Hidden St. Catharines
Issue #1
Walter Ostanek Fan Club Local 3091

In 1963,

The Walter ostanek Band released their debut album, and the polka craze quickly swept across North America. So quickly, in fact, that St. Catharines — Ostanek's hometown — missed the boat on founding the first chapter of the Official Walter Ostanek Fan Club.

Though

the St. Catharines chapter has petitioned the consortium of other local Fan Clubs for a renumbering, the Walter Ostanek Fan Club, Local 1 of Juneau, Alaska has stymied their efforts.

Walter Ostanek Fan Club Local 3091

is extremely active in the St. Catharines community, running bi-monthly bratwurst cookoffs, frequent polka sock hops at the W.O.F.C.H.Q., and a popular accordion assistance plan to allow for wider access to accordions and accordion lessons.

More to come
Stay tuned

Addendum Brats & Brews 1986

In the history of the fan club, no event is more famous than its 1986 bratwurst cookoff at Lakeside Park in Port Dalhousie.

Brats & Brews ’86 was a monumental event in St. Catharines history — not only did the event set an attendance record in the city, but Walter surprised the audience with a performance of his 1985 album “My Toot Toot” in its entirety.

Get your Brats & Brews 1986 merch