Merry throng celebrates Oktoberfest at Oaks Amusement Park

INCLUDES EXTENDED FESTIVAL VIDEO | Again this year, Oktoberfest at ‘The Oaks’ draws guests from all over the region, definitely including outer East Portland, to revel in all things Germanic …

On opening evening, the Oaks Amusement Park Oktoberfest Main Festhalle fills with revelers who dine and dance.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Judging by the massive throng of revelers on the opening evening of their three-day Oktoberfest – this year, September 19-21 – nonprofit and historic Oaks Amusement Park still puts on the biggest and best celebration of its kind anywhere in the greater metropolitan Portland area.

This Oktoberfest continues to have it all – great freshly-cooked German delicacies, Bavarian music, the “Alpine Village” shopping area – and, of course, also all the carnival rides for which Oaks Park is famous.

Welcoming guests to the Oktoberfest is Oaks Amusement Park’s Marketing & Events Manager, Emily MacKay.

“Everyone here at ‘The Oaks’ looks forward all season to the third week in September, when we host our annual Oktoberfest – a tradition here since 1991,” Marketing & Events Manager Emily MacKay told East Portland News.

All three days offered a full schedule of activities; Saturday saw the return of the ever-popular “Weiner Dog Races”.

See for yourself some of the many highlights of this year’s Oktoberfest celebration at Oaks Amusement Park in the ‘Directors Cut’ of the video:

The Main Festhalle again was the major site for fun and games – including the “Pretzel Toss”, the “Condiment Art Contest”, and the “Chicken Dance Contest”.

The Tyrolean Dancers demonstrate their terpsichorean prowess.

Guests look forward all year to the German food at the Oaks’ Oktoberfest.

Grill chefs Mark Anderson and Andrew Greninger prepare sausages at ‘The Urban German’ food booth.

“We have two new bands performing here this year – the ‘Power Pep Band’, and ‘Chervona’ – and both will be added to our lineup of favorite returning bands, among which are the fabulous ‘Polkatones’ and the ‘Alpine Echoes’,” MacKay pointed out.

However, they’re reluctant to make other changes to their Oktoberfest celebration, MacKay said. “Surveying guests over the years, we keep hearing that they come looking forward to enjoying the music, food, and events that they’ve come expect to find at our traditional Oktoberfest celebration.”

Coming in from Parkrose to enjoy the celebration are Londa and Vern Sundin.

Dressed for the occasion are guests Robert Teskey and Nancy Teskey and Bettina Gregg.

Supplying those who want traditional German attire, it’s Scott and Kristi Stokley of ‘Touch of Bavaria’, who arrived from Mt. Angel to bring authentic German outfits.

Specifically for youngsters, the “Kinder Platz” features craft activities – as well as “RocktoberFest” from Red Shoe Productions, and a Chicken Dance Party.

“Because kids with their parents are welcome in all areas, at all times, we’re seeing multiple generations of families celebrating together each year,” observed Mackay.

The world-famous ‘Polkatones’ get the folks onto the dance floor by playing “The Chicken Dance”.

And here they are, on the dance floor – revelers making the “sign of the beak” in “The Chicken Dance”.

In both the Main Festhalle and in the smaller Family Festhalle, the lively music and dance kept the family-oriented crowd happy and active. Bands playing in both venues were constantly urged by guests to play the famous “Chicken Dance” song.

Even more, The Oaks provides an entire midway of fun, not found at any other Oktoberfest celebration.

The three days this year saw great attendance figures for the Oaks Park’s “Oktoberfest”. It seems clear that they may need to find a way to accommodate even more celebrants in future years!

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