13th annual Bend Oktoberfest

Bend Oktoberfest

The 13th annual Bend Oktoberfest returns this weekend, running Friday and Saturday the 15th and 16th in downtown Bend for all your German themed food, drink, and festivity needs! The fun begins Friday at 3pm, and then picks up again Saturday at noon. (Each night runs until 10pm.)

The Bend event is of course the local version of the traditional Oktoberfest celebration, which runs from September 16 to October 3 this year. Here’s the quick description from Downtown Bend:

The Downtown Bend Business Association presents the 13th annual Bend Oktoberfest on September 15th and 16th in Downtown Bend on Oregon and Irving Streets by the Downtown Bend parking garage. Bend Oktoberfest is an incredible opportunity to sample seasonal local craft beers as well as select Bavarian wines, eat unique food, and participate fun events like the Wiener Dog Races, Tricycle Races, Yodeling contests and more. All of this takes place in a FREE family-friendly environment. Last year was the event’s largest Oktoberfest yet, with over 12,000 neighbors and friends in attendance. This is DBBA’s largest fundraiser of the year where 100% of the profits go directly to downtown beautification efforts, such as the flower basket program and daily cleaning.

Unlike other beer festivals, this one gives you full pint pours of beer for $5—no tasters or anything like that. In fact, plastic steins with the first beer token (good for the full pour) is only $8, with $5 per pint token afterward. If you want a ceramic stein, the initial cost (stein plus token) is $14, then the same $5 per beer afterwards.

Some nice looking beers pouring this year as well; the Downtown Bend site has the list of what’s pouring.

And then, you know, there are those wiener dog races…

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