Wes & Erica go to Linde Oktoberfest Tulsa

This blog is quickly changing from DIY craft instructions into my own personal travel journal (complete with fun photos! 😀)  I used to journal excessively in my teens and early twenties. I guess that part of me is being revived. LOL Again, its not Monday but how about a little Wednesday travel blog?

Wes and I have been going to the Oktoberfest celebration in Choctaw, OK for a few years now. Earlier this year, I caught wind of the Linde Oktoberfest in Tulsa, OK. 🍺 Its supposed to be one of the best in the nation. The festival "celebrates authentic Bavarian culture and represents an incredible setting patterned after the Munich Oktoberfest in Bavaria, Germany." Their website also stated that the festival "hosts international German bands, Bavarian delicacies, authentic arts & crafts and competitions." I went for the food, beer and mainly, the Dachshund Dash (aka adorable wienie dog races and Halloween costume contest!) A few days before we went, I told a coworker about our plans and she convinced her boyfriend to go so they met us there.

Audrey, Ryan, me and Wes

The festival lasted several days but I chose to go on Sunday because that wast the day of the Dachshund Dash. 🐕 The activities started with a Halloween costume contest and parade. The winner was a pup dressed in lederhosen and suspenders. Its owners were also dressed in traditional German attire. My favorite was a group of wienie dogs dressed as a flock of sheep. After the winners were announced, the races started. The contestants were divided into heats and each dog was placed into a wooden box (the starting gate). The gate was opened and the dogs busted out! A few of the dogs knew to run toward their owners at the finish line but the majority of them were just confused and ran in circles. It was so stinkin' adorable!! We saw some owners with squeaky toys and treats at the finish line to lure their pup toward them faster. There were over thirty heats so we didn't stay for them all. It was announced that Mustang Sally won (she was also the winner in last year's competition).

The rest of the afternoon was dedicated toward exploring the beer and food. There were tons of (SO SO MANY!) beer tents and food vendors. I wish I had come hungrier! The only downside was that items could only be purchased with tickets. Each ticket was $1 and had to be bought in advance at one of the concession stands. We spent the majority of our time walking around trying to add up how much food and drink we wanted so we could buy the proper amount of tickets. We settled on Polish platter for Wes (rice, sauerkraut and pierogis) with beers - a Breckenridge Vanilla Porter and a Benediktiner Oktoberfest (which I really liked and should have gotten one for myself) and a German platter for me (bratwurst, sauerkraut and potato salad) and Bavarian cheesecake with beers - a 401K and a Kona Hanalei Island IPA. The 401K was really light and citrus flavored, yum! The other one was supposed to taste like tropical fruits but I didn't think it did all too much, so not yum. We listened to some polka music while we ate; no one wanted to participate in the chicken dance with me. 😔 Before heading out, we stopped by the arts & crafts tents. There were a couple of unique vendors but most of them were either direct sales or cheap toys/clothes that are also sold at state fairs. I was a little disappointed but that could be because I'm a craft show snob. LOL All in all, it was a good day out with friends. The Linde Oktoberfest Tulsa lived up to all its hype and we had a wonderful afternoon.