Oktoberfest 2018 - A Traditional German Autumn Festival with lots of Beer

Planning for Oktoberfest 2018

As soon and the excitement of Christmas and the New Year celebrations passed, I moved passed Valentine’s Day and Easter (yeah, I took a break from Easter Brunch this year) and straight into planning for this years anniversary celebration, Oktoberfest 2018! I knew with my contract with the Humane Society and working their Fur Ball event, there wasn’t going to have time for Easter Bruch so Oktoberfest was my main personal event focus this year.

Oriental Trading Company

Most of the decorating came easy. We have a small backyard but the pergola was perfect for a beer garden. I order some items from Oriental Trading Company (link) and purchased floral garland from Hobby Lobby. Simply easy decor.

BRECKENRIDGE, CO – A Surprise Pine Cathedral

Another year has gone by so fast. My husband and I traditionally celebrate our wedding anniversary with 3-4 get-a-way. We’re usually pretty good about planning this trip, but last year we both didn’t remember our anniversary until the week before. This year we decided to make this easy on the both of us and revisit our wedding city of Breckenridge, CO. Our nuptials took place under huge swaying pines trees that grew tightly together creating a shady cathedral like canopy alongside a babbling river. We accidentally stumbled up the “pine tree cathedral” on a hike we took the day before. Good thing for the hike, as we still had not found a site where we could perform our ceremony and the wedding was to take place the next day!

Surprise! Oktoberfest 2017 Breckenridge, CO

We booked a room and headed out for a two hour ride through the Colorado Rocky’s. We couldn’t have chosen a more perfect weekend, 75 degrees and clear sky’s. As we got closer to our romantic mountain city, the road became very congested. An accident perhaps? As we got closer to town, there it was, a huge banner the read, “ Welcome to Octoberfest 2018!” We turned and looked at each other with excitement in our faces. My husband loves his beer and brats and I love a festival of any type! Festival equals FUN and FOOD!

Oktoberfest of Our Own

We had such a great time, eating, drinking and listening to the German folk music.

The festival was nicely organized. Plenty of seating, bathrooms and even the long lines to fill up your souvenir stein (photo) weren’t more than a 5 minute wait.

Besides all the great German food, I especially loved that most folks in attendance donned their dirndls and lederhosen! I just loved it. Dirnd’sl of every size and color lined Main Street. That was it! The “trachten” traditional Austrian or Bavarian dress was the deal maker. We had the best time and decided to have an Oktoberfest party of our own for 2018!

Planning for Oktoberfest 2018

As soon and the excitement of Christmas and the New Year celebrations passed, I moved passed Valentine’s Day and straight into planning for this years anniversary celebration, Oktoberfest 2018!

Oriental Trading Company

I liked the idea of a grazing table for kind of event and it worked out well. But due to the changing weather in Colorado, I wasn’t sold on placing the food table outside. I put in just breakfast nook where a door lead out to the backyard and beer. But next time I’d place it where the beer in flowing.

Gingerbread (Lebkuchen) A Blue Ribbon Winner

I duplicated the festive gingerbread cookies like they have at German festivals.

The heart gingerbread is often given as a sign of love. The bigger the heart, the more one is loved. These cookies were a HUGE it. Adults ate them and kids loved that they could wear them around their neck.

All Good Things Must End . . .

The party went late into the night and ended with rounds of poker. The kids ran themselves ragged, eating way too many cookies and destroyed their “Kid Grazing” table. Bean bag toss became the game of the night and they finally became weary by 11pm.