By RORY MOORE
Tiger Media Network
Victoria hosted the 42nd Herzogfest over the weekend to celebrate Volga German heritage across Northwest Kansas. The family event is named after Herzog, the town that Volga German settlers founded upon arriving in 1876, and has taken place annually since 1982.
The festival began with the Zog Olympics, where competitors were divided into teams to compete in games like Beer Pong, Bucket Pong and Tabletop Ring Tossing, followed by an evening competition of Horseshoes. The activities built up with more festivities like a 5k and Walk, Valve Cover Races, Drift Trikes, local vendors and live music by various artists.
“They say our town doubles in size every year and it truly does,” Herzogfest Committee President Brenton Hoffman said. “To see support from all our local businesses and help raise money to keep this festival going every year, it’s remarkable.”
To recognize the region’s heritage, Herzogfest featured traditional polka music, a polka Mass, German songs and German foods, followed by the popular Steinhoist Competitions where men and women were tasked with holding out glasses of beer for the longest possible time without spilling until one holder remained.
“It’s definitely county-wide,” Hoffman said. We’ve had families move away from this town, and they always come back to celebrate [their heritage] at the fest. So, it’s beyond county-wide.”
The Zog Olympics begin with Beer Pong. 
Tabletop Ring Tossing before advancing to the next game. 
Flipping over a cup in a special version of Tic-Tac-Toe. 
Teams were tasked with knocking over polls topped with water bottles to score points. 
A game of Bucket Pong. 
A ball entering a bucket. 
Speeding around the fairgrounds on drift trikes. 
The podium of winning teams. 
A classic Volga German meal of Fried Noodles and Beans. 
Competing against each other in Horsehoes. 
Connecting with neighbors over games.
Thunder on the Plains visits Herzog Fest with a car show. 
Jammin’ Randy entertains kids with silly songs. 
Checking out vendors at the midway. 
The Sakis Toy Train takes kids on a fun ride around town. 
Visiting with each other and checking out the cars. 
The Valve Cover Races sliding down. 
A game of Bingo inside the Victoria VFW. 
Eagerly looking to mark called numbers. 
A family takes a photo in a cut-out photo board. 
Pausing the fair for a Polka Mass. 
Father Curtis Carlson of St. Fidelis reads scripture to the crowd. 
Stepping up one-by-one for Communion. 
Holding the glasses of beer for as long as they can for the Steinhoist Competition. 
Trying not to spill 
Taking the sip of failure as the other holders focus. 
Clint Newell receives congratulatory cheers after winning for the fourth year in a row. 
Erin Pfeifer celebrates her Women’s Steinhoist victory. 
Concluding the day with concerts starting with Wes Cossman Band.