Celebrate Oktoberfest In Albany – October 14, 2010

Albany continues in tradition this year, celebrating October with a German Oktoberfest at the Empire State Plaza Concourse.

ALBANY NY – Take a break from work to celebrate Oktoberfest in Albany on Thursday, October 14, 2010! This so-called German mini-festival will be held during lunch hours from 10 am to 2 pm at the Empire State Plaza South Concourse.

"Oktoberfest is one of about 6 mini-festivals we hold each year indoors on the Concourse," said Oktoberfest Coordinator Kurt Vincent from the OGS Special Events Office. Vincent recently attended the Munich Oktoberfest in Germany, joking that Albany's Oktoberfest will try to measure up, but may fall short of "true authentic" by Munich's standards.

Albany will, however, offer traditional German music, played live by Brawhaus Musikanten and Big Wally on the Accordion. There will also be a couple of vendors, including the German American Club of Albany, who will be serving authentic German food like bratwurst, sauerkraut, etc. German beer, wine and other beverages will also complement the hearty lunch, which has been an Albany NY tradition for an estimated 20 years or more.

Vincent mentioned that crafters, artisans and other vendors will be there as well, offering unique gifts and other finds while lending to the festive atmosphere, but the real draw for this much-celebrated mini-festival is its genuine German appeal.

"It's so much more than just a craft show," said Vincent. "For each of these mini-festivals, we try to have entertainment that is appropriate for the event."

Oktoberfest is free to attend and open to the public, though specifically geared toward the 13,000 people working in the City of Albany. For more information, call the OGS Special Events Office at (518) 474-0549.

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