2008 Woodie Awards
Torrance puts on its lederhosen
Oktoberfest: Bavarian event is celebrated at Alpine Village every fall.
By: Kara Ogushi
Issue date: 9/30/04 Section: City News
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Oom pa pa-brass band music can be heard from all directions and men dressed in traditional lederhosen trousers are dancing in the biergarten, holding steins full of frothy hofbrau.
Busty waitresses in low-cut dirndl smocks are serving bratwurst and sauerkraut to patrons who worked up an appetite after performing the "Bird Dance."
This is the scene of the 34th annual Oktoberfest that has returned to Alpine Village in Torrance.
Oktoberfest is an eight-week event, and Alpine Village has the largest Oktoberfest celebration in Southern California. It is open until Oct. 31 and features wood sawing, stein holding and cow milking contests, authentic German food, signature homemade beer and chicken dancing.
"It's a country festival brought to the U.S. to celebrate Bavarian customs," Alpine Village employee Florence Prestwood said.
"Everyone should come down; it's a way to get away from the rapid pace of the real world and have fun," she said.
Oktoberfest's biergarten is only open to adults 21 years old and older for two days of the week.
On Fridays, it is open from 6:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. with a $5 admission, and on Saturdays it is open from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. for the same price.
Families are welcome to visit on Sunday for family day from noon to 7 p.m. for a $4 admission, and children under 12 years old are free if they come with an adult.
Free coupons may be found on the Alpine Village website as well as inside the Daily Breeze.
Anthony Liaw, 23, a resident of Redondo Beach, has been attending the festival for many years.
"I've been coming to Oktoberfest ever since I was able to fool people into thinking I was old enough to drink, so that's probably more than five years," Liaw said. "People should go because everyone is friendly there and they have the best beer you can get."
The festival serves a variety of sausage including knackwurst, Polish sausage and bratwurst, which are all made fresh at the village.
Busty waitresses in low-cut dirndl smocks are serving bratwurst and sauerkraut to patrons who worked up an appetite after performing the "Bird Dance."
This is the scene of the 34th annual Oktoberfest that has returned to Alpine Village in Torrance.
Oktoberfest is an eight-week event, and Alpine Village has the largest Oktoberfest celebration in Southern California. It is open until Oct. 31 and features wood sawing, stein holding and cow milking contests, authentic German food, signature homemade beer and chicken dancing.
"It's a country festival brought to the U.S. to celebrate Bavarian customs," Alpine Village employee Florence Prestwood said.
"Everyone should come down; it's a way to get away from the rapid pace of the real world and have fun," she said.
Oktoberfest's biergarten is only open to adults 21 years old and older for two days of the week.
On Fridays, it is open from 6:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. with a $5 admission, and on Saturdays it is open from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. for the same price.
Families are welcome to visit on Sunday for family day from noon to 7 p.m. for a $4 admission, and children under 12 years old are free if they come with an adult.
Free coupons may be found on the Alpine Village website as well as inside the Daily Breeze.
Anthony Liaw, 23, a resident of Redondo Beach, has been attending the festival for many years.
"I've been coming to Oktoberfest ever since I was able to fool people into thinking I was old enough to drink, so that's probably more than five years," Liaw said. "People should go because everyone is friendly there and they have the best beer you can get."
The festival serves a variety of sausage including knackwurst, Polish sausage and bratwurst, which are all made fresh at the village.