A community favorite event for decades, this year’s Oktoberfest promises some exciting changes.

By Mary O’KEEFE

For 41 years Oktoberfest has been celebrated in Montrose. Attendees to this year’s event, on Saturday, Oct. 6 from noon to 10 p.m., will find some changes, including a VIP-type beer garden, a kids’ area and even yoga.

“This year the main live band stage is sponsored by Java Monster Energy and will be at Ocean View Boulevard [at Honolulu Avenue] instead of the [east] end of Honolulu Avenue,” said Victoria da Salla Malone, executive director of the Montrose Verdugo Chamber of Commerce. “Before the event starts, there will be a yoga class, which is also sponsored by Monster Energy.”

Yoga will take place from 10:20 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. Concurrently, there will be a youth fitness class in the same area provided for children.

“When parents are in the yoga class, children will be in the youth class with Surface Fitness Inc.,” da Salla Malone said.

Tickets for yoga, hosted by Spiritual Heart Yoga Center, are $28. Youth Fitness tickets are $12 and for yoga and youth fitness it is $35.

Also new this year is an expanded beer garden, titled Oktoberfest Tent Experience, which will be in the 2200 block of Honolulu Avenue, near the live stage. Admission prices are $60 prior to the event and $71 the day of event.

Having a tent area will free up sidewalk congestion, da Salla Malone added.

The tent garden includes sofas for seating that provide a good view of the live stage where performances begin after 5 p.m. Tickets will give participants entrance to the tent, three drinks from either Babe Rose, Brewyard Beer Company, Golden Road Brewery and/or Henson Brewing Company. Ticketholders also receive a Monster Energy drink, Bavarian pretzel, which is sponsored by Thee Elbow Room, and a 14-ounce plastic Oktoberfest beer mug. The tent not only gives participants a break from the sun but also include raffle prizes, a cellphone charging station and lawn games and will have live music by Sojourn from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Participants must be at least 21 years old to buy tickets and enter the tent.

For those who want the traditional Montrose Oktoberfest, without purchasing the tent garden tickets, there will be plenty of booths with a variety of German food and drink for purchase. The traditional Bavarian Stage has been moved to Wickham Way and Honolulu Avenue. Those visiting Oktoberfest will find at the Bavarian Stage the competitions that Oktoberfest is known for, including Mr. and Ms. Oktoberfest, Lil’ Mister and Lil’ Miss Oktoberfest, best dressed Bavarian dog, and the stein holding contest. This year a new competition will be added – the mustache and beard contest.

This is da Salla Malone’s first year as executive director of the Chamber and leading the Oktoberfest event; however, she is quick to point out that she is supported by the Chamber members and the many volunteers who help throughout the day.

“We also have a site operations manager this year to work with us to help get things set up,” she said. “And we have additional volunteers to help with anything that is falling behind.”

She added she received a lot of support from local businesses and this year the Montrose Shopping Park will have a booth, making it a Montrose home-centric event.

Since starting the job of executive director less than a year ago, da Salla Malone has found herself on several committees that organize events in Montrose. She said she has learned how well community members work together.

Chris Waldheim, a member of the MVCC, has been part of Oktoberfest for 23 years and sees it as a community supported event.

“Oktoberfest is (run) all by volunteers. I think that is the unique aspect about the way things are [in this community],” he said. “When you are at Oktoberfest each booth is run by a local business or organization.”

Waldheim invites everyone who attends the event to get to know those who are volunteering at the booths and support them.

This year Oktoberfest has a dedicated website, oktoberfest.montrosechamber.org, where tickets for the event can be purchased, information can be found on the activities, prices displayed for food and drinks, sponsors announced for each area of the event and a list provided of all of the merchants in Montrose Shopping Park.

Montrose-Verdugo Chamber Office is located at 1815 Sunview Drive. For more information, call (818) 249-7171.

Oktoberfest takes place in 2200-2500 blocks of Honolulu Avenue in Montrose. Admission is free.

  Mary Okeefe