Tempe, Ariz. Sept. 1, 2010 – Tempe Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake provides free admission, free entertainment, beer and wine gardens, kid’s games, German food, non-stop polka, a great carnival, plenty of parking and fun! This year marks the 200th anniversary of the original Oktoberfest – it started as a royal Bavarian wedding in 1810.
To add a little more oom-pah-pah to the 2010 Tempe Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake, coordinators have added new features to the free admission festival located near the 3rd Street and Mill Avenue light rail stop.
On Friday Oct. 1 Tempe middle school students will carry 188 flags representing the United Nations from the Hackett House on 4th and Mill Aves to Tempe Beach Park. Parade begins promptly at 7:10 pm. Tempe Sister City founders, diplomats from Germany and Ireland governments and sister city representatives will lead the parade to the opening ceremonies on the Tempe Town Lake main stage. Fox 10′s Arizona Idol 2009 competition winner Kaitlin Jones will sing the National Anthem and the traditional tapping of the keg will commence.
Despite dam burst “das Foot Race” 5k or 5 mile will kick off at 8 a.m. Saturday Oct. 2, 2010 with a run or walk around Tempe Town Lake. Polka band Das Aubachtal Sextett from Regensburg, Germany will entertain runners before the race begins. The race ends on Oktoberfest grounds where runners can enjoy one complimentary beverage from our early bird beer garden.
Long Wong’s at the Firehouse in Tempe will offer an exclusive Oktoberfest Pizza made with mouth watering bratwurst, hearty potatoes, cheddar cheese, traditional German sauerkraut and a homemade and truly original mustard base. It all started with the imagination of a 4-year-old.
Attendees can visit the German Shoppe on festival grounds and enter to win $2,000 toward airline tickets to the Tempe Sister City of choice. In addition, local businesses have donated a variety of silent auction tickets and gift certificates. This year, Oktoberfest fans can pick up a collectible 33.5 oz polished acrylic beer stein, T-shirts, aprons and other Oktoberfest swag.
Tempe Sister City Corporation is a non-profit organization that provides funding for student, teacher and professional foreign exchange programs for City of Tempe residents. Each year the organization hosts Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake. It is the main source of revenue for TSC.
More than 2,000 volunteers produce the 3-day event.
Hours:
Friday Oct. 1 from 5 pm – midnight
Saturday Oct. 2 das Foot Race 8 am
Saturday Oct. 2 from 10 am – midnight
Sunday Oct. 3 from 10 am – 6 pm
For more information visit www.tempeoktoberfest.com.