Vail Oktoberfest lands in Lionshead Friday, Saturday, Sunday

VAIL — Munich comes to the Lionshead Village this weekend to officially kick-off the celebration of beer, music and autumn in Vail: Oktoberfest. The event will see a full weekend of authentic Bavarian fun, including the return of many crowd favorites like the bratwurst eating contests, adult keg bowling and adult stein lifting competitions. Emulating the age-old celebration known all over the world, Vail Oktoberfest in Lionshead will include Bavarian music and dancing, traditional fare like Klement’s Bratwursts, yodeling, alpenhorn blowing, beverages from Hacker-Pschorr and Jagermeister and much more.

Entertainment and fun

All throughout Vail Oktoberfest, guests will enjoy oom-pah music from Oktoberfest legends Helmut Fricker and the Rhinelanders Band. In addition to the live music, guest can participate in Bavarian dancing demonstrations from the Denver Kickers Schuplattler Dancers, see traditional alpenhorn blowing, hear yodeling and much more. Saturday, the party goes into the night with a free concert from Dixie Leadfoot.

Vail Oktoberfest is a family affair, and the event features fun activities during the day for kids. Children will find lots on things to love in the Bighorn Toyota Kids’ Zone, from live entertainment to crafts, pretzel necklace making, and more.

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Contests

Keg bowling returns, giving anyone interested in the game the chance to hurl a keg shell on wheels down the lane at a pyramid of keg shells with the intention of bringing down the pile. It’s not as easy at it seems, however. The top competitors from the first round of the competition move on the final round of keg bowling, where the champion of the day will be crowned and prizes will be awarded. Participants must be at least 21 years old to compete.

The fun continues with the return of the Klement’s Bratwurst eating contests, where the strong-willed and the strong-stomached battle it out to see who can down the most brats in three minutes. The competitor who wolfs down the most brats in the allotted time wins not only a great prize package from Klement’s Sausage Company.

The Bavarian costume contests rewards those festival participants who go all out and show up for the day in full Bavarian flare or in another Oktoberfest related costume. Those who do will be invited to participate in the Oktoberfest costume contests on Saturday and Sunday. All ages are invited to participate in the costume contests. The winner will be determined by crowd response and will take home an Oktoberfest stein and token package.

The stein lift contests will test the arm strength and stamina of even the fiercest competitors. Competitors will hold FULL beer steins — one in each hand — out from their body at shoulder level. The last person standing with arms outstretched will take home an Oktoberfest prize package. Participants in the stein lift contest must me at least 21 years of age.

A variety of these contests take place both Saturday and Sunday in Lionshead Village. There is no cost to participate in these contests. Competitors who wish to participate can sign up at the Oktoberfest token booth nearest Arrabelle Square.