Oink! Now that the calendar has flipped to October, temperatures are cooling, but activities to benefit Meadowlark Foundation are heating up. It’s HOGTOBERFEST season, and here are a few squeal-worthy announcements! 

No. 1 – The 10th annual HOGTOBERFEST, an awareness and fundraising event to benefit Meadowlark Foundation’s Good Samaritan Fund, is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 27! 

No. 2 – Meadowlark’s Prairie Star Restaurant and Event Venue is this year’s celebration location! 

No. 3 – 10 days of food specials are planned to mark the event’s 10-year anniversary! 

No. 4 – Cash & More Raffle tickets now are on sale, with the number of HOG-tastic prizes growing from four to – you guessed it – 10! 

No. 5– Event T-shirts return this year and will be available for purchase in a few weeks!  

In years past, HOGTOBERFEST has been a one-day event at a local restaurant, offering pulled pork sandwiches at lunchtime and a whole roast hog buffet in the evening. Cox Bros. BBQ (seven years) and then Kite’s Aggieville Draft House (two years) generously donated 10 percent of the day’s proceeds to the Good Samaritan Fund. 

For 2023, event planners opted for a HOG-size celebration at Prairie Star, featuring 10 days of food and beer specials as well as a day-long party on the 10th day.  All are welcome to enjoy this FOOD, FRIENDS, and FUNdraising event. A special HOGTOBERFEST menu, featuring pork as well as German-inspired fare, is available beginning Wednesday, Oct. 18. The Prairie Star team will tempt us with schnitzel and gravy, bratwurst and sauerkraut, or a sausage trio platter, for example. A Bavarian-style pretzel with a German beer cheese dip will be added to the appetizer list, and for dessert, select apple strudel or Black Forest cake.  

On Friday, Oct. 27, stop by Prairie Star between the hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for lunch, dinner, or both. In addition to the special HOGTOBERFEST menu, a buffet is planned for both lunch and dinner. See a future Messenger for the buffet menus. Prairie Star has pledged 10 percent of the proceeds generated from the 10-day HOGTOBERFEST menu as well as the buffets on the 27th to the Good Samaritan Fund. On the 27th, an expanded HOGTOBERFEST menu will be offered in addition to the buffets, with 10% of the proceeds from all food purchased going toward the Fund. The regular Prairie Star menu will not be available that day.

Even though the event has moved away from Aggieville this year, Scott Sieben, owner of Kite’s Bar & Grill, Mr. K’s, and Rockin K’s, happily pledged his support by sharing proceeds from food sales and providing a raffle prize. Enjoy breakfast or lunch from Mr. K’s Mobile Kitchen from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 20 at Meadowlark Market, 120 N. Scenic Dr. In keeping with traditional HOG Heaven foods, hungry customers will see ingredients such as sausage, bacon, and pulled pork among the selections. Mr. K’s is joining Prairie Star in donating 10 percent of the mobile kitchen’s sales to the Good Samaritan Fund.  

To add to the festive atmosphere at Prairie Star on Oct. 27, prime sponsor Central National Bank will operate its Cash Cube from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Fiddler’s Dream will entertain from 6 to 8 p.m. At lunchtime, event-goers will be able to reach into the Cash Cube to grab blowing cash and prize coupons. Those who attend in the evening will hear an energetic group of five Manhattan-area musicians who play fiddles, banjo, guitar, and bass. One fiddler sometimes plays mandolin. The band promises to keep the atmosphere lively with toe-tapping tunes, including polkas, which are fitting for a fall Oktoberfest-style party.