Marking the 33rd Annual Oktoberfest, the Ms. Oktoberfest Pageant, held last Saturday, July 21st, kicked off this year’s Oktoberfest Season in Cape Coral.

Cheyenne R. Schwind, 24, was chosen from among five contestants to reign as Miss Oktoberfest in 2018 at the German American Social Club of Cape Coral. Savannah Liebegott is the first runner up.

Cheyenne is a native to southwest Florida. Growing up she and her family loved to spend time outdoors. From boating, biking, and camping at Disney World or the Peace River, she loved to be outside. As Cheyenne got older and went to high school, she was competitive in basketball and volleyball while also being involved in the student council. Right out of high school she met the love of her life, Zachary, and they got married shortly after. She followed him to the Marine base at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.  Cheyenne still wanted to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse, so she took classes while he was deployed. She decided to move back home to finish her nursing degree and to be with her family while her husband was gone. While attending Florida Southwestern she was part of the Student Nursing Association. Cheyenne thought she wanted to be in labor and delivery, but quickly learned that screaming moms and babies were not her thing. She found the high intensity of the trauma and critical care unit was where she belonged. While going to nursing school Cheyenne also worked for the family business, which is an old world German-style meat market and deli. She is glad to have found a happy median where she can work in her dream career as a nurse but also stay close to her family and heritage. Cheyenne graduated in May, recently passed the test to become a Registered Nurse, and is applying to local hospitals in the Southwest Florida area. She and her husband are happy to have settled down in Port Charlotte, where they both grew up. They are looking forward to the next chapter of their lives as Cheyenne continues to pursue her education to become a Nurse Practitioner.