on September 26.
- General Admission Party Pack ($100): Contains the exclusive 2020 Oktoberfest mug, one Oktoberfest hat pin, one Oktoberfest logo t-shirt and an invitation to the Virtual Oktoberfest livestream event on September 26.
- Starter Party Pack ($50): Contains one Oktoberfest hat pin, one Oktoberfest logo t-shirt and an invitation to the Virtual Oktoberfest livestream event on September 26.
Each Party Pack offers the option to purchase two other Oktoberfest t-shirts designs: a “Dayton Strong” shirt and a “Beer Eye Chart” shirt.
All three t-shirts may also be purchased individually, and a specially priced three-pack of Oktoberfest logo t-shirts is available. The Party Packs are the only way to purchase the Oktoberfest hat pin, and the VIP and General Admission Party Packs are the only way to purchase the 2020 Oktoberfest mug.
The virtual livestream event on September 26 will feature music and other special surprises. More details about the livestream event will be released in September.
All Virtual Oktoberfest merchandise will only be available, in limited quantities and for a limited time, via the museum’s online store, at www.daytonartinstitute.org/shopdai. Virtual Oktoberfest sales will end on August 31. All purchases will be curbside pickup at the DAI: VIP Party Packs will be available for pickup on September 18; all other items must be picked up on September 26. The museum will provide pickup instructions after orders are placed. No Virtual Oktoberfest items will be shipped.
The DAI, which recently reopened after being closed four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has canceled all three of its 2020 Signature Events–Oktoberfest, Art Ball and Bourbon & Bubbles–and faces a projected budget deficit of more than $1 million in 2020. Oktoberfest is the museum’s largest annual fundraiser, and its cancellation means the loss of more than $400,000 in revenue,” Roediger said. “This Virtual Oktoberfest fundraiser will play a critical role in offsetting some of that loss and helping to fund museum operations during this difficult time. Oktoberfest will be back in 2021, but we need the community’s support to help make that happen.”
