RURAL ROUTE OKTOBER-BEST Adam Millar left nothing to chance in his quest to meet a von Trapp—arriving at last fall’s Trapp Family Lodge Oktoberfest dressed as a milkmaid. He met both Kristina von Trapp Frame, with Justin Stewart, and family patriarch Johannes von Trapp, inset. Millar also met Sam, Kristina’s brother and Johannes’ son.
DONNING A DIRNDL TO MEET A VON TRAPP
ABUFFALO
In an era where literally breathing could kill you, don’t we all need some stories in our lives that aren’t about a global pandemic, economic doldrums, culture wars, and actual wars? This is one of those stories. It’s a tale of a boy and his braids and his beer. The hills are alive with the sound of “Hey, dude, nice dirndl.” Vermont is a huge craft brew destination, drawing people from around the globe to the Green Mountains, but you can also get a sense of traveling to Austria with a trip to the von Trapp Brewery in Stowe. Adam Millar is a big fan of beer, particularly the German and Austrian lagers that are von Trapp’s stock in trade. “If I could pick an Oktoberfest to visit other than Munich itself, I think von Trapp is the next closest thing,” Millar said. The Buffalo banker-turned-brewer is also just a big man, with Thor-level blond locks and
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the physique of a weekend athlete—he plays lacrosse competitively. So, when he attended last year’s Oktoberfest celebration at Trapps, decked out in a dirndl, hair done up in a milkmaid braid, he drew more than a few passing glances. For those not up on their Bavaria-wear, a dirndl is that high-waisted apron/dress traditionally worn by girls and women in countries in German-speaking areas of the Alps, but more likely seen these days by women working at Oktoberfest events or lager halls. The idea of wearing the dress started as a bet among Millar’s friends who were headed to Vermont for the weekend. He arrived at Oktoberfest all dressed up and suddenly afraid to go through with the gag. “I’m like, ‘I don’t want to get out of the car. There’s a line of people right there. They’re gonna start laughing,’” he said. “But it surprisingly worked in our favor, I should say.” He and his friends counted 34 people coming up to the most masculine milkmaid at Trapps to pose for photos with Millar. “That’s just what we know of, because we would see someone, while we were eating, take a picture,” he said. “I’m like, ‘Well, I’d better make sure my legs are crossed.’” Millar was already familiar with being cognizant of going pantsless, because he has a kilt—he’s part Scottish and part German—that he wears to Scottish Highland games while he’s eating haggis and tossing cabers. His father was from the Bruce clan, as in Robert the Bruce, the nobleman turned rebel popularized in “Braveheart” and “Outlaw King.” Oktoberfest marked the third time Millar had made the seven-hour drive to Vermont. The first time he came with his girlfriend on their “babymoon,” a vacation before a couple celebrates the birth of their child. The family came back in April to check out other breweries, as well as Trapps. They went home with matching moose tattoos. Millar likes beer, and he travels a lot, whether with his lacrosse club or for work or on vacations