A Tale Of Two Oktoberfests

I really wanted to go to Breckenridge Oktoberfest this year, which is taking place this weekend up in Breckenridge, Colorado, but my car is in the shop having the front bumper replaced after it was sideswiped, and so I have been limited to where Denver's public transportation will take me. Which yesterday turned out to be Weekend Two of Denver Oktoberfest. Which is all well and good, of course. I must say, the crowd was much larger than last week, and the event was very lively. But there is something about being up in the mountains, with all the leaves turning to gold and so many people in traditional German folk costumes strolling up and down the street that makes the experience very special, like actually being in Bavaria. But it was still fun to walk around at Denver Oktoberfest, do a bit of peoplewatching and see everyone having fun, as seen in the photograph on the left.

Just like last week, traditional German folk music was not being played at Denver Oktoberfest. There was not an accordion in sight. However, this week, instead of rap music, the Denver Dolls were performing. This is a group that has been around Denver for a long time, mostly singing songs from back in the 1940s. I remember seeing them perform once at Denver's Mercury Cafe dressed as WACs like The Andrews Sisters, singing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," which was a lot of fun. It was good to hear them again, and at least they were wearing traditional German dirndls. Perhaps next year one of them could learn to play the accordion. 

However, up in Breckenridge, they have nothing but traditional German music, as seen in the photograph on the left that I took last year. And I must add that although a lot of people do dress up in lederhosen and dirndls at the Denver Oktoberfest, most of them are 20 something hipster types that live in the surrounding area. Up in Breckenridge, it seems like people of all ages dress up in traditional folk costumes, which really adds to the ambience. And for those of you whose car has not been sideswiped and the bumper detached, the last day of the 30th annual Breckenridge Oktoberfest takes place today from 11:00 until 5:00 on historic Main Street. And best of all, Those Austrian Guys will be performing at 11:30, 1:00, and 3:00 today. And I am willing to bet that it won't be rap music.