Oktoberfest

There are few festivals that are as good as Oktoberfest. It is a midwest drunken beer fest that goes on for days.

This event kicks ass!!! Seriously plan to attend this and make sure you rest up your liver beforehand because you will drink till you fall over here… It is nothing but an entire town of people having a great time. You meet all kinds of people. There are some brewery tours you can do – all the bars have specials… and there is even a fishbowl drink at one of them. You get kissed on the cheek by all kinds of old men and they give out the pins that you want to collect… you can get beads… it is a hoot… Now be warned that sometimes some irresponsible people have fallen into the river and drowned… Be smart — have a plan and have people to check on you… You need to book your hotel early because there won’t be any room at any inn if you wait… this is something to plan a year ahead… fun fun fun…

It was fun the first few years I lived and visted here. Now I just see it as amature hour. Bars DO increase drink prices and places get packed. The Outdoor stuff is great and I love the instant Brat fix. It brings a fun vibe in the begining they’ve shortened it so this year I liked it more. The North side Fest grounds has more kids stuff. Downtown is just a drunkfest but I still enjoy the South Side fest grounds because of the live shows and fried foods.

OMG, I didn’t know you could review a drunkfest! Oktoberfest is like Christmas for alcoholics. I know, I’ve lived it. It is true the tapping of the golden keg is the official kickoff, but the real fun begins when an intern at a local television station has to run the tap across town olympic-​torch style to the La Crosse brewery. Then and only then will the mayor tap the golden keg. Only in WI is the «tapping of the golden keg» a live radio and television event. As for the parade, if there are open intoxication laws, they are not enforced. I walked in the parade one year and was handed six beers and sucked down two beer bongs. Now that’s a parade.
Later on Saturday the streets are shutdown and all the bars drag coolers outside and start selling beer to anyone walking by. Police stand around on horses. «Do not pet the horses!» say the cops (I pet the horse). It’s just a good old time. Special note, if you are not 21 you will get busted so head for Madison for the weekend… your time will come!

picture it. beautiful western wisconsin in the fall. mild weather, trees changing — ahhh.
then, the last friday of the month of september, it begins. it begins with the tapping of the golden keg. then you get up REALLY early on saturday and go to the maple leaf parade. it’s 4 hours long and i don’t really think there are any open intoxicant laws.
then you party some more and get really toasted on all that la crosse beer and go and see pat mccurdy and you go to the alpine and you have a wonderful wonderful time.
oktoberfest is better than christmas.