Das Beste Oktoberfest

The fall harvest fest known as Das Beste is underway in La Crosse. Oktoberfest USA is the longest-running event of its kind in the midwest and expects to host over 150,000 visitors over the course of its run.

So what makes it Das Beste? They have all the usual Oktoberfesty stuff like beer, sausage, guys in lederhosen, stein-hoisting competitions, and polka music, but there’s a little something extra that’s harder to quantify. What the kids today call “Oompah Vibes.”

Okay, they don’t actually call it that, but they should think about starting.

With the caveat that the Drink Wisconsinbly Week in Review Editorial Board has never actually been to Oktoberfest in Germany, it measures up quite nicely.

They may have us on history, duration, attendance figures, authenticity, and, you know, actual Germans, but ours has something called the Festmaster’s Ball. And that sounds amazing.

Look, it wouldn’t be the first time Germany started something, and then America swooped in and then completely outdid them. So, yeah, we’ll say it: La Crosse’s Oktoberfest is Das Beste in the world.

Events run through the weekend, so there’s still time to catch some of the festivities. Otherwise, mark your calendar for 2023.