If you’re unfamiliar with Oktoberfest but think you might like to celebrate it, being that it’s October, you still can. And you don’t even need to be German. It officially ended the first weekend in October, but here’s the thing; Oktoberfest is somewhat of a global party-for-the-sake-of-it party. How did this come to be?

On October 12, 1810 crown Prince Ludwig, who naturally became King Ludwig I, married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen inviting all Munich citizens to party on the lawn outside the city gates. Unquestionably, copious amount of locally brewed beer were consumed by the masses resulting in an unforgettable festival that would come to be an annual recurrence.

One year later Oktoberfest would add an agricultural show to the festival as well as maintain the horse races that the original party ended with. Eventually the festival was moved to the later part of September and prolonged until October 3rd due to a national holiday.

Now-a-days you can take whatever meaning you see fit for your own participation in Oktoberfest and celebrate for your own pleasures. Just because it’s finished for the year in Germany doesn’t mean the festivities and celebrations need to cease here.

Come into Westcafe, your local downtown Portland restaurant, to celebrate with happy hour all evening long. That means happy hour prices on all drinks (and we’ve got a lot, beer included) as well as delicious nibbles and appetizers for your delight. There’s a cozy seat waiting for you and your friends!