For the past three months, a very large batch of Munich-crafted beer has sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, crossed the Panama Canal, been unloaded and reloaded in Los Angeles and shipped to B.C. for Port Moody's Oktoberfest.
Coquitlam residents Fred Ledlin — a former professional hockey player in Germany — and his wife Erika ordered enough Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr-Brau to serve 15,000 guests at the second annual Volksfest that starts next Friday, behind PoMo city hall. "And if we don't get through it, my wife and I will be drinking a lot of it over the winter," Ledlin laughed.
Likely, there won't be much left over. Last year's inaugural Oktoberfest drew some 10,000 visitors to the six-day party.
And this season's bash is expected to be an even bigger attraction, with more oompah-pah entertainment and traditional Bavarian food — like Munich pork hock roast, bratwurst, schnitzel and pretzels — available.
"We are somewhat more established now," Ledlin said. "Last year, there was a lot of in-house work. Now, people are approaching us and wanting to be a part of the action so it's really nice that we're growing."
Ledlin said the first Oktoberfest in Port Moody clinched awards: It was named the best original Oktoberfest in Western Canada and took second place for having the best Oktoberfest in the country, after Kitchener-Waterloo's event.
Ledlin said this year will have more of a push to raising funds for the Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation — a cause close to his family after their daughter, Jessica, was in a car accident in 2015. She was taken to the Port Moody healthcare facility but soon transported to Royal Columbian Hospital as ERH didn't have the proper equipment to treat her injuries.
A portion from the Oktoberfest ticket sales will benefit the hospital foundation. "Every little bit helps," he said.
Also new to this year's Oktoberfest is an early start time on Sept. 22 — with doors opening at 4 p.m. — and extended hours on Sundays (noon to 10 p.m. rather than noon to 6 p.m.).
On Sundays, there will also be two traditional shows from the Edelweiss dancers: On Sept. 24 at 2:30 and 4 p.m., and on Oct. 1 at 3:30 and 5 p.m. "We're hoping to put on a nice event that the families can enjoy."
• Sponsored in part by The Tri-City News, Oktoberfest Port Moody is on Sept. 22, 23, 24, 29 and 30 and Oct. 1 at the tennis courts behind PoMo city hall (100 Newport Dr.). For online tickets, visit oktoberfest2017.ca. To volunteer, email [email protected].
