Most people know Vail Village for its reputation as a wintry destination for its amazing resorts that are some of the best in the state, but don’t count it out for summer and autumn events. Vail is a year-long destination, and autumn is a great time to get a taste of Europe right in your backyard, especially if you want to get a taste of Bavarian culture, architecture, food, and especially beer. This September, we’ll see the return of Vail’s annual Oktoberfest, named one of 10 greatest Oktoberfest celebrations by USA Today.
Vail Oktoberfest, set against the Rockies, stands out above the rest and is the closest you’ll get to the real deal without the price point of a flight to Germany. Ryan Slater, the Event Director for Vail Oktoberfest said, “In addition to scenic views and Vail’s inherently European style, we believe that it’s the little details that set Vail Oktoberfest apart from other Oktoberfest celebrations – beautifully designed steins, German music from beginning to end including a heavy metal polka band, a variety of carefully crafted competitions and more.”
Vail’s got two Oktoberfest celebrations going on in September. The 16th-18th in Vail Village and Lionshead Village from September 9th-11th. Partake in events like the Bratwurst Eating Contest, the World Keg Bowling Championship, a Stein Lifting Competition, and of course, a Costume Contest that’s determined by the audience. Each winner will get a special prize that will be revealed as we near closer to the event. The full schedule will also include live music from traditional to live rock as the evening progresses.
If you can hardly wait for the glorious, beer-flowing event, then we’d advise you to pre-order your Stein soon. You can choose between three: a full 32-oz. liter Large Prost stein ($35), a 16-oz. Ceramic Prost stein ($30) and a 16-oz. Small Prost stein ($25). Each stein includes one free beer pour and you can pick up the pre-ordered steins in the village on the day of the event. Day-of prices will be higher and commemorative steins are limited so get your Prost Package while you can.