Howell Oktoberfest will make a return Sept. 9
HOWELL — A local Oktoberfest celebration will return for a second year Saturday, Sept. 9.
After 600 people made their way to the North State Street Lot in Howell for the inaugural Oktoberfest event in 2022, organizers decided to bring the event back again, this time with a few changes.
Howell Main Street Inc. will host the festival, starting at 4 p.m. Saturday. The festival continues until 10 p.m.
"I know there are a lot of Oktoberfest celebrations that go all day long, but as we're getting started, we want to make sure we can start a quality event during the evening, nighttime hours, and it's worked out beautifully," said Howell Main Street COO/Howell DDA Director Kate Litwin.
The idea came from the Howell Main Street Board, which sought a new and exciting community event, Aberrant Ales Founder Clark Gill told The Daily in 2022.
The hope is to make the event an annual celebration and raise funds for Howell Main Street's nonprofit mission.
"Our mission is to bring residents and guests downtown and it seemed to fit the bill and it was very well received," Litwin said.
Litwin said, last year, organizers opted against selling tickets at the door — but this year, they can be purchased before or during the celebration.
"We've been able to expand that capacity and we'll be able to let a lot more people in," Litwin said.
Tickets starts at $10 and include access to snack, drink tickets and stage performances. There's also a $30 presale brew package, which includes a commemorative stein; a $75 presale meal package, which includes a stein and meal ticket; and a $750 presale VIP package for a table of eight with front row seating, eight drink tickets, eight meal tickets and eight steins.
According to organizers, the stein is a different design than last year. They're available by presale and the day-of.
The event will feature live entertainment from Die Dorfmusikanten German Band and The German Park Trachtengruppe Dancers and, for advance tickets holders, a German meal with pork schnitzel, mushroom gravy, beer bratwurst, spaetzle, warm potato salad and apple strudel.
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"They provide the full German experience," Litwin said.
Other food choices include beer bratwurst and pretzels, which are sold a la carte.
Learn more at howelloktoberfest.godaddysites.com.
— Contact reporter Patricia Alvord at palvord@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Howell Oktoberfest will make a return Sept. 9
