Picture it: you’re on a game show and made it to the last round. The final question asks you when Oktoberfest, the German folk festival, is celebrated. Your hands start to sweat. You have no more lifelines. You slam your buzzer and answer: “October!”
It’s time to dust off that good sport smile because you have unfortunately lost out on about $1 million. Truthfully, you should’ve walked away with at least a little bit of cash— Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival traditionally celebrated during the last week of September and ending the first Sunday of October.
According to an article from National Geographic, the first Oktoberfest was held Oct. 12–17, 1810, to celebrate the wedding of the Bavarian Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The celebration was so popular that they continued to hold it annually, and the rest is history.
The festivities grew in scale as the celebration grew in popularity. What started as a week of games and horse races grew to include cattle markets, merry-go-rounds, chicken roasteries, and beer. Lots of it. Beer-thirsty crowds became such an overwhelming majority of festivalgoers that beer vendors had to build temporary stands to accommodate the hordes.
Photograph courtesy of Chuckanut Brewery Co.
The reason Oktoberfest has bled into September is something Washingtonians are all too familiar with: the rain. Mid to late October was a drizzly time in 19th-century Bavaria which put a bit of a dampener on the festivities. Oktoberfest was moved to take place from late September to early October so the festival could continue with as little interruption from the elements as possible.
But you don’t need a time machine or a ticket to Germany to celebrate Oktoberfest! Bellingham’s very own Chuckanut Brewery is the original brewer of German-style beers in the Whatcom area and is known for its annual Oktoberfest celebration.
This year’s festivities will be taking place on Sept. 14 from noon to 8 p.m. Liter steins of beer will be $10 all day and half of the parking lot will be tented off to ensure enough room for seating. They’ll be hosting True Smoke BBQ, which will be serving an Oktoberfest-themed menu, and Süss Candy with a selection of natural taffy and caramels.
All ages are welcome, and there will be plenty of entertainment for the young ins in the form of cornhole, giant Jenga, and kids’ axe throwing—if you dare. For the grown ins, there’s more to do than just drink beer. Chuckanut Brewing will hold a Stein Holding competition, where participants must hold a full stein of beer out in front of them for as long as possible.
Hammerschlagen is another traditional German game that will be present at Chuckanut Brewing’s Oktoberfest celebration; participants take turns trying to drive a nail flush into a log. What’s more German than holding a beer and slamming a hammer?
They’ll be serving Festbier, the most popular beer served in Germany during modern Oktoberfest celebrations. Music, costumes, and dancing will be the cherry on top of Chuckanut Brewing’s iconic Oktoberfest celebration this year.
If land-based celebrations aren’t your style, San Juan Cruises has four Oktoberfest Brewers Cruises on the schedule for Sept. 27 and 28 and Oct. 4 and 5. Passengers must be 21+, with ticket costs covering the ride, beer, and food available on the passage. The boat departs the Alaska Ferry Terminal in Fairhaven at 6:30 p.m. and returns at 8:00 p.m.
A bratwurst buffet will be served for dinner alongside handpicked Fest Biers and autumn seasonal beers from seven local breweries. San Juan Cruises usually features beer from Boundary Bay and two other local breweries at a time during their normal Brewers Cruises in the summer, but they bring out the big brews for Oktoberfest.
The boat will be decked out in its Oktoberfest best, complete with festive Bavarian music to set the mood. Tickets tend to sell out quickly, so be sure to reserve your space if beer, brats, and fresh air sound like the way you want to start your autumn.
Suppose you’re a landlubber who still wants a variety of brews and chews, and who’s curious about the array of breweries in the Sunnyland area. In that case, you will be delighted to hear that Sunnyland Fest is returning for 2024!
From Sept. 19–22, seven breweries in the Sunnyland Neighborhood will participate in a pub-crawl-style Oktoberfest celebration. Punch cards for new crawlers will be available at all the breweries, so it doesn’t matter where you start.
Buy a brew, stamp your card. Fully stamped cards can be entered into a raffle for a chance to win prizes from the participating breweries. The crawl lasts all weekend, so pace yourself, and bask in the Oktoberfest greatness!
Feel free to buy that ticket to Germany or invent a time machine, but just know that you’ll be missing out on Bellingham’s flight of locally fueled offerings.
