Oktoberfest brews large crowd in Southwest Harbor
10/10/09 | 12 comments
fall fun

Oktoberfest brews large crowd in Southwest Harbor


Festival gives late-season boost to vendors, hotels
By Rich Hewitt
BDN Staff
BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY RICH HEWITT
A homemade sign advertises the offerings from the Marshall Wharf Brewery of Belfast Saturday at the 14th annual Oktoberfest sponsored by the Southwest Harbor-Tremont Chamber of Commerce. The festival attracted thousands of people who came to sample the samples of Maine-made beers and wines, local foods and a variety of crafts. Buy Photo

"Carpe Brewski.” The bright yellow words on the T-shirt set the theme Saturday for the 14th annual Oktoberfest.

And there were plenty of participants ready to seize the samples of 80 different Maine-made beers and wines offered by 20 brewers and vintners from around the state. By noon, cars were lining the sides of the road in front of the Smugglers Den Campground and the beer tent was crowded. But Bruce Carlson, executive director of the Southwest Harbor-Tremont Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the event, said the crowds would build throughout the day.

The festival, which also featured a wide variety of foods and crafts, began in 1996 as an end-of-the-year thank you party for employees who had worked in the community all summer, Carlson said.

“It started to grow and by 2000 it had outgrown the local marina and we moved up here,” he said. “It’s grown every year since.”

The first party was attended by just 240 people, Carlson said. Last year, between 3,200 and 3,300 people came to the Oktoberfest.

The festival has become one of the largest in the region and has won accolades in regional and national brew magazines.

“All the brewers told us that if we go to one festival, go to Southwest Harbor,” said David Carlson, the owner of the Marshall Wharf Brewing Co., a 2-year old beer pub in Belfast. “We came last year, and it certainly lived up to expectations.”

One of the nice things about the festival, he said, is that the people who come have a real interest in the beer.

“This is not a frat party,” he said. “The people are genuinely interested in beer and brewing and they take time to talk with us. They like to learn more than just how strong the beer is.”

Kai Adams, owner and brewmaster at Sebago Brewing in Gorham, has been attending the festival since its beginning.

“The people here are awesome,” Adams said. “We enjoy making beer in Maine for Maine people.”

Andy Hazem, who with his son Ben owns Andrew’s Brewing Co. in Lincolnville, also has been a fixture at Oktoberfest since it started. He said the festival is a way to promote his beer in a market where it is sold.

“We tend to go to festivals that can help us,” he said. “We like the exposure and our beer is in the area here.”

The festival attracts locals and visitors alike. Summer residents Ken and Esther Revis-Wagner from Clemson, S.C., flew in for the weekend specifically for the festival.

“We are beer people,” Ken said.

The festival, he said, is the right size that gives visitors a chance to sample a nice variety of the beers.

“The people are friendly here; it’s sort of an all here together thing,” he said. “And there’s a really diverse group of brewers here.’

Debbie and Gary Alley of Southwest Harbor have been coming to the festival for several years.

“There’s good food and entertainment and I like sampling the beverages,” she said. “It’s fun. You meet people you know and you also get to talk to people you don’t know.”

“It’s nice to sample the different ales and stuff,” Gary added.

The couple were finishing lunch outside the food tent and then were headed to the entrance where they volunteered to sell tickets.

According to Bruce Carlson, the festival is more than a celebration. It’s also a boost to the economy at the end of the summer season. Oktoberfest brings people into town, many of whom come to stay for the weekend.

“We’ve been getting calls all week,” he said. “You can’t find lodging here.”

The festival helps all retailers and restaurants, and most say they see an increase in business during the day and in the evening after the festival ends.

“You can’t bring 3,500 people into a small community like this without benefiting everybody in some way or another,” he said.

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Comments
12 comments on this item
On 10/11/09 at 10:55 PM, shroomtour04 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I am so jealous i couldn't take in such a landmark event in the Southwest harbor, however, when in NH i did take advantage of the microbrews.

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On 10/12/09 at 3:43 AM, SantiniSpagoandSpike wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Why, because of the name "Oktober" in German simply relates to BEER? This is further from the truth. It is a pure US train of thought by people who never have been to Germany - or probably outside the state of Maine...or anyplace else.

The celebration, in not only Germany, is also celebrated in other neighboring countries when the fall harvest season brings in all varied types of crops as fruits and vegetables are brought into the town squares for distribution, sale and processing. Due to the growing season being moderate to short, depending on the location in these European countries, the farming community and families toil hard and long to maintain a good crop for whatever they grow. In Germany, like other areas in Europe, water is not too potable, so beer is made, and all generally drink it. That said, each community has their own breweries.

The largest of the festival's is in Munich, where the harvest is celebrated, like in other places, with a large-scale party with bratwurst, knackwurst, breads, pastries, and of course, beer from the local breweries. People there have a different culture and community spirit rather than in the US, so a good time is enjoyed by all. But when beer is the main drag for an event celebrated overseas as in his article above, it is not in the true meaning of "Oktoberfest". Oktoberfest also incorporates the annual fair. Local bands play, the fair comes to town at his time, dancing in other tents with local and national bands play for entertaining everyone. Prices are very reasonable. Special transatlantic flights can get you there if you want to see what a real Oktoberfest is like.

I lived in Germany three times in my life; twice with the US military..and so did lots of other readers to this article (and whom may not care to comment), but I know what I'm talking about. Beer is not the start and end-all in events such as the Oktoberfest!

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On 10/12/09 at 5:31 AM, noreasternelly wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

no but it was too much fun!!!!

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On 10/12/09 at 6:30 AM, Lobstarok wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

As I have attended many local-(alot of fun) and the Munich-(which I liked the least of all) Oktoberfest celebrations in Deuchland, I don't really understand the point SantiniSpagoandSpike is trying to make-Different cultures do things different ways. Since the town/village layouts and lifestyles of the Germans are completely different from Americans it is impossible to compare. Oktoberfest is whatever you want it to be. Considering the main attractions is sampling 80 different brews, which by the way you would NEVER see in Germany, it is not such a bad idea to make it what it is.

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On 10/12/09 at 7:05 AM, jwalsh wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

SantiniSpagoandSpike- The main attraction was in fact all the different local brews. There was however an entire tent devoted to different foods, another tent for crafts and handmade products, there was live music from local bands, etc., etc.. So it wasn't entirely just about the beer.

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On 10/12/09 at 7:09 AM, Benbarr wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

And likewise, much could probably be said of the celebration of Thanksgiving, which is today in our neighbour to the north, Canada. The time that they celebrate it makes a lot more sense now than doing so in late November. But even so, I do enjoy the things that the states have added such as the Rose Bowl parades and football. Even with the differences, the spirit is the same.

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On 10/12/09 at 7:40 AM, George451 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I drove by Smuggler's Den last fall and was amazed at the hundreds of cars on both sides of the road. Even more amazed that alot of them came to drink beer. Hope they had designated drivers... It does sound like a fun time.

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On 10/12/09 at 7:55 AM, WickedGood wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Hey, all those cars and all those drinking beer and no one is driving under the influence when they leave? Come on... Maybe the police let it happen because it's good for the economy.

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On 10/12/09 at 9:52 AM, Lobstarok wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

$25 gets you a whopping 40oz of beer in shot glasses-having attended a number of these over the years the crowd there seems to be a responsible bunch-WickedGood, when was the last time you were there? Oh yea I gonna go out on a limb and say never.

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On 10/12/09 at 10:38 AM, kevin77 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

SantiniSpagoandSpike: Who cares? This was a nice article about a yearly festival we have here in MAINE. On the other side of the country from where you live I believe. I am well aware of the celebration held overseas. I have "traveled outside the state". My parents lived in Germany (military). Your assumptions were wrong in this case. Be sure though to weigh in on how other countries celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Easter, St. Patricks Day etc etc as they occur so us "Unenlightened Mainers" will know the true meaning of those days.

Wickedgood: This festival is not at all about getting drunk. It's about SAMPLING local beers and learning about the brewing process, not to mention getting a chance to speak to the brewers themselves. Did some people catch a buzz from sampling 40oz's of beer, 4 ounces at a time, waiting in line for a long time in between each sample? Probably-and I hope they had drivers. I know it did not affect me. But to think the festival had a bunch of drunks leaving is probably an exaggeration.

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On 10/12/09 at 11:43 AM, chersully2000 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

There is California....there is Germany.....there is Maine., etc, etc. There are differences, folks......just because something is done a certain way in Germany, or California, does not mean it has to be done the same way in Maine!! Nice to have some differences as well.

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On 10/12/09 at 7:32 PM, SantiniSpagoandSpike wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

'kevin77', don't take things too personal. I mentioned there are comparisons and when I made the comparison to the term, "Oktoberfest" between the German (authentic) rituals and what the BDN reported, it did not seem the same - and was not the same scenario. The Germans also celebrate a "Fruhlingsfest"...the end of the springtime planting season, sort of in the same manner, but this is not so popularized, is it?

I have very vivid and first-hand knowledge of how other countries celebrate their holidays. No need to remind me of this. You know, Kev...the US is really small in comparison to other countries and it's place in the world order and in geographical distances. Maine itself is well-noted for its simplistic lifestyle and manner of life; slow-moving, basic, and conservative. What Maine does, per se, is Maine unto Maine only.

People in Maine are, for the most part, great folks with a great sense of their own humor and sense of being. Being autonomous to everything else in the world is what gives Maine its personality. Yes, Cher...nice to have differences...and absolutely hold onto them. However my comment was directed to the emphasis on beer as the BDN reported it and this commentator simply picked up on the beer being the main subject of the article.

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