Tulsa’s 40th Oktoberfest starts tonight.
It kicks off with a parade of brewers to the center of the festival.
"That’s a huge deal in Munich, Germany. They have two days, actually, of parading of the brewers with their kegs down to the festival through the town. So, that’s our nod to Munich," said Linde Oktoberfest Tulsa Festival Director Tonja Carrigg.
Carrigg said the festival has more beer, food and events than ever before. It's also working with Oklahoma’s new liquor laws this year. That means the 3.2 percent beer that used to be offered in the main biergarten is a thing of the past.
"Our other tents had become, gradually and through the years, strong beer, just like they have in Munich, Germany. And so, now, we’re 100 percent strong beer, and that’s a great thing for us," Carrigg said.
It’s not all beer and sausages. There are physical activities as well. Games committee co-chair Ryan Howell said if you’re looking for a real challenge, get your team of four men and four women together for Saturday’s Bavarian Cup.
"You get to compete in the beer barrel race, you do the stein hoist, you do the masskrug relay, you do a tug of war — and then we’ve got some other games that we’ve developed just recently — to take home this Bavarian Cup Challenge," Howell said. "And the winner of that evening gets eight VIP tickets to go to VIP Saturday night at Linde Oktoberfest."
Linde Oktoberfest runs through Sunday at River West Festival Park, 2100 S Jackson Ave., and benefits the River Parks Authority.
Munich’s Oktoberfest celebration ran Sept. 22 to Oct. 7.
