Great Northwest Oktoberfest fun continues this week
Hop Queen Kate Houlihan leads the way Thursday night for the group escorting a keg of the 2019 Great Northwest Oktoberfest into the festival tent for the ceremonial tapping of the first keg of beer. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
The crowd gathers around to watch competitors in the men’s log-sawing competition at the stage at the Great Northwest Oktoberfest. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Tony Veseth and Hop Queen Kate Houlihan chat up the crowd Thursday night at the Great Northwest Oktoberfest looking for competitors for one of the many competitions held during the evening. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Steins of beer line the stage at the Great Northwest Oktoberfest as contestant prepare for the stein-holding competition. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Hop Queen Kate Houlihan taps the first keg for the 2019 Great Northwest Oktoberfest Thursday night. The festival continues Oct. 3-5 at Smith Fields. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Folks crowd around to get a free stein of beer after the ceremonial tapping of the first keg Thursday night at the Great Northwest Oktoberfest. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Ben Cooper competes in the men’s log sawing competition Thursday night at the Great Northwest Oktoberfest. The festival continues Oct. 3-5 at Smith Fields. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Kim Janiszewski competes in the ladies stein-holding competition Thursday night at the Great Northwest Oktoberfest. The festival continues Oct. 3-5 at Smith Fields. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
The 10th annual Great Northwest Oktoberfest continues this week on Oct. 2-5.
The festival includes great food, music, contests, and of course beer.
In addition to the beer brats, smoked elk brats and German sausages that are always festival favorites, and this year a meatless brat has been added. Also on the menu will be roasted pork loin, sauerbraten and a variety of sandwiches, served up alongside all your favorite German side dishes: sauerkraut, potato salad, sweet and sour cabbage and more.
As for dessert there’s plenty to enjoy there too. The crew from Fleur Bakery will be serving up a variety of tasty German-themed desserts especially for Oktoberfest-goers.
Of course, what would Oktoberfest be without great beer. The Munich-based Hofbrau Brewery is back, pouring three great beers produced by one of the most legendary beer makers in the world.
They’ll be pouring their original Hofbrau Lager, Dunkel and Oktoberfest lager.
Hometown brew-meisters at the Great Northern Brewing Company will be putting their best foot forward as well. In addition to their 2019 Oktoberfest lager, Great Northern will be pouring the ever-popular Frog Hop Pale Ale along with Great Northern Hefeweizen, a German Helles Pale Ale, Big Fog Hazy IPA and a Bavarian-style dunkel (dark) beer.
Wine and a variety of non-alcoholic beverages will also be available.
Each night at Oktoberfest, hourly contests take place with the public invited to get in on the fun with log-sawing, stein-holding, keg-hurling and mountain-climbing. The men’s stein-holding competition on the last night of Oktoberfest on Saturday, Oct. 5 will determine this year’s chance with the victor winning a trip to the National Semifinals in Las Vegas next summer. The winner of that competition goes to the finals in New York in September, and the U.S. Champ wins an all-expense paid trip for two to Munich, Germany.
Returning to defend his title during the competition will be seven-time Whitefish Stein-Holding champion Kevin Collom, who recently competed in the U.S. Masskrugstemmen (Stein-Holding) Championships in New York City.
Great Oktoberfest music will take place throughout the weekend by The Western Senators and the The Bavarian Echoes.
Oktoberfest is open Thursday, Oct. 3 and Friday, Oct. 4 from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m., and on Saturday, Oct. 5 from noon to 5 p.m.
Events
The Hop Queen Qualifier is Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 6-8 p.m. at the Firebrand Hotel. The new queen will be crowned with great pomp and circumstance on, Thursday, Oct. 3 under the Oktoberfest Bigtop at Smith Fields.
Thursday is also “Whitefish Trail Night” at Oktoberfest, with a portion of the gate proceeds benefiting Whitefish Legacy Partners, the nonprofit group that spearheads development of the Whitefish Trail system.
Directions
The Great Northwest Oktoberfest takes place at Smith Fields Sports Complex, on River Lakes Parkway across from North Valley Hospital. From Highway 93 in Whitefish, turn east at the stoplight on JP Road (Don K car dealership), then take a right on River Lakes Parkway. Smith Fields will be a quarter-mile ahead, on your left.
From Columbia Falls/Highway 40, turn right about one-quarter mile east of Highway 93, onto Hospital Way. Smith Fields will be on your right.
Free shuttles also run from Firebrand Hotel run every 30 minutes.
Admission
Admission to Oktoberfest is just $5 for adults, with kids under 12 accompanied by parents absolutely 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 of Commerce at (406) 862-3501, or check out the event website at www.whitefishOktoberfest.com