Great Northwest Oktoberfest continues
John and Carol Free lead dancers across the floor Saturday during the Great Northwest Oktoberfest at Depot Park.
Josie Wathan, 14, along with Bella Star, 9, do the Chicken Dance Saturday afternoon at Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Depot Park. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Laura Poitra, of Kalispell, won the women’s stein-holding contest Saturday afternoon during the Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Depot Park. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Ryley Yocom, of Kalispell, competes in the men’s stein-holding contest Saturday during the Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Depot Park. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Bill Igoe, of Whitefish, competes in the men’s stein-holding contest Saturday afternoon during the Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Depot Park. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
The Chicken Dance is a popular activity at the Great Northwest Oktoberfest.
The eighth annual Great Northwest Oktoberfest kicked off last week and continues through Oct. 7 in downtown Whitefish. There’s plenty of authentic Bavarian food, drink, music and dancing, and the wildest array of audience participation contests.
Canada’s polka legends — The Western Senators — will play under the Oktoberfest Bigtop on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and will also make an appearance at the Firebrand Hotel on Wednesday, Oct. 4 for the 2017 Hop Queen Qualifier.
On Saturday afternoons it’s the Flathead’s own Bavarian brass band, the Bavarian Echoes.
The Great Northwest Oktoberfest takes place in Depot Park, at the corner of Central Avenue and Railway Street in downtown Whitefish. Admission to Oktoberfest is just $5 for adults and kids under 12 (accompanied by parents) are free. And don’t worry about the weather — come sunshine, rain, sleet or snow, it’ll be warm and toasty under the climate-controlled Oktoberfest Bigtop.
For more information, call the Whitefish Chamber at (406) 862-3501, or check out the event website at www.WhitefishOktoberfest.com.
Hop Queen
Oktoberfest’s fourth annual Hop Queen competition and crowning is set for Oct. 4-5, as Queen Kendra the Third relinquishes her crown (and title) to one of the lovely ladies of lager who’ll be vying for the honor. This year’s competition will be a two-day affair, beginning with the inaugural Hop Queen Qualifier on Wednesday, Oct. 4 from 6-8 p.m. at the Firebrand Hotel. Hop Queen candidates (and the Western Senators) will be on hand to mix, mingle and answer questions from the judges, as they compete for the coveted Hop Queen crown.
The new queen will be crowned with great pomp and circumstance the following night, Thursday Oct. 5, and will “reign” over Oktoberfest for the last weekend of this year’s event and the first weekend of Oktoberfest 2018. Hop Queen application/nomination forms are available at the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce office or call 862-3501 for more information.
Gone Fishin’ Goes to Oktoberfest
Also scheduled for the night of Thursday, Oct. 5 is the second annual Bavarian business night promotion, aka “Gone Fishin’ Goes to Oktoberfest.”
Just think of it as America’s largest German-themed business after hours; open to business folks from throughout the Flathead Valley, and co-hosted by the Whitefish, Kalispell, Columbia Falls and Bigfork chambers of commerce.
Free admission simply for showing local business card , and once inside, take part in the biz-to-biz stein-holding contests, enjoy a fabulous Great Northern Oktoberfest beer, and do a little bit of networking, Oktoberfest-style!
Pumpkin Patch
On Saturday, Oct. 7, Oktoberfest teams up with the Childrens’ House Montessori School for their annual Pumpkin Patch, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Pumpkin Patch continues to provide an opportunity for families to celebrate the beauty and tradition of autumn in Whitefish by enjoying a Saturday downtown pressing cider, sampling soups made by local restaurants, and spending quality family time together. Children’s activities include games, face painting, a bouncy house and much more!
Pumpkins, baked goods, a variety of delicious soups, warm bread, hot dogs, and freshly pressed cider will be available for purchase. Gently used Halloween costumes will also be for sale. All proceeds benefit Children’s House Montessori School, a nonprofit preschool, serving the community of Whitefish for 30 years. Please call 863-4685 or email info@chmswhitefish.org for more information.
Week No. 2
Wednesday, Oct. 4 6-8 p.m.
(Firebrand Lodge – Hop Queen Qualifier)
Thursday, Oct. 5 5-11 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 6 5-11 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 7 Noon to 11 p.m.