Denver Oktoberfest Is Here!

I went down to the Ballpark neighborhood here in Denver early yesterday afternoon to check out the 55th annual Denver Oktoberfest. And yes! This is the 4th Oktoberfest I have attended over the past week, if you happen to be counting. But according to Westword, a popular weekly newspaper, this is one of the biggest and best attended Oktoberfests in the nation. It used to take place in Denver's Larimer Square, which I remember very fondly, but later moved to the Ballpark neighborhood. At first this seemed like a bit of a downgrade, but as the neighborhood became hipper, it became more popular, especially with all the younger residents now living in the area.

The big crowds show up on Friday and Saturday nights, but attending in the afternoon, in addition to a much calmer atmosphere, it is also much easier to find a close-in parking spot. In addition to stein hoisting, live music, keg bowling, and costume contests, there are plenty of food booths selling traditional German foods such as Das Turkey Legs, Bada Bing Burgers, and Diablo Dogs. And there is, of course, German beer. If you want a commemorative Denver Oktoberfest stein, it will set you back $40. Thank you, but no thanks. I looked the festival up online and saw that if you buy a VIP ticket, which costs $200 (with taxes and fees) for a single Saturday, you can get one of those steins with unlimited beer and wine, 2 Jägermeister shots, and unlimited German lunch, dinner, and snacks. But is that really a positive? My head already hurts just thinking about it. In any case, the photograph on the right shows two lederhosen clad festival goers at a wine booth, with, since this is the Ballpark neighborhood, Denver's Coors Field in the background.

At the festival, I watched a costume contest, "epic" keg bowling, and competitive stein hoisting, as seen in the photograph on the left. And to be perfectly honest, I was a bit underwhelmed with all three events. Perhaps it is more exciting if you have a couple of beers, but I didn't want to stay and find out. In any case, Denver Oktoberfest continues today and next weekend as well. And as an added bonus, next week the stein hoisting finals will be taking place! Be sure to buy those VIP tickets today!