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<\/a>Public Relations and Marketing Associate Estefania Cerda added, \u201cWe can\u2019t see our attendees enjoy these events and festivals which kind of sucks because as an event planner, after working tirelessly on it and for so many hours and seeing all the crowds, that\u2019s how you get the satisfaction. We missed out on that this [past] year.\u201d<\/p>\n
La Mesa Village Association Chair and owner of Amethyst Moon, Teri Favro, saw first hand how missing out on the in-person event last year impacted her fellow vendors and merchants.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know a lot of vendors in the Oktoberfest have gone out of business or are struggling to build their inventory because they haven\u2019t had any income coming in,\u201d said Favro.<\/p>\n However, it appears the event will be back to its usual glory, complete with three biergartens, the largest ferris wheel they\u2019ve had in five years and over 100 vendor booths featuring food and shopping.<\/p>\n In addition to the usual festivities, there will be some new attractions making an appearance this year. The craft beer and spirits garden will be adding seltzer to the alcohol options and in the main Hofbrauhaus Biergarten, there will be a touchless POS system to order drinks for pick up at the bar.<\/p>\n Also, on Third Avenue and La Mesa Boulevard, strong man games will be taking place and darting in and out of the crowds you might look up and see some stilt walkers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe like to have things that are different,\u201d Favro said. \u201c[McFarlane] is very particular about where to place people and we like to have a lot of local artists: more arts and crafts things instead of big commercial. We like to keep it a hometown feel.\u201d<\/p>\n These new additions along with the traditional attractions are meant to bring the community of La Mesa and newcomers alike together.<\/p>\n \u201cI know that in order for an event to work, you need to make sure the community is involved and has a say,\u201d McFarlane said. \u201cWe\u2019re always thinking, How can we benefit that community?\u201d<\/p>\n As far as safety protocols and COVID-19 concerns, all staff and vendors will go through a screening process; unvaccinated staff will be wearing masks; there will be hand sanitizer stations; as well as a cleaning team designated for cleaning surfaces on a regular basis.<\/p>\n Ultimately, the Oktoberfest is meant to be a time to find and reconnect with the community, according to McFarlane.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, just seeing people and their smiles again, that\u2019s why you do it,\u201d McFarlane said. \u201cWe do this to create the best nights or the best times and memories. We realize we are part of people\u2019s [memories] like \u2018remember when we entered our dog in the dachshund contest.\u2019 That\u2019s why I do it. We all have so much stress in our lives. What\u2019s so great about events is, for that moment or brief time, you\u2019re just having a good time and you\u2019re not thinking of all your problems.\u201d<\/p>\n Plus, it\u2019s an opportunity for businesses to get back on their feet after this past tumultuous year.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the business owners, we\u2019re kind of like a big family,\u201d said Favro. \u201cA lot of us are the La Mesa Village Association and we\u2019re just getting more and more excited about it. The big thing that I look forward to are all the people that are coming down to have that comradery, community and also we get so many new customers that never have seen our store before so they end up coming back after the Oktoberfest to do their holiday shopping. That really is like the start of the momentum of holiday shopping.\u201d<\/p>\n The influences of traditional German culture as well as California style will be infused into this three-day weekend and so far, according to Cerda, ticket sales are up (nearly triple what they were in 2019).<\/p>\n VIP tickets for the biergartens can be purchased online or in person at the event. More information can be found at www.lamesaoktoberfest.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Whether you take part in arts and crafts, compete in a keg relay, watch live performances at the Der Deutsche Dance Square, or enter your furry friend in the Dackeldorf extravaganza, this free event has something for everyone.<\/p>\n \u201cI look forward to walking around and meeting the different vendors,\u201d Favro said. \u201cSometimes I end up with some of the vendors having their stuff in my stores, so that’s good for the contacts. It’s the community event where you never know who you might meet and how they can be involved in your life.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n