Walter Ostanek, Canada's Polka King at 91, played Oktoberfest in Kitchener for one last time after agreeing to return despite intending to retire this year. He has released over 106 albums and received 21 Grammy nominations, winning three. Honored as an honorary lifetime member of the festival, Ostanek participated in the traditional keg tapping ceremony, drawing enthusiastic cheers from attendees who have grown up watching his performances over decades.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
His legs hurt.
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legs → hurt → ?
His arthritis is acting up.
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arthritis → act → ?
But 91-year-old Walter Ostanek mustered up the strength to come back to Oktoberfest in Kitchener, one last time.
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Ostanek → muster → Kitchener
After playing the festival for decades, he wanted 2025 to be his final appearance, but he gave in to requests and agreed to return this year for a send-off befitting his stature within not just Oktoberfest, but the Canadian music world.
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he → play → Oktoberfest
“You gotta have a dream,” he told the Star in an interview backstage.
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he → got → interview
“The dream is, I wanted to be a polka star.
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I → want → ?
I love polka music.
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I → love → music
And that’s how you get things, is by giving.”
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you → get → things
During the opening ceremonies at Willkommen Platz on Friday, Ostanek was anointed an honorary lifetime member of the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest, an annual festival celebrating all things Bavarian, from beer and schnitzel to traditional music.
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Ostanek → anoint → music
Ostanek kicked off the festival by participating in the beloved ritual of tapping the keg.
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Ostanek → kick → keg
“WAL-ter! WAL-ter! WAL-ter!” the crowd cheered as he ascended the stage.
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he → cheer → stage
An announcer touted his many achievements, including releasing more than 50 albums.
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announcer → tout → albums
“106 albums!” Ostanek piped up from his seat on the stage.
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Ostanek → pip → stage
He’s also received many Grammy nominations, the announcer said.
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announcer → receive → nominations
“21 nominations!” Ostanek crowed.
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Ostanek → crow → ?
He won three.
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He → win → three
(He likes to mention that the last time he went to the Grammys, he got a photo with both Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.)
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he → like → Swift
Ostanek also was appointed to the Order of Canada, has received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame and a SOCAN Lifetime Achievement Award, and has appeared on many TV shows, including “The Phil Donahue Show” alongside legendary bandleader Lawrence Welk.
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Ostanek → appoint → Welk
He even played for Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show.”
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He → play → Show
He started his first band in 1957 and has been playing the accordion ever since, even inspiring the Schmenge Brothers sketches on “SCTV.”
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He → start → SCTV
Many Ontarians have grown up with Ostanek.
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Ontarians → grow → Ostanek
Festival attendee Kevin LaFlamme said he has been watching Ostanek play since 1967.
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Ostanek → say → 1967
“He’s a constant,” said LaFlamme, who is sad that Ostanek’s long-running Oktoberfest appearances are coming to an end.
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appearances → ’ → end
“It’s not just music,” he said.
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he → ’ → ?
“It’s an event.”
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It → ’ → ?
Wendy Relf, sporting a feathered “Kiss me, I’m German!” cap, remembers going to Kitchener’s Queensmount Arena as a kid, watching Ostanek play fun German music, and dancing with her parents.
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Ostanek → sport → parents
(He performed there for 42 years, he said.)
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he → perform → years
She has brought her own kids to Oktoberfest over the years.
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She → bring → years
Another woman beside her shot numerous photos and videos of Ostanek performing, then texted them to someone with the message “91 years young.”
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Ostanek → shoot → message
Backstage, Ostanek told the Star he now uses a cane and a walker and needs help carrying his accordion.
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he → tell → accordion
“I’m 91 years old.
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I → ’m → ?
From the middle up, I’m still pretty sharp,” he said.
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he → ’m → middle
“But I’m hurting and I just can’t do it no more.
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I → hurt → it
It’s not that I don’t want to.
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I → ’ → ?
It’s just I can’t.
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I → ’ → ?
You gotta know, as they say, where to fold them and where to hold them — that’s it, you know.”
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you → got → them
Despite his chronic pain and health challenges, Ostanek is still remarkably jolly, joking onstage that the pacemaker he had implanted after multiple bypasses helped him keep time.
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him → joke → time
“This is my last hurrah this weekend, even if I don’t want to (stop performing),” he said.
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he → want → ?
“But even at 91, I’ll make you happy a little bit.”
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you → make → 91
Several people in the crowd shouted, “We love you!” as Ostanek launched into treasured tunes like “The Happy Wanderer” and “Wooden Heart.”
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Ostanek → shout → Wanderer
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
