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$50 for all of the good beer you can drink...sounds like a bargain to me.
Does that include food? $20 admission for the designated driver? I hope that person gets all you can drink water and food.
Edit: The best Oktoberfest I went to was in the Baltimore area. The admission was $10 plus a plastic commemorative cup. You received 6 tickets to use to get beer samples. Each sample was around 4-6 ounces depending on who was serving the beer. You could also buy your own. The wife and I had all we could drink and food for less than $20. But, I am also not a big drinker.
General tickets are only $35 - $50 is the premium ticket and allows early entry and guided tours. It also allows you first shot at getting all the memorabilia (pins, stickers, etc) that is laying on each brewer's table.
I am on the pouring committee, so I get in for free. You can sign up as a volunteer through www.charlotteoktoberfest.com - I have more fun pouring than I would if I was walking around. I meet a lot of interesting people. The local homebrew club - Carolina Brewmasters host the event, so their members get first choice for volunteering. But if you sign up early and have a good reason for volunteering you can probably get in.
Keep in mind this is more of a beer festival and doesn't have the Oompa bands, etc. But people do dress in lederhosen and there is probably sausage available. It is the largest beer festival in the Southeast, and the selection is unparallelled for a beer festival. Live music too. If you are looking for the traditional experience with only 2-3 German beers, then the Waldhorn or Olde Meck will be better for you.
Also a large chunk is given to local charities, this year it is Second Harvest Food Bank, Charlotte Humane Society, and the Carolina Raptor Center. Last year we gave (I think) $60,000 to local charities - so the designated driver fee is used for some good. Food is extra for all tickets, but there may be some drinks for DDs - I know bottled water is free. I have been pushing for some free sodas for them too, will keep trying. Since a limited number of tickets are sold, they need to get as much as possible for each person in the event.
Tickets WILL sell out, they always do! You do get a sampling glass to keep, and can get unlimited samples. It is set up this way so you can try new styles of beer you may not try if you had to use (and possibly waste) one of your tokens. I think it is a great event. Last year there were over 300 beers to sample, the brewer's page isn't complete, but there are many top notch breweries there. There was also a homebrew tent. These are usually exciting and unique beers since they are brewed in small batches - Chocolate Mint stout was one I could recall from last year. The best homebrewers in Charlotte will be donating kegs - I am brewing a pineapple wheat beer for the event. It is very refreshing!
And to answer your question - yes it is very fun. And the scenery is also worth every penny.
Does that include food? $20 admission for the designated driver? I hope that person gets all you can drink water and food.
There will be free commercial sodas and snacks for the DDs. This is a good point and I will bring it up with the Oktoberfest committee. It has already been mentioned there is the opportunity for homebrewed sodas next year.
For those of you that may be a DD, is there anything you would like to see besides free non-alcoholic beverages and snacks?
There will be free commercial sodas and snacks for the DDs. This is a good point and I will bring it up with the Oktoberfest committee. It has already been mentioned there is the opportunity for homebrewed sodas next year.
For those of you that may be a DD, is there anything you would like to see besides free non-alcoholic beverages and snacks?
Atleast the DD's will get free non-alcoholic drinks. Home brew soda's would be a great addition for the DD's. I am not a huge drinker so $35 is too expensive for me. I'll probably end up at another place that is a little cheaper. I know some people who went last year and had a great time.
I went to Oktoberfest (which begins in September ) in Munich in '99. I don't expect the CO to be anywhere close in scale, but what about in content? I've heard it's a great time, but I've never been.
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) in Munich in '99. I don't expect the CO to be anywhere close in scale, but what about in content? I've heard it's a great time, but I've never been.
