VALDOSTA – Chris Jones and Jack “J. Ryce” Martin are bringing a long-standing German tradition to Valdosta as they host the first Oktoberfest celebration at Georgia Beer Company. 

“We came up with the idea from going to Helen, Ga., for Oktoberfest,” Jones said. “That’s where we had our first idea for a brewery and since then we’ve always wanted to throw a big Oktoberfest and show how much fun it can be.”

One element that Georgia Beer Company brought to their brewery from Oktoberfest is the use of long tables, which give a communal feel and encourages the meeting of new people. To further encourage interaction among guests, the musical acts for the week will be leading guests in German drinking songs such as the traditional “Ein Prosit.”

Music will be Johnny Koenig, a four-piece polka band, Sunday through Wednesday, Sept, 29 through Oct. 2, and the Beer Guyz, a musical duo, Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 3-5.

Festivities officially kick off 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, with the Miss Oktoberfest Pageant, which both Jones and Martin agree is not your typical beauty pageant. The pageant will judge participants on Dirndl authenticity (traditional Austrian female dress), accessories, stein holding ability and beer knowledge.

Miss Oktoberfest will be selected by a panel of five judges and, after her crowning, will mark the beginning of the festivities by pouring the first beer for the grand marshal. Stan Crance of the Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority is the grand marshal. Crance will have one of the five unique beers crafted just for the occasion, which include Dusen Dusen Honey Dunkelweizen, St. Helen’s Oktoberfest (Marzen), Mad Jim’s Kolsch and Ein Prosit Hefeweizen (Wheat Beer).

Commemorative pins, flower crowns, traditional hats and custom steins will be sold throughout the week along with Georgia Beer Company’s usual merchandise. The steins will range in price from $15 to $40 and will include discounts on refills for the week.

All food vendors have altered their menus for the event adding such traditional German dishes as schnitzel, currywurst, weissewurst, pretzels, red cabbage, sourkraut and knockwurst. Vendors for the week will be Woodstack Sept. 28-30, Daylight Donuts Oct. 1-5, Amaizen’ Dogs Oct. 2 and 8, Finger Jacks Oct. 3-4.

With two full pallets of decorations and three days worth of work going into the décor, Jones and Martin anticipate the event becoming a way for people to “enjoy fun food, good beer and a good time with friends.”

Oktoberfest will be Sept. 28 through Oct. 5 at Georgia Beer Company, 109 S. Briggs St., with extended hours Friday and Saturday. 

Desiree Carver is Lifestyles Editor at the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be reached at (229) 375-5777.