Oom-pah, oom-pah, sausage and beer: Oktoberfest in WA | Meanderings by Mindy Stern

Everything about Manuela Horn is big. 6’2” in her bare stockings, she rises to Amazonian heights in boots and tiara, featuring an antlered stag nestled in a bed of roses. Dubbed the “Oktoberfest Queen” this yodeling, dancing, improv performer has long limbs, a voice made to project over the Alps, and a big, big heart.

At Oktoberfest Northwest at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup, on the indoor stage, she gleefully entertained children in the afternoon, emceed men’s and women’s stein-holding contests to see who could hold a one-liter beer stein at arms-length the longest, and posed for photos — so many photos — with her admiring fans. Was she tired? Not a bit.

“This fills me up,” she said, “Making people happy.” Growing up in Austria with “oom-pah oom-pah, sausage and beer,” she is now the crowd favorite at multiple Oktoberfests catering to folks who crave the same things.

Oktoberfest at the fairgrounds in Puyallup, Washington, is the state’s largest. Over three days, Friday to Sunday, it features musicians and dancers, games like “hammerschlagen” where you pound a nail into a log, preferably, while drunk, wiener dog races, a stein dash for grownups, root beer run for kids, and more silly fun. Vendors sell German beers like pilsner, grapefruit hefe, schwarzbier, and hefeweizen, and foods like bratwurst, knackwurst, and weisswurst.

For a smaller, outdoor, and more family-friendly experience, nothing beats Oktoberfest in Leavenworth, Washington. Held over the first three weekends of October, this festival is nestled in a Cascade Mountain Bavarian-themed town with multiple indoor and outdoor stages, an enviable lineup of talented musicians, dancers, and entertainers, and a “biergarten” adjacent to each stage with communal tables where you may eat, drink, and make friends before moving on to your next activity.

Expert accordionists, polka bands, shoe slapping dancers, and alphorn players perform throughout the day and evening. And of course, Manuela Horn yodels and gets the crowd to sing along with her as she provides new lyrics to recognizable songs. A separate 15,00 square-foot area called Kinderplatz is designed to keep young children entertained. It features a Ferris wheel, carousel, carnival games, face painting, arts activities and free popcorn.

The elegantly costumed “Enzian Schuhplattlers” posed for me on their way out of the Puyallup event and educated me about their art. Literally meaning “shoe slappers,” these women are part of a troupe whose men slap their shoes and thighs rhythmically, and stomp wooden benches to create percussive sound. Meanwhile, the women dance and spin around them. The Enzian Schuhplattlers will be in Leavenworth, and I can’t wait to see them perform. Their accordionist plays an instrument from Steirmarck, Austria, with “helikon bass buttons,” producing a deep-bass-sound one octave lower than a standard accordion.

Other performing artists include multi-talented Max Kyllonen, who plays traditional folk music on his vintage, 4-row accordion. Max grew up in Leavenworth to become an internationally recognized accordion master performing in alpine settings including Austria, Northern Italy and of course, Bavaria. In Leavenworth, he’s featured in multiple locations throughout the day and evening and performs solo. The Ted Lunka Polka band is a quartet of veteran musicians, including John Giuliani, a former high school band director playing stand-up bass with Dave Hoskin on drums, and both Ted Lunka and Andy Mirkovich on accordion — that’s right — two accordionists! These guys have been playing together for over 40 years, and their passion for the music shines through.

It’s wise to buy entry tickets in advance because this event can sell out (leavenworth.org/oktoberfest). Time your visit to catch the acts, activities and contests that most appeal to you. Have you ever been to a mustache showdown? Sounds intriguing.

Come for the beer. Stay for the fun.

Meanderings is an award-winning travel column by Mercer Island resident Mindy Stern. For more essays, or to comment, visit www.mindysternauthor.com.