Mount Angel Oktoberfest: Things to do, what to eat and where to park

Abby Luschei Emily Teel
Statesman Journal

The 54th annual Mount Angel Oktoberfest is here. Tens of thousands of people will flock to the Mid-Valley town to partake in the weekend-long Bavarian celebration. If you're one of them, here are some things to keep in mind:

Getting to Oktoberfest

Use the address 5 N Garfield St., Mt. Angel, Oregon, 97362, if using a GPS device.

There are two parking lots, both marked as you enter Mt. Angel on Highway 214, with shuttles to downtown for $5 the entire day. The blue lot is north of downtown and the red lot is south. The shuttles run every 15-20 minutes.

Other options include:

  • Street parking 
  • Carpooling
  • Cherriots (Route 20X)
  • BarFly Bus (Portland area)
  • Silver Trolley (Silverton to Mt. Angel)
  • Willamette Valley Yellow Cab, 503-362-2411
  • Using a rideshare like Uber or Lyft
The Glockenspiel and the Die Fruchtsäule at Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel on Sep. 12, 2019. The festival continues through Sunday.

Things to do

From indulging on food and drink to dancing in the Festhalle to exploring artisan vendors, there's plenty to do at Oktoberfest. Here are three things to keep on your radar:

The Glockenspiel: The Glockenspiel, 190 E Charles St., features a clock, bells and hand-carved animated figures. Performances are daily at 11 a.m., 1, 4 and 7 p.m. 

Street Dances: Two opportunities for an all-ages, all-skill level street dance at the Bandstand begin at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 

The Original Donaumusikanten: Coming from Germany, this band will perform daily in the Weingarten.

Richard Moles, 82, of Silverton, and a self-described strolling minstrel, plays his accordion during Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel on Sep. 12, 2019. The festival continues through Sunday.

To drink

A Bavarian celebration that combines food, beer and music, Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel definitely delivers the libations. Here are the beverages you'll find at each of the event venues. Do note that all beverages are sold for tokens and one token is equivalent to $1.

The Hopfengarten & Prostgarten — The Hopfengarten (which translates to hop garden, named to honor the local hop harvest) showcases beers from breweries without large-scale distribution. It was an immediate success when it debuted last year, so much so that Oktoberfest organizers have expanded the format to the Prostgarten as well.  These two locations will feature beers from craft breweries from all over the Willamette Valley including Corvallis' Block 15, Heater-Allen from McMinnville, Vagabond Brewing from Salem, Wayfarer from Portland, Silver Falls Brewery from Silverton, and Mount Angel's own Benedictine Brewery.  

MORE:Ratchet Brewery Silverton quiet opening in time for Mount Angel Oktoberfest

People eat and drink during Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel on Sep. 12, 2019. The festival continues through Sunday.

The Biergarten —- One bar, the Bier Zelt, located in the Biergarten will be devoted to pouring small batches and special new releases from 10 Barrel and Widmer. The other bars in the Biergarten will pour a variety of German Spaten, 10 Barrel and Widmer. 

The Weingarten — This venue will feature beers from Weihenstephan and pFriem, as well as wines from several area wineries: St Josef's Winery, Erath, Eola Hills and Columbia Winery. 

The Alpinegarten — will feature beers from Andechs, Boneyard and Double Mountain.

To eat

Oktoberfest is most often associated with beer, but the food is an equally big draw in Mt. Angel's three-day celebration. One thing that distinguishes the concessions for this particular festival is the fact that each booth is operated by a non-profit community organization. This effort directs festival proceeds into Mt. Angel's network of community groups.

Mary Fahlstrom and Jim Isom prepare sausages in the Knights of Columbus booth during Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel on Sep. 12, 2019. The festival continues through Sunday.

On the menu expect plenty of sausage, bratwursts and sauerkraut, but there's also plenty of variety as well. A few 2019 offerings include:

- Festwurst German Sausage from McMinnville Knights of Columbus

- Apple cider doughnuts from Holy Rosary Church

- Funnel Cakes from Salem Academy

- Pelmeni (chicken dumplings) from Helping Hands Globa Humanitarian Organization

- Beignets from Friends of Hope

Find the full list of concessions and view a festival map at www.oktoberfest.org.

Abby Luschei is the arts and entertainment reporter for the Statesman Journal and can be reached at aluschei@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6747. Follow her on Twitter @abbyluschei or facebook.com/luscheiabby

Emily Teel is the Food & Drink Editor at the Statesman Journal. Contact her at eteel@statesmanjournal.com, Facebook, or Twitter. See what she's cooking and where she's eating this week on Instagram: @emily_teel

If you go 

What: 54th Annual Mt. Angel Oktoberfest

When: 11 a.m. to midnight Thursday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12-15; 21 and older after 9 p.m.

Location: Downtown Mt. Angel

Cost: Most events are free; premium venue admission $5-15

Information: oktoberfest.org