Bad weather doesn’t dampen fun at Oktoberfest Pendleton
By Terry Murry on Thursday, November 13th, 2025 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
Pendleton – (News release from Oktoberfest Pendleton) It is the best of all things when you have a good time and do good things for your community, even when the weather is not ideal. Oktoberfest Pendleton is a fun, fall gathering that brings Pendleton’s own beer and brats and lets revelers have a great time, while good things go back into the community. The October 11th event brought in over 650 “Fun Havers” to the Happy Canyon arena on a somewhat blustery afternoon to enjoy music, real German and domestic beer, ciders, hard seltzers, fall-inspired cocktails, great food, Hill’s Premium Meat’s bucking mechanical pig, grape-stomping, pretzel necklaces, wine and little mini charcuterie boards to go.
Oktoberfest Pendleton is committed to giving back to the community. The non-profit partners/organizations who join in by providing volunteers for the event, help promote the event and in turn get to share in the profits, as do area high school students in Umatilla County through scholarships. At the 2025 event, the Pendleton City Club, Pendleton Ice Sports Boosters/Rough Riders, Educational First Tours Group, Sunridge Middle School Leadership, the Main Street Cowboys, and Pendleton Parks and Recreation, all benefitted from this year’s proceeds. With the now 9 events held, Oktoberfest Pendleton has given back over $174,000.00 to Pendleton non-profit organizations and to area high school scholarships. At this year’s event, $22,000 was given back to the community, including $7,000 in college or trade school scholarships for 2026 graduating Umatilla County senior high school students who are selected.
Hill’s Premium Meats, who have been a great partner and the Title Sponsor since the inaugural year in 2015, provides their delicious brats for this annual fall gathering. The PHS Culinary Food Truck was on hand again this year cooking those Hill’s Premium Meat brats plus sauerkraut, pretzels and cheese as well as other traditional German food like schnitzel and apple strudel. Also at the event was 3rd Generation BBQ doing pulled pork and other tasty sandwiches and treats, plus Old Tyme Kettle Korn was on site selling their wonderful sweetened and flavored popcorn.
Sponsor Hodgen Distributing provided over 25 different varieties of craft brews including again this year, a variety of beers from Germany, as well as regional and locally crafted brews from Prodigal Son Brewery and Pub and Suzie’s Hard Seltzers from Barhyte Specialty Foods. Also, at the event again this year was the Pendleton Underground Tours’ mobile Shamrock Card Room Bar making delicious signature fall cocktails as well as bringing their Hill Meat mechanical bucking pig for adults and kids to ride. Another fun activity for attendees was provided by returning vendor, Cerebella Winery, who hosted their grape-stomping contest heats that were thoroughly enjoyed by all, both spectators and the participants. The Sunridge Middle School Leadership group hosted children’s activities and provided face-painting and Cornhole; and Pendleton Parks and Recreation provided a GIANT Jenga game! And once again, there were “stein hoist” competition heats for both kids and adults testing both strength and endurance by holding a big glass beer mug full of water with one outstretched arm outlasting the rest AND not spilling a drop.
Music during the event included traditional German music and party hits as well as live music from Scott Wilson with Music Medicine.
The Oktoberfest Pendleton board members are Melanie Correa, Diana Ellis, Robin Fitzmorris, Ryan Lehnert, Kristin Lindberg, Amy Pitner and Erica Stewart. Prost to all who braved the weather for such a good cause, came out, supported and enjoyed it. See you all next year!
Photo from Oktoberfest Pendleton (L-R) Ryan Lehnert, Dianna Melton, Robin Fitzmorris, Amy Pitner, Erica Stewart, Kristin Lindberg, Diana Ellis, Melanie Correa
