Plenty of food, contests and fun for the whole family at the Montrose Oktoberfest.

By Lori BODNAR      

The community is invited to the 44^th annual Montrose Oktoberfest on Oct. 7 featuring Bavarian food and drink, live music, carnival games, thrilling rides and contests. Montrose Oktoberfest will take place from noon to 10 p.m. in the 2200-2400 blocks of Honolulu Avenue.

Oktoberfest originated in Munich, Germany in 1810 with a horse race organized by Andreas Michael Dall’Armi to celebrate the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. In 1819, Munich decided to make Oktoberfest an annual celebration. The Oktoberfest in Munich attracts millions of visitors every year as a two-week event, this year lasting slightly longer from Sept. 16 to Oct. 3.

The Munich Oktoberfest now inspires celebrations all over the world, including in the local Montrose area. The first Oktoberfest in California was celebrated in the Crescenta Valley Park (formerly Hindenburg Park) in 1956 with the German-American League. Now, the Montrose-Verdugo Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) hosts the annual event.

An array of food will be available for purchase at the Montrose Oktoberfest including bratwurst, sauerkraut, potato salad and rye bread – all part of the full dinner. Other options include turkey legs, pretzels, churros, juice, soda and water and most of the nearby restaurants will be open offering diverse menus. Those who are at least 21 years of age can experience the taste of Bavaria with domestic beer, German beer or Bud Light Seltzers in mango or black cherry flavors.

Adult patrons can enter the fun contests such as Stein Holding or Mr. and Ms. Oktoberfest. Younger attendees can compete for the Lil’ Mr. and Miss Oktoberfest. The contests are free to enter and people can sign up at the Oktoberfest event.

Families can enjoy the fun rides and games that will be across all three blocks from 2200-2400 Honolulu Ave. The Ferris wheel will be near the intersection of Verdugo Road and Honolulu Avenue at the east end. Busy Mind LA, which hosts an arts and crafts activity for kids, will be on the 2200 block of Honolulu from noon to 4 p.m.

While munching on food, competing in a contest, or playing a carnival game, there will be a variety of live music to enjoy. Past Action Heroes, Honest Family Outlaws and the Mary Dyer Band will be performing as well as German entertainment and an accordionist.

Mavil Aghadjanian, executive director of the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce, said, “This is the first year that we are offering online presale ticket purchases for games, rides, food and beverages to help with some of the long ticket lines. The online ticket redemption booth will be located on Honolulu Avenue and Ocean View Boulevard in front of Coffee Bean. Tickets can be purchased at bit.ly/OKTOTIX. Lastly, we will be selling collectable Montrose Oktoberfest bucket hats for six tickets at the MVCC booth located in front of the Glendale Community College Professional Development Center (GCC/PDC) building.”

Thousands of people flock to the Montrose Oktoberfest every year.

“Montrose Oktoberfest brings people from all over Los Angeles to Montrose [who] might otherwise not be familiar with this area,” Aghadjanian said. “Not only does it create awareness of our Montrose area and businesses, but people gather here to make positive memories bringing them back every year for more fun, shopping and memories. It also serves as a fundraiser for us – the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce – whose mission is to actively support and enrich the community, vitality and pride of Montrose, help preserve the historic district and small town atmosphere, promote economic stability and positive, productive relationships within Montrose and the surrounding communities. The Chamber sponsors events throughout the year to bring businesses and the community together to increase the visibility of the area and your local Montrose business.”

High school students in need of community service hours can contact mvcc@montrosechamber.org if they wish to volunteer at Oktoberfest.