Grand Junction Oktoberfest a Small Mirror of the Original German Celebration

You may not realize it, but when you attend Oktoberfest in downtown Grand Junction this weekend (10/6) you will be celebrating with people from around the world- as well as with  people in Germany who have already been celebrating for two weeks.

Oktoberfest has been celebrated for more than 200 years in Munich, Germany and over the years the celebration has spread to the United States and to countries around the world. Many cities in the U.S.,  like Grand Junction, have festivals to celebrate in their own way.

While Grand Junction's Oktoberfest is a one-day festival, the original Oktoberfest goes on for many days. This year, the festival in Munich started on September 20th and will run through October 6th, attracting some 6 million visitors.

Like the celebration in Grand Junction, the German Oktoberfest features plenty of authentic German food, beer, music, dancing, vendors and competitions. We are not sure if they race wiener dogs in Germany, but there will be races going on in downtown Grand Junction, as we crown Western Colorado's wiener dog champion.

Other competitions in downtown Grand Junction will include nail pounding, yodeling, beer mug holding, and alphorn blowing.

Okay, so the Grand Junction Oktoberfest isn't as big as the one in Munich, or other German cities, but it does have a lot of similarities. The crowd is smaller, and the celebration is a lot shorter, but you'll find plenty of authentic food, beer, and music. It sure beats traveling half way around the world to experience the German culture.