For the past eight years the Carlisle Barracks have hosted an Oktoberfest event free for the public.  The Carlisle Oktoberfest occurred this past weekend from Thursday October 6 through Monday October 9.  This event in Carlisle is based off of the long term traditional event in Munich, Germany.

Oktoberfest in Munich has been occurring for 184 years.  Over time the event has expanded through Europe and the other continents, eventually working their way to North America and Carlisle.

According to the festival’s official website  Carlisle’s Oktoberfest hosts many different activities for people of all ages to do.  For the little kids there’s the carnival rides.  A few rides that were featured at the event were the Swings and the Ferris wheel.   There was also an apple pie eating contest for kids that happened on Saturday and Sunday.  This competition was a speed event in which the contestants try to eat the pie the fastest.

The adults that attended Oktoberfest had more of an opportunity to compete in contests.  Some of these include the Stein Holding Contest on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Husbands could also put on a show for the public by competing in the Wife Carrying Contest on Saturday.

However, people of all ages came out to Oktoberfest for the food.  Eileen Mills, who was an attendee at this year’s event, said, “I keep coming back for the food even though last year it just didn’t feel right. I decided to come back and it seems back to what I feel like is the usual.   I also come back because it is a special event, seeing that it only occurs once a year.”

There was also the Moral, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) food tent that seemed to be a top hit.  Dorian Finney, a first year worker at the tent said, “The week leading up to Oktoberfest is crazy; it’s a lot of preparation work.  Our food tent is not any different then in past years. Everyone seems to look forward to our brauts and sauerkraut.  It is our specialty every year.”

Dates for next year’s festival have not yet been released.