Sebastian Rubino / sebastian@thereflector.com
Alderbrook Park will hold its annual Oktoberfest on Sept. 24 during a celebration that will include vendors, music and, of course, a variety of beer.
Alderbrook general manager Chris Bryden said the event is the biggest the park holds each year.
“There will probably be 100 craft vendors is what we’re looking for,” Bryden said. “There are food trucks, our cafe serves authentic Bavarian food, there is live entertainment on both the main stage and the field.”
Oktoberfest will also feature games and contests, including sausage dog races and drop sack races for kids. Bounce houses, train rides, miniature golf, pedalos and use of the pool will be included.
Bryden’s favorite part of the event is the live music.
“We have the Smilin’ Scandinavians, which is a real traditional German band that will be playing music like that all day, and in the evening, we have Prom Date Mixtape out of Seattle, who will be doing 80s covers. in the afternoon,” he said.
Bryden considers the Smilin’ Scandinavians to be “amazing musicians” who “get the crowd going”, creating a fun environment. As for the Prom Date Mixtape, he said that they are very energetic and very entertaining.
This is the first time Alderbrook Park has held an Oktoberfest since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The last event in 2019 drew between 3,500 and 4,000 people. Bryden expects a similar turnout this year.
“The phones haven’t stopped ringing, we’ll put it that way,” he said.
In addition to the doggie and drop bag races, Bryden said there will also be a dance contest, a hammer contest and three-legged races. He favors the wiener dog race more because he loves “watching those little dogs run.”
“Sometimes they bump into the crowd, sometimes they’ll run the distance, but it’s always entertaining,” Bryden said.
Some of the food vendors include Las Chicas Carnitas, Bamboo Grove Hawaiian Grille, Grandma June’s Food Cart, North County Coffee and Mega Melt.
Since beer is an Oktoberfest staple, Bryden hopes to feature a variety of imported beers such as Ayinger, Warsteiner alongside Samuel Adams Oktoberfest and a number of ciders. However, Bryden noted that the type of beer is subject to change due to supply chain issues.
“I haven’t received confirmation of what’s available and what’s coming, and I have three dealers working on it,” he said. “But we’ll have several authentic German beers, several ciders, wine, and just your usual IPAs, ambers, and of course your Coors Lite, for those who want it.”
The event will take place from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM on September 24th. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for children ages 4-13, and admission is free for children ages 3 and under. Alderbrook Park is located at 24414 NE Westerholm Road in Brush Prairie.
For more information, visit alderbrookparkevents.com/499/Oktoberfest.
