Whether looking to celebrate tradition or simply have a good time, Long Beach’s Oktoberfest brought family and friends together for a carefree day of dancing and laughs.
Taking place from noon to 10 p.m. on weekends between Sept. 29 and Oct. 22, attendees dressed up in lederhosen and dirndl while enjoying a day of drinking beer, listening to live music and playing games.
It was bar manager Janelle Holden’s second year working Oktoberfest alongside event coordinators Jim Ritson, Brett Gallo and Shawn Ellis from Long Beach’s Bamboo Club.
According to Holden, the owners started the event back in 2021 and hired friends and colleagues to run the festivities.
The bar served traditional German food such as bratwurst, chicken schnitzel, vegan wurst, giant pretzels and hot dogs. In addition to the classic Paulaner Oktoberfest beers, the event provided a variety of canned drinks for those wanting to stick to their American favorites.
The event featured family-friendly activities such as cornhole, a photo booth and a chicken dance performance. One of the leading performers was LadyHosen, a Bavarian band based in Los Angeles.
They performed authentic German yodeling and tunes, along with some American pop classics. The band wore traditional Oktoberfest attire and played instruments such as an accordion, tuba and drum set.
Alongside the band were vendors Dee Jennings, Kiran Wali and Fatima Alzanan, selling band t-shirts and hats. Dressed in traditional German garb, they travel with the band to various Oktoberfest events in Southern California.
Long Beach resident Rafael Barcam attended the event with his colleagues.
“I went to the Oktoberfest in New York so I wanted to check out the Long Beach one,” Barcam said.
“I think it’s a fun event to just hang out with my friends.”
Lee and Daniel Bremmer are self-proclaimed beer nerds who traveled from Costa Mesa with their daughter, Zelda, to attend the festivities.
“We are vegan, so we thought it was really cool that the festival offers vegan sausages,” Daniel Bremmer said.
In addition to the food options, the Bremmer family was excited for an excuse to dress up and attend an event that is both kid and adult-friendly.
Vendor Liane Walls served shots to attendees while riding roller skates. Walls skated around the event, performing tricks and even getting on stage with the performers. She has performed at various events throughout Los Angeles County since 2018, and can be found on social media under the hashtag #shotsonskates.
According to History.com, the Oktoberfest tradition originated in 1810 as a celebration of the marriage between Bavarian Crown Prince Louis I and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.
The festivities held in Munich quickly became a tradition throughout Germany and eventually around the world. Today, one million gallons of beer are consumed annually at the event.