Grand Rapids Throws An Epic Oktoberfest
Photos courtesy Oktoberfest Grand Rapids
IT’S TIME to plan for fall’s most beloved, if gluttonous, celebration: Oktoberfest. One of the best will happen in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on September 23–24. How seriously do the organizers, the Edelweiss Club of Grand Rapids, take it? They import an entire truckload of Erdinger draft beer from a family-owned brewery just north of Munich. Much of the food, like sauerbraten, sausages with apple sauerkraut, potato pancakes, and strudel, is made with local ingredients from family recipes passed down from Germany.
It makes sense that Grand Rapids—which bills itself as Beer City USA—would go all in. Michigan’s second-largest city has one of the highest brewery-to-resident ratios in the U.S. Grand Rapids reminds many visitors of a pint-sized (get it?) Chicago, with lots of cool, working-class neighborhoods that have their own unique watering holes.
The keg-tossing and stein-holding competitions (both trickier than they sound) are fan favorites, as are the doxies racing in the Dachshund Dash. Lederhosen or dirndls aren’t mandatory, but donning festive garb is definitely encouraged, especially when dancing to the polka bands.
Work off that wiener schnitzel by following the Grand River south to Millennium Park. There you can rent a kayak or walk along the paved paths winding through wildflower-filled meadows. Or head to the nearby Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park (meijergardens.org) to stroll alongside striking works of art.
DISTANCE
260 miles
DRIVE TIME
4 hours
CHECK IN
The Amway Grand Plaza (amwaygrand.com) is more than a century old, yet remains a distinguished beauty.
FUEL UP
Filling fare is served at Morning Belle (morningbellebrunch.com). Think Farmhand Hash: corned beef, potatoes, onions, and pepper jack topped with a cage-free egg.
GO ROUGE
Take a break from dunkelweizen and brats at Mitten Brewing Co. (mittenbrewing.com), where outstanding IPAs and pizza await.
