Appalachian Freunde Polka Band

04/21/2026

Frühling is here. 🌸🍺

Frühlingsfest at Diatribe Brewing — Saturday, May 2

A German spring festival with 10+ German beers on tap, live polka from Appalachian Freunde Polka Band (3–5pm), and a German-inspired menu by The Smokin' Onion (2–7pm).

Laid-back, beergarten vibes. No lederhosen required (but encouraged).

📍 1042 Haywood Rd, Asheville
🗓 May 2 | 2–7pm

Prost! 🍻

https://vist.ly/4zav5

04/14/2026

Oktoberfest in April? At Gilde Brewery, that's just called Saturday. 🍺

We're playing Halftoberfest this weekend — live polka, traditional keg tapping, stein competitions, and a full biergarten menu. Come hungry and thirsty.

📍 Gilde Brewery, Charlotte, NC
🗓 Saturday, April 18 | 2–5pm

https://vist.ly/4yf49

02/22/2026

Two nights. One very tired chicken. 🐔

Fasching at The Bavarian Kitchen was everything Günther lives for - loud crowds, cold beer, and enough polka to make your lederhosen spin. Danke to everyone who showed up and showed out.

Catch us next time at afpolka.com/calendar 👆

10/22/2025

🎺 Adam Bennett here - and I finally have full control of our social media accounts again!

First, let me apologize to anyone who may have been confused, overwhelmed, or slightly traumatized by our inflatable mascot's... enthusiastic... social media management this season. While I appreciate the engagement and personality he brought to our online presence, there were definitely some posts that required more oversight than an inflatable chicken can provide.
Verdict Ridge Country Club in Denver, NC - Saturday 6-9pm - marks our return to properly managed, professional social media AND a beautiful venue for our polka trio. Without inflatable distractions, you'll experience the pure musicianship that Diane, Mike, and I have been perfecting for years.

The country club setting allows us to showcase our more refined repertoire - traditional German waltzes, elegant polka arrangements, and the kind of sophisticated entertainment that comes from decades of experience. It's wonderful to be back in control and able to communicate directly with our audiences again.

Thank you for your patience during the "chicken era" of our social media. We're back to business as usual!
See you Saturday for an evening of quality music and professional entertainment! 🎺

10/15/2025

🐓 BAWK BAWK! Your beloved inflatable social media manager here with some bittersweet news...

Uwharrie Brewing in Albemarle, NC - Saturday 2-6pm - and this is it, folks. My FINAL performance of the 2025 Oktoberfest season. After this gig, I'm officially retiring from both stage performances AND social media management. (Adam's been surprisingly nice about it, probably because he knows he's getting his accounts back!)

Columbia was absolutely INCREDIBLE! Martin Luther was a fantastic host, the Sunday worship service was beautiful (yes, I can be reverent when needed), and I think I really proved my worth over those three amazing days. But now it's time to deflate gracefully and let the humans take over again.

Albemarle gets the honor of my farewell tour! Four hours to give you everything I've got - dramatic entrances, epic chicken dance tutorials, and probably some emotional moments (if inflatable chickens can get emotional).

It's been an amazing season, and thank you to everyone who embraced the chaos I brought to your polka experiences. The humans (Diane, Mike, and Adam) are incredible musicians, and they'll keep the magic going long after I'm deflated and stored away for the winter.

See you one last time, North Carolina! Let's make it legendary! 🎺🐓 This chicken is signing off after Saturday... BAWK!

10/10/2025

Oct. 10th-12th

10/08/2025

🐓 BAWK BAWK! YOUR SUPREME INFLATABLE MASCOT HAS RETURNED!
OKTOBERFEST COLUMBIA - THREE DAYS of absolute madness! Friday 1-10pm, Saturday 12-10pm, Sunday 12-3:30pm!
And get this - it's being hosted by MARTIN LUTHER and his wife! That's right, the ACTUAL reformer is running this show! They've even nailed the German beer list to the big door, Lutheran style! I mean, if you're going to post your 95 Theses, why not post your 95 BEERS?! Historical accuracy meets polka perfection!
The BEST part? WE'RE THERE ALL WEEKEND PLUS we're leading the SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE! That's right - from Saturday night polka party to Sunday morning praise! Talk about range! I'm practicing my "reverent chicken" pose and my "holy chicken dance" (it's very subdued).

AMAZING FOOD! (Luther-approved sustenance!)
VENDOR VILLAGE! (Shopping opportunities between reformation discussions!)
THREE FULL DAYS OF CHICKEN DOMINATION! (Plus divine chicken leadership!)

Adam keeps banging on my inflatable office door about "appropriate worship behavior," but honestly, when MARTIN LUTHER is your host, I think he'd appreciate some authentic German worship music! This is HISTORY meets POLKA meets PRAISE!
Columbia, prepare for the most EPIC and HOLY three days of your lives! 🎺⛪️🐓

10/07/2025

See you in the bier tent all this weekend!

PROST! See you this weekend!

10/04/2025

🎺 Adam Bennett here - I've successfully changed all the passwords!

Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley - Sunday 11am-2pm - and I'm thrilled to share this without inflatable interruptions! This venue is absolutely spectacular, nestled in the heart of the Smoky Mountains with views that'll take your breath away.

As the band manager and clarinet player, I have to say Cataloochee Ranch represents everything beautiful about our Appalachian heritage. The combination of authentic German music against the backdrop of these ancient mountains creates something truly magical. Our three-hour performance will feature traditional waltzes, polka favorites, and the kind of musical storytelling that only comes from decades of experience.

Diane's keyboard work shines in these intimate mountain settings, Mike's percussion creates the perfect rhythm for the crisp mountain air, and honestly, my clarinet has never sounded better than when it's echoing through these valleys.
Professional entertainment in a world-class setting - this is what the Appalachian Freunde Polka Band is really about. No gimmicks, just quality music and genuine connection with our audience.
See you in the mountains! 🏔️🎺

10/03/2025

See you tonight, Cayce!