Von Steuben Day
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as a volunteer offering his services to General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, and is generally considered the German-American event of the year. Participants march, dance, and play music.
Steuben Parade in New York
While Steuben Day is celebrated in many cities all across the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the largest crowds gather in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Every year on the third Saturday in September, German-Americans celebrate the Annual Steuben Parade on Fifth Avenue and an Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The...
-style beer fest complete with food and live music in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. The Parade was founded in 1957 and has grown into one of the largest celebrations of German and German-American culture in the United States.
In 2010, the Parade was held on September 25.
In 2007, German-Americans celebrate the 50th Anniversary of this affair and welcomed former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
as Grand Marshal and former German chancellor Helmut Kohl
Helmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
as Guest of Honor.
Von Steuben Day in pop culture
The Chicago version of the parade was incorporated into the movie Ferris Bueller's Day OffFerris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 American teen coming-of-age comedy film written and directed by John Hughes.The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller , who decides to skip school and spend the day in downtown Chicago...
, even though the movie's plot indicates that Ferris is taking advantage of his "ninth sick day" of the school semester, and other movie details indicate the day takes place near the end of the school year, not in September.