Attending The Last Oktoberfest of the Year

This past Sunday my sister Susan and I went to Oktoberfest - The Denver Wiesn, which took place at Denver's National Western Center. I am pretty sure it was the last Oktoberfest of the year, at least here in Colorado. This festival was sponsored by the Bavarian Guild and the National Western Center, and featured a beer hall, German food, artisan vendors, and family-centered activities, such as the Ferris wheel seen in the photograph on the left. There were a fair number of people at this event, but not anywhere near the crowds at the other Oktoberfests we attended. Which makes sense, since it was a bit chilly out there, with a wind making it feel even colder. I can just imagine what it felt like on that Ferris wheel.

This year Susan and I also attended the Oktoberfest in Denver's Platte Park neighborhood and the Denver Oktoberfest in the Ballpark neighborhood. Susan enjoyed them both but kept asking me why Oktoberfest takes place in September instead of October. And I kept explaining that the first Oktoberfest was to celebrate the wedding of Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria. It was such a success, they decided to have it again every year, but in September instead of October to avoid harsh weather. I had originally thought the Denver Wiesn would be an indoor event, since every other time I have attended a function at the National Western Center, it has been inside, including the long-gone Denver County Fair, and was very surprised to arrive and find it outdoors. But happily, Susan finally learned firsthand why Oktoberfests mostly take place in September.

All in all, it was worth checking out this final Oktoberfest, but it was a much smaller festival than I anticipated and far less boisterous than the other Oktoberfests we have attended. Plus, the National Western Center, which is where the National Western Stock Show takes place every January, is in an industrial area where the Denver Stockyards used to be located. Which makes it a great place for seeing livestock and attending rodeos, but for a festival like this, having it take place in an interesting neighborhood on a lively street makes a lot more sense. And so, will I attend this festival again next year? Probably not. As my old DU Bookstore boss Ed once said about attending a rodeo, once is interesting, twice is a mistake.