Is Oktoberfest in Trouble, as RiverParks Makes Drastic Changes

[Ibanez]

Preliminary attendance numbers were around 65,000 for the weekend so the changes didn't seem to keep many people away.  I think most liked the new steins.  

I was recently in Denver when the Great American Beer Festival was going on which also coincided with their Oktoberfest celebration downtown.  It got me thinking that Tulsa should expand its Oktoberfest to be more of a beer festival (more than it already is) along with the traditional food, rides, music, crafts and the chicken dance.  It could be a celebration of fall and good beer, and highlight local breweries.  

[carltonplace]

Well done ^

[Hoss]

A Smoot Fest!  Oh, wait..what?

[Townsend]

Oh Spiteful One, Show me who to smoot, and he shall be smooten!

[OpenYourEyesTulsa]

I volunteered for 7 years at Tulsa Oktoberfest but didn't this year because of the changes. My girlfriend and I decided to go on Friday and it was the worst attendance I have ever seen. No lines for anything. It was rainy but I have been there many years with rain and long lines. Several places closed early due to lack of volunteers. They should have locked in all the volunteers they needed by August but instead they were still begging for volunteers during the festival. I didn't see one person I had volunteered with before.  I heard the Riverparks Authority threw out anyone that didn't like the way they did things and treated long term volunteers like first timers.  I heard that attendance was better on Saturday with long lines for beer due to an extreme lack of volunteers. I also heard they were out of the best German beers. On positive notes, I did like the option to get the "Autobahn Pass" that you can purchase online to make it faster to get in but it wasn't needed with the lack of lines. I also loved the special Marshall's beers that were offered at the Fassler Hall tent. I missed the pitchers but the steins aren't terrible. Getting asked for ID every time was annoying. If it keeps going like this year, I suspect the festival will shrink in size or maybe move somewhere else. I spoke to some people at Fassler Hall that wished they would move it there and take over the blue dome district.

[DowntownDan]

Your interpretations of things are the complete opposite of what I observed and from those I know who attended.  Saturday was very busy.  Lines were full.  Tents were full.  People liked the steins.  Everyone I saw was having a terrific time.  If lack of volunteers was a problem they can fix it over the next year.  All the volunteers I know had no complaints either.  If some people stayed away because they wanted pichers instead of steins, that's a pretty stupid reason to stop attending.

[rdj]

Those that stayed away because they have to drink beer from a 72oz pitcher are the ones that I would rather avoid anyway.

I took my sons Saturday late afternoon.  It was a great afternoon to be outside and I was surprised at how well behaved the crowds were over prior years.

[sgrizzle]

I volunteered for 7 years at Tulsa Oktoberfest but didn't this year because of the changes. My girlfriend and I decided to go on Friday and it was the worst attendance I have ever seen. No lines for anything. It was rainy but I have been there many years with rain and long lines. Several places closed early due to lack of volunteers. They should have locked in all the volunteers they needed by August but instead they were still begging for volunteers during the festival.

Volunteers aren't allowed to drink freely anymore so volunteers dropped like flies.

[Gaspar]

Volunteers aren't allowed to drink freely anymore so volunteers dropped like flies.

Wife and I used to volunteer every year for over 10 years.  Never really saw it as volunteerism as that we typically drank the equivalent of a typical wage.

[patric]

Why the big jump in Public Drunk arrests this year?

Last year it was something like _zero_

[DowntownDan]

Why the big jump in Public Drunk arrests this year?

Last year it was something like _zero_

Complaints maybe?  Last year seemed particularly bad with the state fair crowd stumbling around like idiots.

As far as Octoberfest being "in trouble" it was extraordinarily busy this year so I'm guessing it's doing just fine.  I wouldn't mind if they charged even more though and priced out some of the bad crowd referenced above and shortening the lines a bit for the good beer.

[rdj]

We attended Saturday evening.  I would say it was overcrowded.  We were on site for about ninety minutes, took forty-five to get a liter of strong beer and we didn't even finish them because the crowds were overwhelming.  It took over thirty minutes to get on a shuttle at Fassler Hall.  All in all not the best experience.  I've talked to several people that feel the same way.  I would suggest they look at capping tickets or raising the entry fee.

[patric]

We attended Saturday evening.  I would say it was overcrowded.  We were on site for about ninety minutes, took forty-five to get a liter of strong beer and we didn't even finish them because the crowds were overwhelming.  It took over thirty minutes to get on a shuttle at Fassler Hall.  All in all not the best experience.  I've talked to several people that feel the same way.  I would suggest they look at capping tickets or raising the entry fee.

Im also hearing police said someone pulled a gun on them, but saw nothing in the Whirled.

[DolfanBob]

Will the new redesign and parking help with some of the issues that happened this year?

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/river-west-festival-park-redesign-to-begin-in-november/article_13ff90e4-2dc8-5d72-93cc-c60a9139e581.html

[Conan71]

Im also hearing police said someone pulled a gun on them, but saw nothing in the Whirled.

Eight total arrests for public drunk.  I'm surprised it's not higher.

MC and I usually go on Saturday afternoon, like around 2pm and stay until 5'ish and get the hell out before amateur hour begins.

Teen arrested at Oktoberfest

Police arrested a teenager at Oktoberfest Saturday night.

Officers told FOX23 the 16-year-old had a gun and drugs among an estimated 6000 people inside one of the tents near 21st and Jackson at River West Parks in west Tulsa.

"He was a kid. Essentially a drug dealer, a young drug dealer doing business in there," head of security Cpl. Mark Shelton said.

Shelton said the stage manager spotted the weapon first.

When she told officers, they made their way into the mass of people to get the teen.

Shelton told us when they got to him, the teen went for the gun.

"He was taken to ground and disarmed," Shelton said.

FOX23 asked Shelton how the teen got into the festival with a gun.

He said workers check bags and do an visual check on everyone coming in the gate, but it can often be hectic.

"They're probably trying to shake down around 50 people per minute, through four different stations. A lot is being asked of them," Shelton said.

For that reason, Shelton says they may look at using technology in future.

Last year police didn't have to arrest anyone at the festival.

Shelton said this year they took eight people to jail, mainly for being publicly drunk.

Still, he considers this year's Oktoberfest a success when it comes to safety.

"With the number of people who come through here we had a lot of good behavior, more good behavior than bad behavior."

Shelton said they had nearly 40 off duty police officers roaming the festival at all times.

http://www.fox23.com/news/news/local/teen-arrested-oktoberfest/nhnGh/