Oktoberfest at Fairplex

Oktoberfest at the Pamona Fairplex has prolly been one of the better Oktoberfest’s I’ve been to. There’s not too big a variety of beers but nonetheless beers on tap. A bunch of food trucks and stands are available as well as games to play. Indoors they have competitions and festive music with people to join in on the dancing. But, it’s the company you go with that will definitely make or break the event.

This was my first year attending an oktoberfest and while I did have fun. I mean a few beers down who cares what else they have to offer, but I must say the pain location was a bit of a letdown from what I had heard that these things were like. He beer was good, food options were alright, merchandise selection was limited and the same at all merch locations. Lines got long an hour in. The room with fun German band was really fun but was packed out and a normal trubute to journey band was outside. I would have preferred them both to be German bands since it is an oktoberfest and then that would have freed up some seating. All in all, I did have a fun time but next year I don’t plan to come back to this particular location. Oh but there was a hood Groupon deal for admission and a discounted stein/​beer combo!

I understand that this was in pomona but i had higher expectations considering they host the l.a. county fair. Nah, it kind of had a l.a. county fair feel to it but on the smallest of scales. There were sone people in German attire abd a band playing inside what seemed to just be a large cafeteria. I saw someone said there were carnival games but i did not see that. I would suggest trying a different October fest because this one just did not satisfy. Please be advised also that it was 15 just to park and 5 bucks to enter facility. You mean it cost more to park my car than just get in… no thanks, never again.
I was going to give it 2 stars because of the food but as i re-​read my review it got me more upset.

Having been to many Oktoberfests in the past (never in Pomona however) I expected more German influence, German games, log sawing contest, beer games etc. This is NONE of that… at least the day we went.
(1) Parking-​$ 15,
(1) Beer & Stein (plastic) -$ 25
(2) Pinks Hotdogs-​$ 20
Not that entertaining for the dollar value. Glad I was having fun with my date… otherwise this would have sucked.

No stein refills eventho it’s advertise on their website!!! You need to purchase a 24oz beer for $ 12 dollars and then dump it into your 32oz stein!
Ok, so definitely come early because it gets packed fast! Got here at 7:30pm with my gf and it was still empty. Parking was $ 15 and food as expected was very over priced.
Queen cover band was amazing! They definitely entertained the crowed! And FYI there’s like 20 – 30 police officers walking around so bring your DD with you!

We came back for 2015’s event after having a blast last year. Same ol’ good stuff, same food, beer, entertainments, etc. However, prices for almost everything have gone up. Parking jumped from $ 10 to $ 15, admission is still $ 5.00. No Groupon deal this year or it was sold out when we decided to go; got our tickets from Goldstar for $ 16 each plus $ 3.50 Goldstar service fee.
No more stein refills, like another reviewer said, you need to purchase a 24 oz cup of beer for $ 12 then dump it into your 32 oz plastic stein. In 2014, you could refill your stein with 32 oz of beer for $ 12, if I recall correctly. If you want to «refill» your 32 oz stein, then you need to hand over your spent stein then fork out $ 20 for a brand new stein. Dropping 1 star because of this, however we arrived early with friends and still had an immensely great time. Overall experience and value is still better than Alpine Village.
Until 2016, Oh, du schne, Schnitzelbank!

As a beer aficionado I love me a good beer festival… whether it be an Oktoberfest or an event held in park/​hangar/​fairground I know I’ll enjoy it if I plan it accordingly. This being said I know I’m going to enjoy myself if I do things right… and beer festivals are never cheap so I knew I was going to spend a pretty penny.
Bought me the groupon for $ 32…redeemed it online… printed out my 4 vouchers (2 for entrance, 2 for stein & 32 oz beer combo) since it was my first time attending I went on the website and I knew that there’d be no stein refills… common sense also dictated that the steins would be plastic because… come on… glass & crowds of drinkers is rarely… if ever a good idea.
Parking was $ 15 common sense also dictated that events held in fairgrounds rarely accepted debit/​credit cards so I had cash money on hand.
Now the general consensus of all the negative review is that people showed up late and were upset over the crowds, long lines, and beer getting cut off… I showed up at 5:30 (cause my beer drinking was not about to be ruined by the crowds of ruffians) I redeemed my vouchers with no problem since there was a short line… my printout sucked but the guy scanning them just ushered my group in and requested he keep the print outs.
After redeeming the stein/​beer vouchers you get orange tickets to turn in at any of the many beer stations… which had very short lines… again because I got there early…
The hall had a traditional polka band playing and seating was plentiful… I strategically seated myself right in front of a beer station. I wasn’t in the mood for traditional «German“food…so king taco it was.
Security was plentiful… come 9pm the place was packed… lines were long but I was already 4 32oz beers deep and glad I had found seating early in the night because it was packed everywhere…
Moral of the story… it’s expensive… so drink 2 or 3 before you get there (responsibly of course) be prepared to spend money, and most importantly… get there early!!!

I have been coming to this Oktoberfest for the last 4 years and have always had a great time. Until now. It’s advertised from 6 – 12. However I arrived at 9:30 and upon entrance the security told me beer will be cut off at 10:15 and I might not be served. I immediately got in a beer line only to wait for 45 min to pay 32 $ for a Stein and a 20 oz Spaten. The two bands stopped playing at 9:45 and security was ushering people out by 10:15. The whole place had a real negative vibe heavy police presence. Doors were closed by 11. Don’t waste your time here. Go anywhere else!

My friend convinced me to go to another Oktoberfest. Previously, I’ve been to the one in Alpine Village. It was smaller and more intimate. But I thought I’d give the one at Fairplex a chance since the ticket was available on Groupon.
The Groupon costed $ 32. I used a 20% off local deal coupon code, which means I only paid $ 26 for admission for 2 people and 2 — 32oz beer steins. That means $ 13 per person. $ 13 usually covers just the beer. Although it was a great deal, the experience was OK at best.
We got there at 8PM (big mistake). It made sense since they close at 11PM. By the time we got there, the line to just get past the security check was ugly. I wouldn’t even call it a line. It looked like a mosh pit of people. Luckily, it only took about 20 minutes. From that point, we had to line up again for our beer stein coupons. The ones issued by Groupon only allows you to redeem another coupon. That’s such a waste of paper, time, etc.
When we finally got inside, it was 9PM. We spent most of our time waiting in long lines for food and beer. One of the only food trucks with bratwursts refused to take any more orders since their process was long. People left right after ordering their food and never picked it up. So they were backed up to the point they had to shut down.
Regardless, I had fun anyways since I was in good company.
Some tips:
Arrive early
Wear comfy shoes
$ 15 for parking
Buy on Groupon and not Gold Star
Expect to wait in long lines

Fantastic event. We had a great time listening to the music and drinking some beer. The only negative was the beer prices.

Omg worst event ever… My friends and I came last year and had a lot of fun, so we thought we go again this year. We got there by 8:30 and the bag check line took 40 mins. Another line to buy the tickets 30 mins and when we finally get in it was so packed. Lines everywhere to buy beer. We finally get beer by 10:25 and the lady tells everyone 7 mins until closing. Everyone was like ughhhh we waited for so long…
Also the food truck experience was horrible… My bf placed an order and he waited an hr and when he asked about his order… they didn’t have the order. So they work on his order and the guy tried to give my bf a different item… so we just said forget it we want our money back. Ugh what a waste of time …

I was pretty disappointed this year. It was so crowded that we stood in a beer line for 20 minutes and didn’t move, I only drank 1 beer because the lines were insane! Zero organization and not many food options. the plus side is parking was easy and it’s close to home. I think I’ll just stay home next year and drink my own beer, it’s easier to get to.

SUCH A WASTE OF MONEY!!!
I went with my mom last night. We had free tickets, I purchased the stein online & the ID check line was horrendous! We got there around 8 who knows why there was a line. they check your bags and all that. Only valid driver licenses are accepted NO PASSPORTS. I saw a few people get denied access because of that.
Once we are inside the gate after the ID check I think we can go straight to the entrance. Nope… I still had to stand in the line for the tickets to get the stein pass, dumb. I can say at least 20 people around me got refused entry, emails would not open, groupon issues, not valid vouchers, incorrect coupons, etc.
From my experience listening to everyone being so frustrated… DO NOT USE GROUPON! Buy off the Fairplex website, send the confirmation to your PHONE! Do not email it because your email will not work. No service, so many people were turned away! Have ID they check AND scan it AND check when you get the beer.
They only had 3 types of beer that all looked the same, bland beer that is warm. DO NOT BUY A STEIN I REPEAT DO NOT!!!
They do not REFILL STEINS ANYWHERE they will make you buy two 24 ounces which cost $ 22. WASTE OF MONEY the steins are $ 20 and are 32 ounces (not really they don’t fill to the top) refills are supposed to be $ 13. Nope, they will charge $ 11 for the 24 ounce. What a jokeeeee!
The lines are long, drunk people everywhere, I saw at least 10 people get arrested. Thrown up against a wall. it got packed by 9:30pm. No where to sit really or stand. They have 4 carnival games… the 4 that nobody wins. You know the dart toss, bounce the ball off the wall, basketball, and throw the ring around the duck.
Basically for the money you’re better off going to a bar. I left early I couldn’t do it anymore. It was soooooo dumb. I had high hopes for it but never again.

What a great time! The parking was a breeze, especially if you prepay, if not they take credit cards. The ticket booths are a bit of a confusion. If you buy the Groupon you still have to go to the ticket booth to «redeem» your stein and beer ticket otherwise your printed gate ticket is sufficient to get you in. Once inside, there are lots of food stalls with German– style options: bratwurst, pretzels and pretzel bun burgers. They also have a taco truck if that isn’t your type of food. There just as many beer stands with mostly German beer options but a few American craft beers too. If you decide to go indoors there is a band in lederhosen playing their normal Oktoberfest tunes. Definitely get involved and do the chicken dance or participate in the beer chugging. It’ll liven up your time there (I know it did for me!) Overall, I had fun but would recommend arriving early if you want to avoid the long lines. They do happen later on in the night (8pm ish). Check it out!

Compared to previous years, this one has been the most inefficient one I’ve attended. The music and the beer (when I finally got to get mine) were good, but the logistics lacked big time. One star from me.

Line to get in too long, then after you pass security checkpoint and go to entrance you have to go back and stand in ticket line to redeem Stein Voucher. Too many people nothing to do, only a few types of beer and food trucks.

Omg so fun! I don’t understand the 3 Stars! I really had so much fun maybe it was my low expectations but really all the beers were bomb. I had so much fun! I only spent 170 dollars for 4 people food and dranks seriously tho so cheap for the fun that I had for 4 people! I highly recommend this experience. The band was pretty good too for 5 dollar admission seriously super satisfied.
And honestly everyone here is just looking for fun! Super safe. There’s like so much cops everywhere but it’s like who cares! Cos the cops are pretty chill as long as you’re not trying to make trouble! I really had fun. Hands down! People gotta go here

Horrible. Absolute trash. Don’t waste your time people.
Steins are expensive af paying 20 bucks for a full stein that you can keep but who cares honestly cause its a cheap plastic stein not that much significance to it. The lines are long af and you would think at a oktoberfest there would be plenty of beer and stands to go around but every damn stand is packed to the max.
The food is actually reasonably priced but its not great and very gimmicky. The wait for the food is ridiculous because they dont have a great system for picking up your order. They just yell your number and you can’t hear anything because there is line forming for the pickup station so people in the back won’t hear shit or are too drunk to pay attention so the line just piles up. They should just give you the food right after you order because the food doesn’t take that long. Its just cheap beer food that only tastes good cause you’re drunk. Shit is actually fucking horrible.
The place is packed with drunks. The beer is regular beer you can get anywhere and they even have king taco here. Like wtf? Its honestly a joke at how «german-​y» they try to make it with the music and the dressed up people but honestly its pure poverty. Shit is whack. Dunno why I even went.

Beer drinkers rejoice! The Fairplex Oktoberfest is here! This event is from Friday to Sunday during the last few weeks of October. Friday and Saturday is only for 21+ and on Sunday you can bring the kids. The price is fairly reasonable:
$ 10 parking
$ 5 admission
$ 20 for 32oz plastic stein and first fill
$ 13 for refills
~$ 8 for sausages
~$ 7 for a large pretzel
The venue is separated into two sections. The tent/​mess hall is meant to be more like a traditional Oktoberfest. There are long tables (like in Harry Potter: p), a German band, and beer chugging contests. Outside is an Americanized Oktoberfest. There is a cover band playing, carnival games, and food.
The food is average at best. I ordered the bratwurst on a pretzel bun and a large soft pretzel. The bratwurst was really good, it was warm, juicy and filled with spices. The bun and «soft» pretzel on the other hand were horrible. There was no flavor whatsoever and it was stiff and cold.
The organizers of the Fairplex Oktoberfest is just asking for trouble. There is no water available so people can’t even sober up. To add fuel to the fire, they also serve Jägermeister shots!
The crowd really kept to themselves so you don’t get to experience what you see in the movies. I must say I was disappointed, but overall I had fun! Definitely will be back next year!

October 19, 2013
After a long day at the beach in Venice, my bf and his friends were ready to get their drink on at the fest.
Me, how has never been to one, was excited to see what’s in store. Most importantly, all I care about was the food.
We got there at 9:10pm and left at about a few minutes past midnight.
Once we got there, we paid the $ 10 parking fee, hiked all the way up to the tram, and rode it for a mere fifteen seconds to the entrance. At the entrance, this is the part I was pissed at… was that apparently, you have to get your ticket at another line in order to get into the line to get in. What? Where is that sign that says that… I would have thought that the long line was for the tickets and to get in. Well, anyways. Don’t want to ruin my first experience too early in the night.
After we got in, we had to stand in another line for our beer. I’m not a beer person, but since i’m participating in this event, mind as well do it. So, stood in line for about 10 – 12 minutes with only six people ahead of me, I had to decide what beer I wanted. I’m not going for the Orange beer just because it’s orange flavored. So, I ended up with the Oktoberfest beer. Beer was cold, but chilled to crisp perfection, but oh well. The first beer cost me a pretty $ 20, but I got two, so It cost me a pretty $ 40. Now, I don’t know how to drink beer, but i’m pretty sure you don’t drink the foam. I didn’t know how to get rid of it, so I blew the foam to the sides, but ended up drinking it anyway.
As we got our beers, I, yes I, proceeded to the food line! Yes my UnilocalERS, i’m doing this for you and for my tummy. I ordered the Bratwurst and it was magnificent. It was as if the heavens had lifted my tummy spirits and GOBBLED the dang thing down in a matter of minutes. The bread was thick as heck. The meat was small becuase on my first massive bite, I didn’t get a sliver of the meat in my mouth. SAD. But the grilled veggies were awesome.
And, my Unilocalers, don’t drink and drive!