Spirits abound at Oktoberfest

The weather could not have been any more beautiful for the Saratoga Hot Springs Resort and Spa for their 9th annual Oktoberfest. Although beer was the dominant beverage being served, there were several distilleries showing off their products.

Brush Creek Distillery featured their vodka, gin and bourbon with samples for attendees. The distillery also had their newly launched product for tasting, Railroad Rye.

Snowy Mountain Brewery, located in the Resort, offered a selection of their beers. The White Buffalo is a white stout got many patrons attention.

Oktoberfest can trace its roots to a celebration in Munich, Bavaria–which is now Germany. A prince, who later became King Louis I, wed Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The celebration started on October 12, 1810 and ended five days later with a horse race.

The event was popular enough to be repeated in 1811. A festival was created and held at a fairground outside the city where it attracted a crowd of 40,000. The city fathers assumed responsibility for festival management in 1819 and it was decided that Oktoberfest would become an annual event. A parade was started in 1850 and traditional costumes were worn.

At the 100th anniversary of Oktoberfest in 1910, an estimated 120,000 liters of beer were consumed.

Three years later, the Braurosl was founded. At the time it was the largest pavilion/tent to have ever been built, accommodating approximately 12,000 people.

During World War I, Oktoberfest was suspended. The festival came back in 1918 but was canceled again in the early 1920's due to Germany's economy being hyperinflated.

In the early 1930's Oktoberfest was started again but the festival forbade Jews to participate in 1933. Breweries got involved in the selection of the best beer of Oktoberfest in 1935. The festival was canceled again from 1939 to 1945 due to World War II. 

The festival returned as "Autumn Fest" from 1946 to 1948 and then in 1950 Oktoberfest became what it is basically known today. In 1960 the horse races stopped.

During Oktoberfest there are contests for best beers and food, parades with gun salutes and people in costumes. Only beers produced in Munich can be served in the Oktoberfest of Germany.

Oktoberfest is usually held over a two week period and ends on the first Sunday in October. In 1994, the schedule was modified in response to German reunification. If the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the festival would go on until October 3 (German Unity Day). The festival is now 17 days long when the first Sunday is October 2 and 18 days when it is October 1.

Over the past 200 years, Oktoberfest has been canceled 24 times due to cholera epidemics and war.

Oktoberfest came to the United States in the early 1960's. La Crosse, Wisconsin claimed the first festival. Due to the multitude of Germans living in the United States, it could have been celebrated on a small scale in neighborhoods. Cincinnati has the largest Oktoberfest in the country.

The Saratoga Hot Springs Resort and Spa brought Oktoberfest to Carbon County nine years ago.

Cheena Parsons, General Manager of the Resort, said when the Resort first started to feature Oktoberfest, there were seven breweries which attended. This year, with the mix of distilleries and breweries, there were 11 this year.

"We started it in October because we were a little bit slower during that month," Parsons said. "Then it started to become sort of a big thing which is exciting. Then over the years our October weekends have become quite busy, so we had the flexibility to move it to a month that has a little bit better weather."

She said the staff also enjoys dressing up. "They really get into it," Parsons said. "Inside the staffers do it on their own. It really is fun to see how much they get into it."

Parsons said the Resort kicks off Oktoberfest with a golf tournament. "In the morning around 9 o'clock people start showing up. We have free Bloody Mary's, pastries and other goodies that get people up for the morning," Parsons said. "Then when they finish the golf tournament, the people can come over to the Oktoberfest. It really is an enjoyable way to enjoy a Saturday."

 The crowd that showed up for the festival and stayed until it closed, seemed to agree with Parsons wholeheartedly as they departed later in the evening.