Interest in Jackson Oktoberfest surprises organizers

The Courthouse Square in downtown Jackson was closed to traffic as people of all ages and dogs of all breeds came together to take part in the city's first Oktoberfest on Saturday, which drew more interest than expected and brought in about 1,000 people, according to Mandy Smith, a member of the Uptown Jackson Oktoberfest Committee.

The event recovered from a morning rainfall and a chilly, overcast day as the festival featured German-style beer, food, music, an arts and crafts show, the Cruisin' Uptown Car Show and a dachshund parade, where dogs were dressed in costumes and took to the street.

Oktoberfest was presented by the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization; all proceeds went toward the organization's mission of promoting and revitalizing uptown Jackson.

The main event was the biergarten, or beer garden, which featured about 10 seasonal craft beers provided by Bluff City Beer, Kohlfeld and River Eagle distributors, as well as a local brewer. Individuals were able to purchase a souvenir beer stein and beer tokens, allowing them to sample the selection of beers. The 500 steins available for the event sold faster than the committee expected.

"Being the first year, I don't think we knew what to expect," Smith said, adding that the event had "a lot bigger turnout than what we thought."

Evidence of a large turnout could be seen in the line of people waiting to make their way through the beer tent.

Roger and Beverly Carney sat at a family-style picnic table eating bratwurst and sauerkraut. The two said they were "very much" having a good time, but the line for beer was too long for their tastes.

"I'm not willing to stand in a line that long for one," Beverly Carney said.

Nathan Eftink said he was eager to try to the different types of beer, especially any beer brewed locally. His wish was that more beer tents were available, but he said it's good for the community to come out and support the local vendors and businesses on the square.

"It's really nice to see the community come together as a flavor itself," Eftink said. "It brings people back to downtown, which is really important these days."

Chris and Gary Becker stood on the sidewalk, watching the hustle and bustle with their dog, Sassy. Chris Becker said if there had been more sun, more people may have attended, but the event was well-organized and well-planned.

"We're having a wonderful time," she said. "We hope they do it again."

Some adjustments were made because of the morning rain, Smith said, but committee members were learning as they went and working to overcome the day's smaller challenges of, such as extending the beer-drinking area to include courthouse bathrooms so people didn't have to leave the area to use the bathroom. Members hope Oktoberfest will be an annual event, she said.

"We'll just know next year to order more beer steins," Smith said. "And to make sure that the beer garden may need to be a little bigger actually than we thought."

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