Chicken dancers fill the floor at the Great Northwest Oktoberfest.
Enjoy two big weekends of authentic German food and drink, music and dancing and wacky contests at Depot Park in Whitefish, Sept. 28-30 and Oct. 5-7, during the Great Northwest Oktoberfest.
The annual affair features music by Canada’s polka kings, The Western Senators, on the first weekend, and Europa, one of America’s most sought-after Oktoberfest bands, on weekend no. 2. The Flathead’s own German orchestra, the Bavarian Echoes, entertains throughout.
Join in the revelry by entering a stein-holding contest, hurling a beer keg, running a leg of the Beer Pitcher Relay, or doing the chicken dance.
The top finishers from this year’s stein-holding competitions will be announced at 9 p.m. Oct. 7, the festival’s closing day. Winners square-off for the Grand Championships and a shot at winning a spot in next year’s Hofbrau Stein-Holding National Championships in New York City.
The opening round of the 2023 Oktoberfest Hop Queen Pageant takes place at the
Firebrand Hotel — corner of Spokane & Second Street — from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, with music by The Europa Band. The queen will be crowned at 9 p.m. Thursday, after votes are tallied.
Gates are open 5-11 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and noon-11 p.m. Saturdays.
Tickets are $8 per day (kids under 12 are admitted free with a parent) and are available only at the main gate on the day of the show. Learn more at www.whitefishoktoberfest.com.