Prime Minister Mark Carney made a quick visit to Kitchener on Friday to participate in Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest. Carney, who was in southern Ontario that day, stopped by the Schwaben Club in Breslau, just outside of Kitchener. He used a wooden mallet to tap a keg at the fest hall and then enjoyed a mug of beer while conversing with local politicians. This stop came in between engagements in the Niagara region in the morning and an evening event in Brampton to celebrate Diwali.
K-W Oktoberfest, the largest Oktoberfest celebration outside Munich, Germany, has hosted prime ministers in the past. In 2016, Justin Trudeau attended the opening ceremonies and tapped the keg. Trudeau also made an appearance in 2023 but did not participate in the keg tapping that year.
In 2015, Stephen Harper was present at the K-W Oktoberfest parade, although he did not march in the parade due to an ongoing federal election at the time. This year, Canadian musician Steven Page tapped the keg, and former Canadian Football League player, now the general manager of the Toronto Argonauts, Michael Pinball Clemons, served as the parade marshal.
