Oktoberfest raises more than $28,000 for nonprofits
By Terry Murry on Monday, November 4th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
Pendleton – (News release from Oktoberfest Pendleton Board of Directors) It is the best of all things when you have a good time and do good things for your community. 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 from the event. The October 12th event brought in over 900 “Fun Havers” to the Happy Canyon arena on a beautiful fall afternoon to enjoy music, real German beer, ciders, hard seltzers, cocktails, great food, a bucking mechanical pig, grape-stomping, vendors and more!
Oktoberfest Pendleton is committed to giving back to the community. The nonprofit partners who join in by providing volunteers for the event, help share the proceeds, plus it also helps fund scholarships to high school students in Umatilla County. In 2024, the Pendleton City Club, Pendleton Kiwanis Club, Pendleton Young Life, Pendleton Ice Sports Boosters-Rough Riders, SMS Panama Educational Tour Group, Pendleton Swim Association, PHS Culinary Program, Pendleton Parks and Recreation and the Main Street Cowboys all benefited from this event. In the previous 7 events held, Oktoberfest Pendleton has given back over $163,000 to Pendleton’s non-profit organizations and to area high school scholarships. In 2024, the event helped raise $28,000 to give back to the community, including $6,000 in scholarships.
A main food featured were brats from Hill Meat Company, who have been a great partner and the Title Sponsor since the inaugural year in 2015. The PHS Culinary Food Truck was on hand 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 for their second year in a row was the Pendleton Swim Association grilling their burgers and making nachos.
Sponsor Hodgen Distributing provided 29 different varieties of craft brews including, for the first time ever, 6 imported beers from Germany, as well as 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 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 SMS Panama Educational Tour Group hosted children’s activities; with sponsors Pendleton Parks and Recreation and Kirby Nagelhout Construction providing the games, including the giant beer mugs for the “stein hoist” competitions for kids and adults. And new vendors were on site this year selling shaved ice, lederhosen, dirndls, flower crowns, jewelry, trinkets and even IV therapy.
Music during the event included traditional German music and party hits as well as live music from a local area favorite band, Brass Fire. The Oktoberfest Pendleton board members are Diana Ellis, Robin Fitzmorris, Liam Hughes, Kristin Lindberg, Dianna Melton, Niki Naughton, Amy Pitner and Erica Stewart. Prost to all who came and enjoyed it. See you next year!
Photo from right to left: Oktoberfest Pendleton Board Members Erica Stewart, Dianna Melton, Robin Fitzmorris, Niki Naughton, Kristen Lindberg, Diana Ellis, Amy Pitner, & (top row) Liam Hughes
