Would you like to celebrate your German roots with lively entertainment and a wide variety of delicious fare that will make your taste buds jump for joy?  Then you should put Ocean Boulevard’s Oktoberfest on your calendar of things to do and make plans to join the party that has plenty of music, a festive atmosphere, and beer-beer-beer.  You’ll be able to enjoy authentic German cuisine, great bands, and a free Kids Zone in Phyler Park where they can play on inflatable bounce houses and slides to their little heart’s content.  Located on Ocean Boulevard at 8th Avenue North to Mr. Joe White Avenue, this day-long festival begins at 12 noon on October 12, 2013, and concludes with a fireworks show at 11:00 p.m.  Admission is free and Ocean Boulevard will become a festival of art vendors, displays, and of course, food and beverages.

If you like to plan your eating and drinking around band performances, here’s the schedule of events to make your day exciting and filled with fun.

 12:00 pm-12:45 pm: Broken Strings
 1:15 pm-2:15 pm: Who Shot JR
 2:45 pm-3:45 pm: Ballyhoo
 4:14 pm-5:15 pm: Passafire
 5:45pm-6:45 pm: American Aquarium
 7:15 pm-8:15 pm: Drivin’ N Cryin’
 8:45pm-10:15 pm:  Cowboy Mouth

   Channellheimers Oompah Band Street Performances at 12:45, 2:15, 3:45, 5:15, 6:45

You’ll be able to taste beer from New South Brewing, Sam Adams, Beck’s, New Belgium, Weihenstephen, and many other varieties that can quench your thirst in bold and refreshing ways. 

How did this global party get started?  Back on October 12, 1810, Bavarian Crown Prince Louis, later King Louis I of Bavaria, married Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.  The Royals invited the citizens of Munich to attend the festivities that were held on the fields in front of the city gates which the locals now call the “Wies’n,” and about 40,000 people came.  Horse races were held and large amounts of beer were consumed outside of the actual venue (but in later years vendors were allowed to move into the festival area); in fact, a good time was had by all so the following year, the decision to repeat the festivities was made thus giving birth to the tradition of the annual Oktoberfest. 

When you’re at Oktoberfest, saying “Prost,” which means cheers or “zum wohl” (pronounced zoom-vohl) which means to your health shows that you are familiar with the festival and how to express universal cheers to your friends.  You’ll enjoy hearing “O’zapft” which is the official rallying cry of Oktoberfest and means that “It is tapped,” after which the beer flows freely for your enjoyment.

So, mark your calendar, plan to attend Ocean Boulevard’s Oktoberfest and let the fun begin!