It’s time to don your lederhosen and dirndl. Northern Colorado is celebrating Oktoberfest.
The event, which started in 1810 as a royal wedding celebration for Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese Saxony-Hildburghausen, has spread from Germany throughout the world, including the Front Range. Loveland Oktoberfest, which takes place at Grimm Brothers Brewhouse in Loveland, is one example of the event’s cross-border appeal.
“Everything is as German-authentic as we can make it,” said Scott Smith, marketing coordinator for Grimm Brothers. That includes catered food, traditional German pastries from Sweet European Treats and German ribbon candy from the Colorado Candy Company. There will also be a Hammerschlagen competition.
Loveland Oktoberfest is planned for today and Saturday. Polka Folka will perform today, and Nueve Polka and DJ KAAOS will perform Saturday.
“We got a DJ that is going to close out Saturday night for us, and it’s going to similar to what they do in Munich,” Smith said. The brewery staff does its Oktoberfest research, but they also have the benefit of experience, Smith said.
Loveland Oktoberfest will feature Loveland breweries, including Grimm Brothers, Verboten, Loveland Aleworks, Crow Hop, Big Beaver, Buckhorn and Big Thompson Brewery. Wibby Brewing from Longmont will also participate.
Boulder Arts and Oktoberfest is planned for Sept. 28-Oct. 1 at the Glen Huntington Bandshell, at Canyon Boulevard and Broadway, in Boulder. The event will is sponsored by Paulaner Beer.
“They are bringing a lot of decorations to make it feel like a traditional Oktoberfest,” said State of the Art Promotions’ Tim Newberg, the event coordinator.
Newberg grew up in Milwaukee, Wis., where his mother had a restaurant that would host small Oktoberfests.
“If you grow up in Milwaukee, you learned to polka before you learn to walk,” he said. Along with his wife, he decided to plan a small Oktoberfest in Boulder five years ago.
“The first one we did was out of whimsy,” Newberg said. The event drew a crowd that made Newberg think that there was a place in Boulder for it’s own Oktoberfest.
“It’s just been kind of these little projects from the heart that have been evolving over the years,” he said.
The event will feature craft brews from all over Colorado courtesy of the The Barrel. The Boulder School for German Language and Culture will also be participating. Food trucks will feature both traditional and non-traditional German foods. There will be photo opportunities, contests, German music and dancing and artisans.
“We want to people to know that we are also featuring arts and crafts,” said Newberg. As an artist himself, Newberg wanted to create an event that was geared toward artists’ needs. More than 100 artisans, chosen by a small jury, will participate.
Berthoud Oktoberfest is planned from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7, in Fickel Park, in Berthoud.
“We still sing the song, of course, and we are trying to teach people to do the stein along with the song,” said Agnes Juhasz, referring to “Ein Prosit,” the song that is sung about every half hour at Oktoberfest in Germany. (The tradition will be invoked less frequently at the Berthoud event.)
Juhasz is a member of the Oktoberfest planning committee in Berthoud. She grew up in Germany and came to the United States in the late-1980s.
“We are trying to create the tent atmosphere with the singing and the stein and all that,” she said.
Berthoud Oktoberfest will feature the Chalet Dancers and dance floor, a lederhosen and dirndl contest, and a pretzel eating contest. There will be traditional German foods and traditional pastries from Juhasz’s company, Sweet European Treats.
“It will be a very, very nice small-town festival,” she said.
A guide to Oktoberfests in northern Colorado
Loveland Oktoberfest Today and Saturday, Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, 623 Denver Ave., Loveland. Featured beers include Verboten, Loveland Aleworks, Crow Hop, Big Beaver, Buckhorn, Big Thompson, Wibby, and Grim Brothers. There will be a Hammerschlagen contest and traditional German cuisine. Polka Folka will perform Friday, Nueve Polka and DJ KAAOS will perform Saturday. Go to lovelandoktoberfest.org.
Fortober Fest 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Old Town Square, North College Avenue and East Mountain Avenue, Fort Collins. Live music includes Whitewater Ramble, Dubskin, and Danielle Ate the Sandwich. Odell Brewing and High Country Beverage will offer seasonal beers. Food from Gunter’s Bavarian Grill. Go to downtownfortcollins.com/events/fortoberfest.
Zwei Brewing Oktoberfest 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Zwei Brewing, 4612 S. Mason St., Suite 120, Fort Collins. Event includes live music and food trucks. Go to zweibrewing.com.
Prost Brewing Octoberfest 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Prost Brewing Fort Collins, 321 Old Firehouse Alley, Fort Collins. The mayor will tap the firkin of Marzen at 11 a.m. German food will be served throughout the day. Live music in the evening. Go to facebook.com/prostfortcollins.
Longmont Oktoberfest 4-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, and noon-10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, Roosevelt Park, 700 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont. Stein holding contest, malt sack races, best dressed contest. Live music includes Reel Big Fish, Face and Perpetual Groove. General admission is $10. Proceeds go to “I Have a Dream” Foundation of Boulder County and the Left Hand Brewing Foundation. Go to lefthandbrewing.com/oktoberfest.
3rd Annual LCHope Oktobeerfest 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, Lutheran Church of Hope, 1305 W. 10th Ave., Broomfield. Beers, brats, bingo, polkas and more. The event benefits Lutheran Church of Hope and its community outreach ministries. Go to lchope.org.
Maxline Brewing 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, Maxline Brewing, 2724 McClelland Drive, Unit 190, Fort Collins. Event features a stein holding contest, costume contest, and bratwurst eating contest. Go to facebook.com/MaxlineBrewing.
CANCELED–Boulder Art & OktoberFest
OktoBREWfest 5-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29, and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, in Lincoln Park, Eighth Street and Ninth Avenue. OktoBREWfest includes craft beers from Northern Colorado breweries, games, vendors, children’s area, and live music. Go to greeleydowntown.com.
Niwot Oktoberfest, noon-7 p.m. Satruday, Sept. 30, Whistle Stop Park, Murray Street and First Avenue, Niwot. Hosted by the Niwot Rotary Club and Boulder Flatirons Rotary Club and includes brewers. Cost is $30-$75, with $5 of every ticket sold going to relief funds for Hurricane Harvey. Go to niwotoktoberfest.com.
Guardian Angels Oktoberfest Fundraiser Sept. 30-Oct. 1, Guardian Angels Catholic Church, 109 S. Third St., Mead. Features a beer garden, live auction, German food, and music and dancing Saturday with the Mass of Unity held Sunday. Go to meadangels.com.
Berthoud Oktoberfest,11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, Fickel Park, 620 Mountain Ave., Berthoud. Pretzel eating contest, dirndl and lederhosen contest, Bavarian strength contest. Live music from Steve Rock Band and Dick Zavondny Band and performances from Chalet Dancers. Gunter’s Bavarian Grill, Styria Bakery, and The Slawpy Barn will provide German cuisine. Traditional pastries will be provided by Sweet European Treats. Go to berthoudoktoberfest.com.
Louisville Oktoberfest 2-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, Steinbaugh Pavillion, 824 Front St., Louisville. Event features music, games, good, kids area and dancing. Cost is $5. Go to louisvilleoktoberfest.org.
Michelle Vendegna: 970-699-5407, vendegnam@reporterherald.com
