It’s September and Oktoberfest has made its way to the Rocky Mountains and for all those who enjoy celebratory beer drinking, food, food, and more food it’s time to grab your stein. Oktoberfest, traditionally is a sixteen-day festival held each year in Munich during late September that runs into the first week in October. It is the world’s largest fair that draws six million people every year and has caught on with beer drinkers worldwide, so let’s tip our hats to the Bavarian culture for bringing us days of joyous drinking. 
Oktoberfest in the Rockies includes food, entertainers, expos booths, bratwurst-eating contests, keg bowling, free concerts, and enlightening demonstrations such as alpine horns and yodeling. While, yes, the association with Oktoberfest does normally rest with a bunch of frat guys chugging beers and screaming about who knows what, I assure you that the Oktoberfest that visits the Rockies is geared at family fun with tons of activities for the kid’s and clean entertainment everyone will enjoy.
Some of the highlight events of Oktoberfest include the Beck’s Keg Bowling contest and Klement’s Brat-Eating contest. The Beck’s Keg Bowling Contest is where every contestant is awarded two attempts at rolling an empty keg into a pyramid of six empty kegs and tries to knock more down than their opponents. After their number of knocked down kegs are tallied up and compared with the other contestants they advance to the finals and compete against other finalist to be the champion keg bowler, an event I cannot imagine would be very successful after more than a liter of beer.
The Klement’s Brat- Eating contest is another event that attracts a good number of spectators because what wouldn’t be more entertaining than watching hungry and optimistic participants gorging themselves of a table stacked with brat’s and of course beer. Every participant has three minutes to devour as many brats as possible and has to out eat all other contestants to be crowned king of the brat eaters. Now, for the more active Oktoberfest goer, who is looking for a way to include exercise and a celebration of all things Bavarian, the Oktoberfest fun run is a perfect event for you. The categories include a 10K, 5K run/walk/rollerblade and kids are welcome to join.
All in all be sure to come down the Oktoberfest of your choice and raise your glass to a truly wonderful tradition that comes once a year and is a perfect way to celebrate gorgeous the gorgeous Rocky Mountain fall.
Oktoberfest Dates 2009
Aspen, Colorado September 12, 2009:
Frisco, Colorado September 5-6, 2009: A great place to spend an Oktoberfest, Frisco will be going off with more dancing and music than you can handle. Great food as well!
Telluride, Colorado October 3, 2009: There is a lot of fun to be had at the Telluride Oktoberfest, complete with huge beer mugs, bratwurst, and polka music.
Vail, Colorado September 11-13: Lionshead Mall and Vail Square 5pm- 10 pm
September 18-20: Vail Village 5 pm- 10 pm
Winter Park, Colorado October 3-4, 2009:
