Oktoberfest Is Here
By: Tyler Rheaves
From Savannah to Helen and many points in between, Georgia is doing the polka for Oktoberfest. (Yes Georgians, it’s Oktober with a “k”). Oktoberfest dates back to Oct 12, 1810 when the villagers celebrated the marriage of the Crown Prince of Bavaria, Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese. The people of Munich, Germany partied for five days and Oktoberfest was born. Today, the official Oktoberfest celebration is held in Munich, Bavaria, from Sept. 19 until Oct. 4, but it is celebrated in other cities around the world.
The clothes associated with Oktoberfest are almost as important as the festivities. The men typically wear lederhosen and the ladies will adorn themselves in dirndls. Lederhosen are knee-length leather pants with suspenders that were worn by the working class in Germany and Austria. According to historians, the pants were knee-length to make them easier to move around in and less fabric meant they were cheaper to make. The dirndls are a blouse with a bodice worn with a full skirt and attached. They were historically worn by maids and were not the lavish beautiful dirndls worn today. Today, all across this country, lederhosen and dirndls and all things German are celebrated as Oktoberfest has evolved into a universal excuse to party from September throughout Oct.
Although Georgia is not known for a huge influx of German immigrants, Helen has become one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the country. The tiny alpine village of Helen comes alive with beer, bratwurst, and the polka for thousands of visitors during its annual Oktoberfest celebration from September 5th until Oct. 27. The festival in Helen is listed as a top destination for Oktoberfest because of its authentic recreation of German life. You can enjoy music, dancing, food, and, of course, plenty of beer.
Patty Gullick and her family, residents of Peachtree City, have been attending Oktoberfest in Helen for 15 years. Gullick, an army veteran who served at the army military base in Ansbach, Germany said that she enjoys the Helen festivities almost as much as the German celebration. “It’s been a great fall festival for the entire family. Even when the kids were younger, there were lots of activities for them. And now that they’re teenagers, they still have a great time.” Gullick admits that Helen’s Oktoberfest is a pretty tame version of the larger (and rowdier) scale festivities in Germany, but she said that as she has gotten older, she enjoys the more relaxed atmosphere in Helen.
On the opposite end of the state, there is even a coastal Oktoberfest adventure. Each year, Savannah trades its Shamrock for a beer stein at a three-day Oktoberfest celebration on historic River Street overlooking the Savannah River. This year, the festival was held on Oct. 4–6 and, as in past years, organizers were expecting thousands of visitors and locals to partake in the festivities. If St. Patrick’s Day is the party of the year in Savannah, Oktoberfest is known as Savannah’s party of the fall season. The attendees enjoyed beer, wine and German food, including bratwurst, sauerkraut, and giant pretzels. There was also a sausage eating contest, polka dancing and fireworks on the River.
And, if you live in Atlanta, there is no need to make the 93 mile drive to Helen, or fly over 7400 miles to Germany to get your Oktoberfest fix. Oktoberfest Atlanta was held on Oct. 11th and 12th in the historic Fourth Ward. The festival included activities such as beer tents, live music, delicious German food and games. Many of the people who attended this year’s festival dressed up in traditional Bavarian attire.
The line-up for the festival included ceremonial keg tapping, stein hoisting, keg rolling, brawt toss, and the ever so popular, pretzel toss. “This was my first time attending this festival. My gamily’s not German, but it was so much fun! I got a little tipsy off the beer, but the atmosphere in general was amazing,” said Andrea Soares after attending the first night of Oktoberfest Atlanta.
“Munich on Marietta” is another Oktoberfest celebration held in Atlanta. The festival was held on Oct. 12th in the heart of Atlanta on Marietta Street. Festival attendees enjoyed live music all day as well as German craft beers and great food. Atlantans also put on their lederhosens and dirndls and enjoyed Oktoberfest at Stone Mountain Village. The Village celebrated the occasion with a festival from Oct. 5th until the 12th. There was folk music, a beer garden, and of course great German food. The added benefit was being able to stroll through the quaint village located less than 30 minutes from Atlanta.
Helena Lismoresams, a German native from Zweibrucken, German, married to a Georgian, laughed when asked if she is insulted by this country’s celebration of Oktoberfest. “There are so many Germans and German descendants in this country, why shouldn’t our heritage be recognized here. I think it’s a lot of fun,” she said. She was quick to point that the celebrations here are much smaller than in German and Europe.
