Prost! St. Louis has been selected to host the first-ever Great North American Oktoberfest. The announcement comes today from the North American Society of German Culture and Heritage, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit dedicated to celebrating German culture.
The three-day event will be held Oct. 4 to 6, in downtown St. Louis near Soldiers Memorial.
“St. Louis is proud to host this new national event that promises to bring Bavarian-style family fun to downtown St. Louis this October,” said St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson. “We are grateful our city was selected to host the North American version of the world’s largest folk festival that draws millions to Munich annually to celebrate German and Bavarian culture.”
Oktoberfest in Munich, an important part of Bavarian culture that has been held since 1810, is the largest volkfest (folk festival) in the world. drawing more than 6 million visitors to the 16-day festival that begins in mid-September and runs to early October.
Late last year, NASGCH selected St. Louis to be the North American home to the annual large-scale, family-friendly celebration of German culture, cuisine and beer the organization is developing to complement the internationally renowned event in Germany.
The Great North American Oktoberfest in St. Louis commences during the final days of the festival in Munich to allow travelers to experience both events.
“We are committed to bringing the full Munich Oktoberfest experience to families in North America,” said Martin Howell, president of NASGCH. “St. Louis is the perfect city to build an annual national event that attracts families from around the country, given the city’s prime central location, affordability, family-friendly reputation and rich German heritage.”
Statistical records show more than 800,000 people in the St. Louis area claim some German ancestry. The city is part of what is known as the German Triangle in the U.S., a large geographic area defined by the Milwaukee region to the north, the Cincinnati region to the southeast and the St. Louis region to the southwest.
This fall, the grounds of the Great North American Oktoberfest will span two parks east of Soldiers Memorial, as well as the adjacent streets. The main event will take place in an enormous Bavarian-themed Main Pavilion tent that will seat approximately 2,000 attendees. The tent will immerse guests in an authentic Deutschland-like environment that includes music, German food and beer, and table service provided by servers.
The festival grounds will include carnival rides and games for guests of all ages, and a traditional biergarten will be on site where the entire family can relax while enjoying German music and food. There will also be displays of German and Bavarian culture throughout the grounds for people to learn more about the origins of Oktoberfest, traditional foods, St. Louis’ ties to Germany, and many other items.
One of the unique elements that will distinguish this event from other Oktoberfest celebrations will be the broad array of family-friendly activities. Organizers expect the event will attract tens of thousands of attendees over the festival’s three-day period.
More details, including information about table reservations and a full entertainment schedule will be available at a later date by visiting the festival’s website, americanoktoberfest.com.
