A taste of Germany came near Dallas in Addison’s annual Oktoberfest festival.
Last Thursday through Sunday, Addison Circle Park hosted its 23rd reinvention of Munich’s most famous tradition and fair.
USA Today ranked Addison’s 4-day event as one of the top 10 North American Oktoberfests.
While the beer tasting, sponsored by the Spaten Bier brewery, lured the crowd in, guests stayed for the polka dancing, carnival rides, yodeling contests and traditional Bavarian food.
Whether attending with the intention to drink like a German in the Beer and Wine Gartens, to test your knowledge in a German spelling bee or to peruse the art stands, Addison’s Oktoberfest provided full-fledged amusement for every audience.
A sea of chicken hats and lederhosen filled the crowd as the Addison mayor, Joe Chow, carried on the tradition of tapping the first ceremonial keg at the festival Friday evening.
The city of Addison, as indicated on the official Oktoberfest event page on the city’s website, estimated a turnout of 60,000 guests.
Attendees got into the German spirit by dressing to impress, in conventional Bavarian costumes while polka dancing the night away to folk music.
While some do come for the beverages, many, such as attendee Jessica Ayre, 22, enjoy the other festivities.
“The ‘Chicken Dance’ was the highlight of the night! It’s probably one of the few times that it is acceptable to dance around like crazy and yell in a German accent,” Ayre said.
Even those below the drinking age had fun.
“I love Oktoberfest because so many different people attend, and I enjoy hanging out with friends and having fun!” said attendee Megan Heald, 20.
Among the many guest performances that graced the three stages of Addison Circle’s Oktoberfest, the Munich Evergreens, a renowned Bavarian polka band, traveled from Germany to join the celebration.
The band performed on the main stage in the “Schloss Addison” tent, which expanded over 30,000 square feet and had air conditioning, picnic seating and a dance floor.
The “Schloss Addison” tent was the site for some of the biggest entertainment events of the festival, including the official “tapping of the keg,” the German spelling bee, Dachshund Parade and, of course, polka dancing.
Aside from the typical German traditions carried out at this event, Addison’s Oktoberfest held it’s annual Oktoberfest 5K & Tom Thumb Fun Run in support of Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer (WOKC) on Saturday.
According to the race’s website, winners received prizes varying from cash awards and goody bags with carnival ride coupons. The proceeds benefited the WOKC and funded pediatric cancer research.
Addison’s Oktoberfest came to an end as the remaining stragglers snacked on their last schnitzels and shook things up on the Kamikaze ride.
The hum of folk tunes turned to silence and the crowd polkaed until they couldn’t polka any longer.
From beverage tasting and sausage on a stick to funnel cakes and carousels, yodeling fanatics and beer loving guests enjoyed another Oktoberfest in Addison.
