Oktoberfest
promises to be the best year yet at Old World
Village in Huntington Beach. This year will bring on
the oom-pah zing that fun-seeking party animals
love. From Dachshund Races to German Oktoberfest
bands, sexy shot girls in dirndls with their trays
of liqueurs to mix with your bier (beer) and
pretzels, to men in lederhosen dancing, this is not
your normal Huntington Beach event. For full
schedule of events in
September or
October,
or the
photo calendar with the entire year of pictures
and events, you'll find that Huntington Beach is a
busy, busy event capital for the Orange County
beaches.
Oktoberfest is a
celebration Huntington Beach,
California has enjoyed for several decades. It is an
event for mom, dads, teens, college students and
even tiny tots and kids. At Oktoberfest, people
young and old get out on the dance floor to the
Chicken Dance. Lederhosen, dirndl
skirts, beer steins, shot girls, wiener-dog races and
German food make this celebration a necessary part
of locals and tourists' diets.
The annual celebration
of the popular German festival season includes a live
band direct from Germany that plays traditional
German polkas and rock & roll tunes known in the USA. Bratwurst, German beer,
Schnapps, liqueur shots, strudel, sauerkraut and more
are served in style at the Old World Restaurant German
beer hall during this 6-week event.
A German parade and dachshund races
kick off the event in Bavarian style. Oktoberfest at Old World
has something for everyone. There are pony rides, a
petting zoo and children’s activities at Kinderfest each
Sunday.
If you wear a dirndl or
lederhosen on Sundays, you receive free admission.
Seniors can enjoy the festival at specially priced
luncheons each Thursday, and everyone can join in the
Chicken Dance or Zillerthaler Wedding March.
The formal launch of
Oktoberfest takes place at an Oktoberfest parade.
Following German tradition, the official beer barrel of
the festival are escorted along the
parade route through the cobblestone streets of Old
World Village, followed by keg-tapping at
the beer garden.
Old World Village was
designed in the style of an authentic Bavarian Village
with homes located in second story quarters above shops
and restaurants. There's a church in the village,
Huntington Beach Old World Village Church - St.
Judas Chaddeus,
that
holds a service each week in German. It is quite popular
for weddings and can facilitate 120 guests in the
chapel. The village
includes German delis and bakeries, a shop with
cut crystal collectibles, another shop that sells clocks
and steins and an authentic Rathskellar where acts such
as Lonnie and his accordion are featured regularly (see
calendar of events).
It's easy to believe you
are in another country when visiting Old World Village
where German is spoken regularly. Red cobblestone
walkways lead to buildings that are adorned with murals
that depict regions of Europe. Old World Village was
once inhabited primarily by German shop owners. In
recent years, a mix of shops with services such as tax
preparation can be found in the village. Directly across the street several feet is
where you can spend the night after drinking and dancing at Oktoberfest. Be safe and
book a hotel room instead of driving home.
Oktoberfest is held at
Old World Village's Old World Restaurant. From the San
Diego Freeway (405), exit at Beach Boulevard toward
Huntington Beach. Go south to Center Ave. Look for the
lit sign and the globe of the the world at the shopping center across the
street from Hotel Huntington Beach and Bella Terra
(Huntington Beach) Mall. On busy weekends, parking
attendants direct the traffic. Wednesday and
Thursday nights are less crowded for those who seek
a table where they can sit. Otherwise, come early on
weekend evenings.
