Lest you thought Oktoberfest was only in October — think again, peasant!
To be fair, the festival did originally start in October. The first Oktoberfest was October 12, 1810, to be exact, when Prince Regent Ludwig of Bavaria, later King Ludwig I, married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen (try saying that five times fast).
And get this — according to the fest's official website, the inaugural celebration didn't have any beer.
But as the festival repeated annually throughout the century, celebrators decided it should include lots of beer and overtake the end of September, too, since that's when weather was usually better in Bavaria.
This year, Germany's official Oktoberfest, the largest folk festival in the world, happens Sept. 21 through Oct. 6. But if you're not one of the 6 million people who'll be in Munich for the celebration, there's plenty of opportunity to celebrate in the Inland Northwest. And yes, there will also be plenty of beer.
DEUTSCHESFEST
Sept. 19-22, Thu from 5-11 pm, Fri-Sat from 7 am-1 am, Sun from 7 am-10 pm; $3-$15; Odessa, Washington
German-Russian immigrants settled in the small town of Odessa in the early 1900s. Now, it gets thousands of visitors a year for its annual, authentic Oktoberfest. Hopping on Interstate 90 for an hour and a half is a whole lot easier than flying to Munich!
DOWNTOWN COEUR D'ALENE
Sept. 20-21; Fri from 4-8 pm, Sat from 12-8 pm; $25-$40; Coeur d'Alene, locations vary
Eighteen locations, 30 beer options, two biergartens, seven bands — oh my! Be in the Prostgarten at 6 pm on Friday for the traditional tapping of the keg, or check out cdadowntown.com for a list of other weekend events.
NO DROUGHT BREWING CO.
Sept. 20-21, Fri-Sat from 3-9 pm; free admission; 10604 E. 16th Ave., Spokane Valley
Marzen and festbiers, a local oompah band, and stein-holding contests — a classic Oktoberfest at No Drought!
THE CROWN & THISTLE
Sat, Sept. 21 from 11 am-11 pm; free admission; 107 N. Fourth St., Coeur d'Alene
The local British pub is being taken over by German beers and snacks for the first day of Oktoberfest. Anyone wearing a dirndl or lederhosen gets a pint on the house!
WEST END OKTOBERFEST
Sept. 21-22; Sat-Sun from noon-10 pm; $25 admission, $4 pours
Join Iron Goat Brewing Co., The Grain Shed, Humble Abode Brewing, Whistle Punk Brewing Co. and Brick West Brewing Co. for a collaborative Oktoberfest spread across the West End of downtown Spokane. There will be special beers, plus schnitzel and pretzels from Iron Goat. Admission includes a limited-edition mug.
NO-LI BREWHOUSE
Sat, Sept. 21 and Sat, Sept. 28 from noon-3 pm;
$20 admission, $8 pours; No-Li Bier Hall, 1003 E. Trent Ave.
Get here on time, because there's a 700-person limit in the beer hall! Admission gets you a half-liter glass boot and a Bavarian hat, plus the sweet serenades of an oompah band, the fierce competition of classic Oktoberfest games and a taste of No-Li's small-batch German lager.
PUNKTOBERFEST
Sept. 27-28 (downtown) and Oct. 5 (Millwood) from 1-10 pm; free; Whistle Punk Brewing: 122 S. Monroe St. and 9013 E. Frederick Ave.
Entry is free, but you can preorder a nifty 1-liter stein at buywpbeer.square.site for $25, which includes your first pour. The steins will be available for pick up at your chosen location on the day of the festival.
PERRY STREET HOPTOBERFEST
Sept. 27-28; Fri-Sat from 11:30 am-11 pm; free admission; Perry Street Brewing, 1025 S. Perry St.
Dust off your lederhosen and head to Perry Street Brewing for a swig of their famous fresh-hop beers. These brews use some of the first hops of the season, usually within the first 24 hours they've been harvested, for super unique tastes and aromas.
GARLAND BREW WERKS
Sept. 27-29, Fri from 3-10 pm, Sat from noon-10 pm,
Sun from noon-8 pm; free admission
Garland Brew Werks, 603 W. Garland Ave.
Come hungry for special food items! You can also purchase a commemorative half-liter mug for $20 that comes with a free pour and $1 off all pours after that.
YAYA BREWING OKTOBERFEST
Oct. 4-6, Fri-Sat noon-9 pm, Sun noon-8 pm; free admission; YaYa Brewing Co., 11712 E. Montgomery Dr., Spokane Valley
Celebrate Oktoberfest and YaYa Brewing Company's fifth anniversary with German and fresh hop beers, a cornhole tournament, and a Sunday Oktoberfest buffet — brats, sauerkraut, spaetzle, German potato salad, beer cheese, and a pint of Prince Ludwig Oktoberfest Lager for $20.
GERMAN-AMERICAN SOCIETY
Oct. 5 at 4 pm; $10; Deutsches Haus, 25 W. Third Ave.
An authentic Oktoberfest with the German-American Society means an authentic meal, complete with bratwursts and kartoffelsalat, plus authentic German gemütlichkeit: friendliness, warmth, and good cheer.
ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS
Oct. 5-6; Sat-Sun from noon-5 pm; free admission; Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, 4705 N. Fruit Hill Rd.
Trade your merlot for a sip of something from Square Wheel Brewing, then participate in Arbor Crest's annual Game of Gnomes! Bring your own picnic or snack on a freshly curated Oktoberfest menu from Arbor Crest's award-winning kitchen.
OKTOBERFEST IN LEAVENWORTH
Oct. 4-19, Fri from 6 pm-midnight and Sat from noon-midnight; $15-$40; Leavenworth, Washington
Oktoberfest in Washington's premiere Bavarian ski town. Need I say more? ♦
