Jose Paul Corona Upbeat music and the...

Jose Paul Corona

Upbeat music and the smell of bratwurst fill the air in the quaint

little German village that’s nestled between Golden West College and

the San Diego Freeway.

Older men in suits, young men in shorts and flip-flops, families

and young women out for a girls’ night on the town all sing along and

dance to the music being played by the oompah-pa band high up onstage

at the Oktoberfest festivities at Old World Village.

On a weekend night they all crowd into the cavernous dance floor

and dining hall to listen to the band, dressed in the traditional

German lederhosen, sing the Village People’s “YMCA” and Doris Day’s

“Que Sera, Sera” while throwing back some good German beers.

Small flags advertising various German beers such as Lowenbrau

dangle overhead as visitors sit at picnic tables while they grab a

bite to eat, have a beer, chat with friends or rest between songs.

It is German tradition mixed with conga lines. While most consider

Oktoberfest, celebrated in Old World Village in Huntington Beach

since 1978, an event solely based on beer drinking, there is plenty

more to do.

It is the people that bring 73-year-old Roy Wendlemor to Old World

Village. The Austrian native and Costa Mesa resident said that it’s

the perfect place to meet friends and talk, enjoy good food and

listen to good music.

For 23-year-old Erin Watkins and her friends, it was about a night

out, dancing and having fun with girlfriends. The elementary school

teacher didn’t hesitate to hit the dance floor.

“It’s fun,” Watkins screamed over the music. “We like to get our

groove on.”

Jennifer Faucher, 27, of Irvine said Old World Village’s

Oktoberfest was just like the beer hall she visited in Munich,

Germany.

“Except that there are 2,000 more people [in Munich],” she said.

Although a broad spectrum of persons enjoy the German festival,

few know the origins, event organizers say.

The first Oktoberfest was celebrated in 1810. King Joseph

Maximilian of Bavaria decided to celebrate his marriage to Princess

Theresa of Saxony by throwing a huge party. Everyone was invited, and

it’s said that 40,000 chickens, 80,000 pork sausages and more than a

million gallons of beer were consumed on that October day in 1810.

A year later, Bavarian farmers staged the second Oktoberfest to

showcase their harvest.

As years went by Oktoberfest became more and more popular. Crowds

increased and caterers began putting up food and beer tents. By 1818

the first sideshows, booths, rides and carnival games appeared.

While carnival rides aren’t a part of Surf City’s Oktoberfest,

there is plenty of dancing and silliness.

Participants try to keep up with the music, which is difficult

after drinking a few beers.

People jumped into a conga line and gleefully took part in the

chicken dance. Those that didn’t take part in it, clapped, cheered

and laughed.

“It’s a good time,” said 28-year-old Anaheim resident Christine

Kirimes as she took a sip from her beer and watched her friends

dance.

* JOSE PAUL CORONA covers City Hall and education. He can be

reached at (714) 965-7173 or by e-mail at jose.corona@latimes.com.