Gate City Oktoberfest introduces German-style costume contest this weekend
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POCATELLO – A beloved beer-tasting event in the Gate City is happening this weekend, and organizers have planned a brand-new element for the annual party.
Gate City Oktoberfest kicks off Saturday afternoon at At Lookout Point in Pocatello, with check-in set for 3 p.m. The actual beer tasting starts at 4 p.m. and runs until 8 p.m.
The new element this year is a costume contest, but organizers say it won’t be your typical October masquerade.
For past Oktoberfest events, people have dressed in traditional German-style costumes. So, Stephanie Palagi, president and CEO of Historic Downtown Pocatello, says organizers decided to turn it into an official competition.
The three categories of prizes for those who come dressed in the best traditional German garb, such as lederhosen or dirndls, include:
- Best individual
- Best couple
- Best group of up to eight people
Each category will award one winner, Palagi said, and the prize will be a ticket to Gate City Brewfest in March 2027. Each person in a winning couple or group entry receives a ticket.
In addition to the costume contest, participants will be able to listen to live music, purchase German food, and of course, taste German beers.
The event is designed to capture “a bit of the German essence, and (celebrate) a great variety of beers that will be poured,” Palagi said.
As for the food, Palagi said, “They’ll be serving a variety of German-style foods, (bratwursts), (potato) salads, pretzels, cheese, mustard, that kind of flair.”
This is the third Oktoberfest hosted by Historic Downtown Pocatello since Portneuf Valley Brewing temporarily closed and stopped hosting its Oktoberfest block party. This happened not long after Lookout Point was officially established, in June 2023.
“We had the opportunity to do an Oktoberfest, and it just all fell into place,” Palagi explained.
The event setup at Lookout Point is similar to that of the Portneuf Valley Farmers Market, with the block of South Garfield Avenue that’s adjacent to the park closed. The road closure will allow vendors to set up in the street and throughout the rest of the park.
Tickets for the event can be purchased online for $33.65, or at the door for $40. Participants must be 21 or older and have a valid ID. Every ticket includes a complimentary tasting mug, which attendees can use to sample more than 30 beers from seven distributors.
Palagi also encourages attendees to walk around the rest of downtown Pocatello, while they’re at Oktoberfest, and potentially visit some of the area’s over 20 restaurants, four breweries, bookstores, coffee shops and antique stores and boutiques.
“There’s always something happening downtown, so Oktoberfest is just another opportunity as we wind down the summer and transition into fall and the holiday season, to come out and experience Historic Downtown Pocatello,” she said.