Over the weekend, I spent my weekend enjoying the annual German festival of Oktoberfest! I went with my family to the Bavarian Inn Oktoberfest down in West Virginia and it was a wonderful way to kick off the start of this sixteen day-long festival. The smell of bratwursts lingering in the air as the wind carries the melody of traditional folk songs, with a multitude of people donning their lederhosen or dirndls all make for quite a scene! Even the venue, the Bavarian Inn, suits the festival as it has a very European design to its architecture- reminiscent of what you would imagine a grand mansion in the woods from fairy tales would look like. It was a beautiful day for the fest as well- only making it an even better way to start this year’s Oktoberfest.

     The food was phenomenal- everything from the brats to strudel! Personally, I cannot wait until Oktoberfest to indulge in traditional German desserts such as apple strudel or Black Forest cake. To see that they had these delicacies was just marvelous! And of course, the bratwursts were delicious, too- so much so that at one point they had actually run out of them. In addition to these well-known German treats, there were also a variety of roasted and cinnamon-glazed nuts on sale that are quite popular in Germany- primarily the state of Bavaria. Food and drink wise, it was delightful how aligned it was with traditional feasts for Oktoberfest, keep the German spirit strong even more than a million miles away from Munich, the true center of Oktoberfest.

     There was even a traditional folk band, named The Edelweiss Band, playing accordion filled tunes like the song of its namesake! They played, sang, and danced to their own melodies- encouraging the audience to take part as well. It paired wonderfully with the sale of German knick-knacks such as steins; they typically depicted landscapes or villages in the German countryside with an either 2-D or 3-D design. There were also a few wood carvings and a cuckoo clock or two, each showing the intricacy of traditional Bavarian, Black Forest woodworking. The vendors were friendly, as was the band, and it overall had a very familiar and cheerful atmosphere.

     Oktoberfest started off with a blast and I’m happy I was able to join in the festival on its very first day! The festivities will continue until October 3rd and there will be plenty more places holding Oktoberfest until it does come to an end. Whether you’re of German heritage or not, I recommend that you stop by and enjoy the culture, listen to folk music, and indulge in German delicacies!

     Auf Wiedersehen!