If you live outside of Canada and you’ve heard of Kitchener-Waterloo, it might be because of Research in Motion.

No offense to Kitchener-Waterloo, but this Ontario region’s most famous product is much better known than the cities themselves. Headquartered in Waterloo, Research in Motion (aka RIM) is the maker of the now-ubiquitous Blackberry.

But the twin cities of Kitchener–Waterloo, located about 100 km (60 miles) west of Toronto, have another claim to fame: The region is home to a large German-Canadian community, and their annual Oktoberfest is the largest Bavarian festival in North America.

This year’s Oktoberfest opens today, October 9, and runs through Saturday, October 17. You can get the whole calendar of Oktoberfest events here.

Here’s an excerpt from my book, Living Abroad in Canada, about the Kitchener-Waterloo region’s German heritage:

In the early 1800s, communities of Pennsylvania “Dutch” (actually settlers from Germany) moved north to southern Ontario to escape religious persecution in the United States. One of Ontario’s original Mennonite settlements, the town of St. Jacobs outside Waterloo still has a significant Mennonite population, including bonnet-clad women and bearded men who sell vegetables, meats, and jams at the local farmers’ markets.

For a more detailed history of German immigration to Canada, have a look at The Encyclopedia of Canada’s Peoples.

In the meantime, tuck into a Wiener Schnitzel and hoist a glass at Canada’s largest Oktoberfest!