Nashville Oktoberfest 2015 Event Review

Nashville Oktoberfest 2015 Event Review

Nashville Oktoberfest

Oh Nashville Oktoberfest…. I had such high hopes… but alas you have failed me…

I have always been a fan of German culture, I was enrolled in German for 3 years when I was in high school. Our teacher had encouraged us to visit the Nashville Oktoberfest but something always came up so I never went.

Well this year was different, I thought it would be a great time. I was looking forward to German food, music and Beer. My friend and I dressed up in traditional Tracht (dirndls) and were eagerly looking forward to it.

Upon arriving, it was packed! This was to be expected, in fact I believe that Oktoberfest is Nashville’s biggest event. However, I was not expecting to be as overwhelmed as I was. Sometimes in my head I decide to do fun things, and think “Oh yes you will enjoy a fun day outside with people” When really its just a day of sweaty loud misery slowing walking through crowds of strangers towards an unidentifiable goal.

These annoyances would have been alright if there were say… German music, German food, or traditional vendors at the Oktoberfest. But on the day I went only country music was blaring, and regular “fair” food served (funnel cakes, corn-dogs, curly fries etc.) and the same tents selling the same old stuff (candles jewelry, and the like) I will say I think I did see at least one place selling bratwurst, but that was about it. 

Nashville Oktoberfest

The Beer buying process was also long, confusing, and very expensive. Involving waiting in line to buy a ticket before you could wait in line to get beer. You also had to make sure you were at the right beer tent (non- VIP) Everything was cash only, and of course, the ATMS were broken. My poor friend K had to walk all the way to Walgreen's to get money. When he came back I was so stressed out and miserable that we ended up leaving. I still feel guilty about making him walk all that way “-_-…

Upon looking online, it seems I’m not the only one that feels this way about the Oktoberfest. There seems to be a trend with it becoming more and more commercialized with every year, with less o f a focus on German culture, to a shift towards pandering to generic likes of people in order to generate more revenue.

I do wish I had not put off visiting this event until now, I would have liked to have seen it a few years back when it was more of a real Oktoberfest.

In the end, the day was redeemed by going out for Vietnamese pho which was quite delicious.

I also got to spend the day with my friend S. I have known her since she was small but have never really spent time with her. She is in her senior year of high school now, and I am sure she will accomplish great things! Though, I do think that she will probably move away for school and I will seldom see her. That’s how friendships are sometimes though, and that’s ok. I will enjoy spending time with her now and treasure the memories we make for a long time.

In the end I suppose all we really wanted was an excuse to dress up... Next October we'll probably just get beer from the grocery store and have our own private Oktoberfest in a park or something... XD