Oktoberfest Zinzinnati turns 50 this year, having grown from its humble street festival beginnings in 1976 into the biggest Oktoberfest party outside of Munich. From traditional events like the World’s Largest Chicken Dance and stein hoisting to modern additions like an exclusive Sam Adams brew and a dedicated VIP experience, it’s become an annual can’t-miss event on the region’s social calendar.
The number of Cincinnatians who lay claim to German ancestry rises significantly during Oktoberfest, when more than 800,000 people flock to the free four-day event held at Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove to share in the Gemütlichkeit, or the German concept of warmth and belonging.
And while some residents simply attend the festival, others tend to it year after year as a family tradition. Northern Kentucky resident Ludwig Noll could even say he was born for Oktoberfest. Named after the king of Bavaria, to whom Munich’s Oktoberfest was dedicated, he grew up around the earliest festivities and remembers playing under the tables downtown as a child.
His father was the original owner of Mick Noll’s Covington Haus (in the spot now occupied by West Sixth Brewery), a German-style restaurant opened in 1975. Both Mick and his wife Pat spent time in the Peace Corps before moving to Covington, having kids, running the restaurant, and working around town to celebrate Oktoberfest. “They were a small part in helping to start the celebration, and they put in endless effort and work into being authentic and celebrating German heritage to the fullest,” says Ludwig.
The Noll family’s booth has been an Oktoberfest Zinzinnati staple since the beginning as well as a corner-stone of Oktoberfest in MainStrasse, and Mick’s passion for building the best booth possible helped it stay in continuous operation. After his death in 2016, booth operation remained a family affair as relatives and close friends helped cook and serve popular German street fair favorites like bratwurst, mettwurst, currywurst, goetta balls, and potato pancakes.
Even though maintaining the booth and getting food ready for hundreds of thousands of people is hard work, Ludwig says he looks forward to it every year. “It’s really a lot of pride for me,” he says. “My parents worked so hard for so many years to do things the right way, so I feel privileged to do this and be part of one of the largest parties in the world.”
This year’s golden anniversary Oktoberfest is September 17-20 and features signature events such as the Running of the Wieners, the World’s Largest Chicken Dance, the Gemütlichkeit Games, the 14K/7K Brewery Run, and 30-plus live music performances, according to Chelsea York, the Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s vice president of events and experiences.
“Oktoberfest Zinzinnati has always been the moment every year when the whole community gathers together to celebrate its heritage,” she says. “Keeping the event free, authentic, and rooted in Cincinnati’s story is at the heart of the Chamber’s commitment to it.”
(Pictured at top: Ludwig Noll, center, caught the Oktoberfest fever from his parents Mick and Pat.)