KEYSTONE - Fritz Alpine Bistro and Kickapoo Tavern in Keystone's River Run are staging their first annual authentic Oktoberfest celebration this Sunday from 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.

Live Bavarian entertainment will fill the village, as well as an array of traditional Oktoberfest contests of skill. And naturally, beer imported from Munich and food prepared by an Austrian chef will highlight the event.

Fritz's owners Tom and Shari Scholten, along with Kickapoo's Shervin Rashidi, are determined to bring back the true nature of Oktoberfest parties that were held in Munich, Germany, at the turn of the last century.

"Back then, Oktoberfest featured skill contests among the revelers rather than the amusement park atmosphere that exists in Munich's Oktoberfest today," Scholten said.

A portion of the proceeds from the FritzenKick Oktoberfest will benefit the Lake Dillon Fire-Rescue Firefighters Fund.

Executive chef Andreas Grogger, a native of Gmunden, Austria, has researched the traditional competitions and brought five events to the FritzenKick festivities: Hau den Lukas, Hagl Ziagn, Fuas Hackln, Masskrug Halten and Nögin. Grogger, a veteran of eight Munich Oktoberfests, worked at the renowned Nürnberger Bratwurst Glöckl Am Dom.

The Summit Brass Band kicks off FritzenKick at 11 a.m. with their rousing old-world festive favorites. At noon, Keystone legend Bob Craig will tap the first keg, serving as Bürgermeister for the event. Craig, 80, founded the Keystone Center in 1975 and served as its president until 1997. In his younger years, he led several expeditions to climb the world's highest mountains, including K2 and Everest. Craig will tap a giant wooden keg to start the Spatan Beer flowing.

Throughout the afternoon and evening, Peter Krainz, originally from Altenmarkt, Austria, will perform with his band, cleverly named Those Austrian Guys. This lederhosen-wearing group has cheered audiences at Der Fondue Chessel for years.

Young and old alike will thrill to the dancing of the internationally award-winning T.E.V. Edelweiss Dance Group. Based in Denver since 1958, this group of German immigrants and German Americans performs around the country. Ranging in age from 3 to 77, the dancers will delight the audience with traditional schuhplattling dancing made popular in Germany in the 1850s. Last July, the group won third place in an international dance competition in Buffalo, New York.

FritzenKick contests of skill also kick off at noon. In Hau den Lukas, combatants wield a long wooden-handled mallet, trying to ring the bell atop a high tower. For Masskrug Halten, each contestant holds a one-liter mug of beer (approximately 5 lbs.) straight out in front. Whoever holds it up longest wins. The current Keystone record is six minutes and two seconds, set last weekend during training sessions. Fuas Hackln is similar to American arm wrestling, only horizontal. Two people, lying on their backs, extend their right legs up and lock their competitor behind the knee. First one to roll the other person over backwards is the winner. Contestants in Hagl Ziagn lock their middle fingers together and wage a 25 cm tug-of-war.

Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third places in each of the skill games.

Groups who would like to compete against each other can try their luck in the Nögin contest. Each competitor uses a narrow carpenter's hammer to drive a three-penny nail into a large tree stump. Each person gets one hit at a time in rotation until all but one nail is fully driven in. Loser buys the group of round of Schnapps at the Schnapps Bar.

No Oktoberfest would be complete without lots of authentic Bavarian food. Chef Andreas is offering bratwurst with genuine Austrian sauerkraut, sandwiches of roast pork rubbed with secret Austrian spices, crispy chicken halves brushed with traditional Oktoberfest spices and hand-made Bavarian pretzels, all topped off by the best strudel this side of Munich.

Keystone's Miners Park, along with two bounce houses and other activities, will amuse the kids while the adults play.

The first Oktoberfest was not a festival, but the massive public celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Luitpold I and Princess Terressa of Bavaria on Oct. 17, 1810. Like FritzenKick, all nobles and commoners from the surrounding countryside were invited. Held in a large meadow in Munich, the party featured a horse race, along with beer, food, music and dancing. During this first "party of the century," legend has it that more than 1,000,000 gallons of beer were consumed.

"FritzenKick will not attempt to beat this record," Scholten stated. With the exception of wartime, Oktoberfests have been celebrated in Munich for almost 200 years.

Not only an event, Oktoberfest is also a style of beer. Spaten Brewery's Gabriel Sedlmayr and Anton Dreher of Vienna, Austria, introduced Oktoberfest Bier in 1872. Still family-owned, Spatan traces its roots back to 1363. Spaten is one of only six breweries within the city limits of Munich that is allowed to brew true Oktoberfest. Traditional guidelines require an amber-gold lager, robust at 5.2 to 6 percent alcohol by volume, bottom-fermented and lagered for at least a month. The brew has pronounced malt flavors from Vienna malts, usually accented by noble German hops such as Hallertau and Tettnang. Oktoberfest is brewed much like the reddish-amber Marzen beer that was served at the Crown Prince's wedding.

"To make FritzenKick truly authentic, Spaten has shipped several kegs of this genuine brew from Munich to Keystone for the celebration," Scholten said.

In case of rain or snow, all FritzenKick festivities will move to the Pavilion at Keystone. For more information, call 970-468-1420.

FritzenKick Oktoberfest schedule

Sunday

11-noon - Summit Brass Band

Noon - Keg tapping with Bürgermeister Bob Craig

Noon-1 p.m. - Those Austrian Guys perform

1-2 p.m. - T.E.V. Edelweiss Dance Group performs

2-4 p.m. - Those Austrian Guys perform

4-5 p.m. - T.E.V. Edelweiss Dance Group performs

5 p.m. - Hagl Ziagn (Finger Wrestling) finals

5-9 p.m. Ð Those Austrian Guys perform

7 p.m. - Fuas Hackln (Leg Wrestling) finals

7:30 p.m. - Crown the Masskrug Halten (Liter Mug Holding) champion



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