This weekend marks the official start of Oktoberfest (which runs from September 22 through October 7 this year) and accordingly Bend has Oktoberfest celebrations happening.

Downtown Bend’s annual Oktoberfest is taking place Friday, the 21st from 5 to 10pm, and Saturday the 22nd from noon to 10pm. Friday’s festivities include live music, beer (of course), Hammerschlagen, and a celebrity yodeling contest. Saturday sees the family fun start (bouncy houses, face painting, games, and more), wiener dog races, more live music, and more food and beer.

Incidentally the food sounds great:

We will offer traditional Bavarian foods including FOUR types of brats, Schnitzel (stuffed w/chicken & cheese),  Knödel (dumplings), Jager Meatballs (meatballs soaked in spices and Jägermeister), Leberkäse (ground turkey served w/ mustard sauce), Pommes frites (potatoes w/ketchup & mayo) & more. Desserts like Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (black forest cake w/cherries), Kreppel (doughnut holes filled w/jam), Bienenstich (loosely interpreted as a cinnamon roll w/caramelized almond topping) & more will also be served.

It’s all taking place on Oregon Avenue which will be closed off. (Previous years have been on Minnesota Avenue.)

And then McMenamins Old St. Francis School is also having their annual all-day Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday the 22nd. There should be food and drink specials and free live music starts at 1pm:

• 1 p.m.: High Five Polka Band
• 4 p.m.: Danny Barnes
• 7 p.m.: Andy Frasco & The U.N. Dynamic Soul

Does anyone know of any other Oktoberfest parties going on this weekend?