Beaver Creek Oktoberfest is dance, music, and beer. It is located in Eagle Country and, if you are anywhere near it during the time of the festival, you need to take a visit and enjoy the beaver creek Oktoberfest. Here are some essential things you need to know before visiting the place.

Beaver Creek Oktoberfest

Beaver Creek Oktoberfest takes place in Beaver Creek Resort in a mountain village of the same name. The area has the air of a modern resort where people come to weigh down their weekend stress. And the place has been the venue for Oktoberfest, for the past 20 years now. During the event, a large quantity of beer is being consumed. It is an important part of Bavarian culture. There have been many varieties of themes and programs held as part of this.

Beaver Creek Festival: 9 Fun Things to know

1. History of Beaver Creek Oktoberfest

The history of Beaver Creek Oktoberfest goes back to the 19th century when King Ludwig I married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The celebration was held on the fields facing the city gates, and the citizens of Munich were invited. The fields were named Theresienwiese to honor the Crown Princess, and since then, have not changed the name. The name was also abbreviated to Wiesn. The decision of horse races was repeated and began as a celebration in 1811, which marks what now is called the Oktoberfest.

2. Royal Event to a Public Fest

 After it officially began as a fest in 1811, in 1813, the Oktoberfest was canceled due to the involvement of Bavaria in the Napoleonic wars, which resulted in the fest growing year after year. The horse races, which were the very first and only activity held, was accompanied by many other events like tree climbing, bowling alleys, swing, and many more.

During the 1st World War, the fest was suspended from 1914 to 1918. During the 2nd World War also, it was suspended for a few years. It also became propaganda for the Nazis as Jews were not allowed for the fest. Later, it was changed, and a huge event was celebrated with a parade showing the overcoming of classes.

3. Oktoberfest Today

The fest is very much quiet peace now. To make it more accessible to the elderly, the fest is calmly taking now. Till 6 in the evening, only brass music like traditional folk music was played by the orchestra in the tent due to sound issues faced by the elderly. Only after that, pop or electric is played. The pop music had earlier led to problematic situations and hence the curfew. A large amount of beer is consumed every year during Oktoberfest, and it increases year by year.

On the 21st of April 2020, Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder, along with the mayor of Munich, Dieter Reiter, announced the official cancellation of the 2020 Oktoberfest due to the rise of the coronavirus pandemic.

4. The Cost

 It is free! The event is free of cost and anybody could come and enjoy the fest. All you have to do is to go to the place and enjoy it. The place is open to all, and all can access it without any discrimination. And that has been the success of the fest for the past twenty years in Beaver Creek.

5. Major Attractions

An important thing that awaits the visitors of Beaver Creek Oktoberfest is a three day of Bavarian fun and celebrations. There will be wide varieties of beer like root beer, authentic German beer, Oktoberfest-style local craft beer, etc., featured in the Biergarten, which has free entry.

You would also get authentic Bavarian food and live music to sync into the festive mood. There are also stein-hoisting competitions, Bavarian costume contests, and races of 5km, 10km, and family fun 1km held on the Sunday of the fest. The kid’s zone opens from 11 am to 4 pm and offers activities like arts and crafts, face painting, etc.

6. Beer Tent Reservations

 The process of reserving a beer tent is long. And people are not able to get what they want. There are several types of tents and all have a separate booking system in the Munich Oktoberfest. And they start at a different time of the year.

There is always the need for reservation for you if you are a group of 8 to 10 as many tables have been held by the locals of the place for generations. The most difficult ones are the big tents which could hold 7000 to 10000 people at a single sitting. And they often close the registration by noon on Saturdays as they get filled fast. But you would be able to squish in between somebody for a spot.

It is also difficult to get food during the night if you don’t have a reservation voucher. But still, you could find waiters serving Bavarian food, which is the major attraction of the fest.

7. Dressing Up in Beaver Creek Oktoberfest

 Bavarian outfits are the show stealers of the Beaver Creek Oktoberfest. The men wear leather shorts and suspenders, and ladies wear a brightly colored dress with white shirts and aprons. Also, there are ways in which one should wear a clothing. For the ladies wearing the dress, the way the bows are tied indicates one relationship status. If it is tied in the left, it means that you are single and, if on the right, taken. A pretty good way to look for relationships! Also, the bows should be tied in the front and not at the back as that is the proper Bavarian style.

Beaver Creek and Vail host Bavarian costume competition during the fest.

8. Music and Dance

There is no Beaver Creek Oktoberfest without music. Songs from the traditional Bavarian tradition to the most popular ones, music is a part of the events and the visitors should never go back without dancing to it. Several band performers come from different regions to add to the celebrations. The guests can dance to the traditional music of groups like Walter’s Austrian Swiss Connection in Vail and Trachtenkapelle from Lech-Zurs, Austria, at Beaver Creek. You would also get the assistance of professional Bavarian dancers during the Vail weekends to learn dancing steps.

The kids have an opportunity to test their skills at Beaver Creek in the Kids European Alpenhorn Contest on the Sunday of the fest, which is judged by a panel of experts from Lech, Austria and, so on. The competitors are of 3 categories like 8 years and younger, 9 to 12 years and, 13 to 16 years. They are judged on their tone, length, and the strength with which they play.

The most well-known performer during the Beaver Creek Oktoberfest is Helmut Fricker, who is a German-born Beaver Creek resident. He has been entertaining crowds for the past 35 years. He has performed in all the 50 states, and by 1972, he moved to Vail Valley. Since then, he has become a classic icon with his solo performance. He is best known for his performances on the alphorn and is an expert at the time of Oktoberfest.

He says that when it comes to Oktoberfest, people are either singing or dancing or drinking. There is more movement and, happy music everywhere. Every people gets involved in it and would dance and lock arms and swing along. Everybody would be having a good time. And that is the main success of the event. People would be happy to celebrate and enjoy and would keep aside the tension and struggle that weigh them down.

9. Bavarian Food and Delicacies

 The main focus of the Beaver Creek Oktoberfest is on the traditional Bavarian food served. This includes food like bratwurst, schnitzel sandwiches, spaetzle, and, large pretzels. In Beaver Creek, you will get to see the culinary demonstration by Chef Werner from Lecher Stube in the resort village of Lech, Austria. During the demonstrations, he would show how to cook grostl, which is an Austrian meat and potato dish. You would have the opportunity to taste various delicacies of Bavarian cuisine and to make friends with people from various parts of the region.

The beer is the main attraction of the fest. In Munich, there are only six local breweries that are allowed to serve. But in Vail Valley and Beaver Creek, there is a more diverse selection. If you want more than just drinking beer, you have keg bowling and stein lifting to demonstrate your strength and stamina.

Beaver Creek Oktoberfest is not just about dressing up in the Bavarian theme or eating food or drinking beer and dancing. It is the celebration of a community. It is the coming together of people of different races and cultures to enjoy the food and celebrate. It is a celebration of communion and an opportunity to make friends.

Once you enter the tent, you would be strangers around a table. But when you leave the table, you would be making many friends and memories for a lifetime. Once the fest is over and everybody parts for their ways, it is the communion that took place in the fest that makes them come once again in the next year. The best thing about Beaver Creek Oktoberfest is that everybody has a happy face and all are smiling. And that is the prime concern of fest that could bring together people. 

If you know, more exciting festivals like this, comment about them below.

Last Updated on August 27, 2023 by Steffy Michael