Week 1 (08-09 Sep 2018) For the opening weekend we’ll be entertained on the main stage by Southern California’s very own Express Band and our very own Kleine Bär Tänzer (Little Bear Dancers). It’s our traditional America’s Heroes weekend with free admission for past and present Military, Fire Fighters, and Law Enforcement.
Week 2 (15-16 Sep 2018) The second weekend brings a new (to us) German band on the main stage, the Frankenrebellen Band. The featured dance group will be Die Gemütlichen Schuhplattler. This Saturday will also include a preliminary round of the Oktoberfest Queen Stein Carrying contest.
Week 3 (22-23 Sep 2018) The Frankenrebellen Band will complete their second (of two) weekends and our featured dance group returning for another year are the GTEV D’Oberlander. We’ll also have another preliminary round of the Oktoberfest Queen Stein Carrying contest.
Week 3+ - KTLA Visits Us (23 Sep 2018) In a surprise walk-on, LA’s TV Channel 5 (KTLA) paid a visit early Sunday morning (6:30am - Ugh!) to do some remotes for their Sunday morning news shows. I took a bunch of behind the scenes pictures and videos and also recorded the on screen results and share them with you as well.
Week 3.9 - We Visit KTLA (28 Sep 2018) And then this year our annual visit to the Hollywood Studios of LA’s TV Channel 5 (KTLA) is scheduled for Friday, 28 September. The goal is, obviously, to promote Big Bear’s Oktoberfest and I’ll be sharing pictures and videos from that event.
Week 4 (29-30 Sep 2018) This will be the first of two weekends for a second band from Germany, Mats’s Infinity. They were a hit for their first time visit with us last year and are back for an encore. Plan on hearing the song Matthias wrote and recorded just for us, "Big Bear Lake’s Oktoberfest”. If you want your own copy, just search for it on either Apple’s iTunes or Amazon Music. Our very own Kleine Bär Tänzer (Little Bear Dancers) will be our dance group for the weekend. And, if that’s not enough, it’s also the Semi-Final round of the Oktoberfest Queen Stein Carrying contest!
Week 5 (05-07 Oct 2018) This is a 3-day weekend since the traditional Local’s Night is Friday evening. It will also be Mats’s Infinity's second (and last) weekend with us and Die Kleine Bär Tänzers will perform all three days. Saturday will also include the 2018 Oktoberfest Queen Contest Finals.
Week 6 (13-14 Oct 2018) This week will mark the first of three weekends for the new to us Die Böhmische Straßenmusikanten, direct from Germany and the dancers will be our very own Die Kleine Bär Tänzers.
Week 6.9 - Oktoberfest Unplugged (19 Oct 2018) This is the sixth year for the event they’ve labeled "Oktoberfest Unplugged” and it requires tickets to be purchased in advance. Chef Rey and his staff always do an outstanding job with the menu and several of the “originals” will join us and tell their versions of the “good old days”.
Week 7 (20-21 Oct 2018) It’s the second weekend for Die Böhmische Straßenmusikanten, direct from Germany. We'll also welcome back my favorite of the professional dance groups, The Cripple Creek Cloggers. They sure do get the audience’s attention and I’ll most likely include a couple videos I capture of their performances because I do like them - and I can.
Week 8 (27-28 Oct 2018) Well, if this was last year, this would be our final weekend. However... This week’s main stage entertainment will include the third and final weekend for Die Böhmische Straßenmusikanten and Die Kleine Bär Tänzers will again be the featured dancers. It being the weekend before Halloween, it's also the famous Halloween German Spooktacular. There are costume contests for both the children and the adults and I’ll try to do them justice with pictures and video.
Week 9 - (03 Nov 2018) New this year is a ninth week. Joining us again to finish out the 48th Annual Oktoberfest on the main stage will be our old favorites, The Express Band. The Kleine Bär Tänzer will also perform for us to wrap up the year.