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An Oktoberfest celebration is unique in that attendees are part of the entertainment, participating in sing-a-longs and a variety of interactive games to create a dynamic community festival vibe. Here are 11 games to help ignite your Oktoberfest event with friendly competition, laughter and fun.
Check out how we have taken some of these games virtual for the La Mesa Oktoberfest Online!
BEER STEIN HOLDING CONTEST
Do you have what it takes to be a Masskrugstemmen (stein holding) champion? The competition will be fierce and the rules will be strictly upheld. Only one will remain victorious!
All participants are given a filled stein of beer (or water) and are required to hold the stein with a straight arm extended from the shoulder. Participants are eliminated as they give up, spill liquid, use cheating tactics for posture, etc.
Rules vary greatly for Stein Holding and need to be set and promoted in advance. Here are the rules we use.
Supplies: Steins, Beer or Water
Sanitation: Participants to be spaced out 6ft apart. Thoroughly wash steins between rounds with hot water, soap and scrubbing (or gift the steins to participants as a commemorative participation prize.)
BRAT EATING CONTEST (or pretzel)
Do you have the stomach to finish all the bratwursts we can feed you? Bring your appetite for this ever-exciting race to the last bite in our bratwurst eating contest.
Participants are given a set amount of brats on a plate. The first person to finish their plate wins.
Supplies: Table(s), Chairs, Brats, Drinking Water
Sanitation: Participants to be spaced out 6ft apart. Use disposable plates, etc or thoroughly wash everything between rounds with hot water, soap and scrubbing.
CHICKEN DANCE OFF
Get your wings flapping and your body moving! The person with the best moves will be crowned our Chicken Dance victors!
Select judges or an emcee who will determine the victor for each round based on their interpretation of the classic moves.
Supplies: Chicken dance music
Sanitation: Participants to be spaced out 6ft apart.
BOUNCY RACE
Hold on tight to your inflatable and race around the track as quick as you can without falling off! First rider across the finish line wins!
We rent large inflatable horses but use what you can find. The more awkward the better! Create a course and let participants race for the prize.
Supplies: Bouncy Horses, Cones or other materials to create course
Sanitation: Course lanes to be spaced out 6ft apart. If you make this a relay, only family members permitted to team up. Wipe down the horses with disinfectant wipes after every use.
SAUSAGE TOSS
The only rule to this game: don’t drop your wurst! Teams of two will compete to see who can throw and catch a bratwurst at the longest distance. Same concept as an egg toss but switching up the flyer! Teams start 10ft apart and after each successful toss teams who completed the toss take one step back.
Supplies: Brats
Sanitation: Teams to be spaced out 6ft apart. Only family members allowed to partner.
MUSICAL CHAIRS
Round, round, round you’ll go. When the music stops, you better find a chair! Last adult and child standing wins!
Supplies: Chairs, Music
Sanitation: This game should only be played amongst family.
MAYPOLE RELAY
A twist on the classic Maypole. Two teams face off with streamers of different shades to wrap the maypole as quickly as possible. Team A is given 3 different shades of blue. Team B is given 3 different shades of orange. Each team is assigned a pole to wrap. Each team member takes a shade and one after the other wraps. First team to complete all 3 rolls wins!
Supplies: Poles, Streamers
Sanitation: Poles to be sent more than 6ft apart.
YODELING CONTEST
Step up to the mic and show us your yodeling chops! Only one will be dubbed Oktoberfest yodeling master!
Sanitation: If giving each participant a mic, use individual mic covers or sanitize mic between rounds.
GRAIN SACK TOSS
Take a full grain sack, find your best throw and chuck the sack as far as you can. Competitors will be throwing for distance and have three tries to see if they can meet the mark or set the record. Winner is the one who throws the sack the longest distance. This is a freestyle form event so any style throw goes; just be sure to throw the sack and stay in-bounds.
Supplies: Equipment to mark “field”, Grain Sacks
Supplies: Thoroughly wipe sacks with sanitizer wipes between participants.
KEG VAULTING
Toss a keg as high as you can up and over the pole. The pole will keep getting higher and higher. If your keg touches or knocks down the pole, you’re out! The last person standing wins!
Supplies: Larger limbo-style pole that can be increased with each round, air bag or soft mat landing for kegs that will eliminate bounce, empty kegs or ½ kegs
Supplies: Thoroughly wipe kegs with sanitizer wipes between participants. Keg retrievers to wear gloves as they bring kegs back to the throw line.
MR. & MRS. OKTOBERFEST
Bring your Oktoberfest style and German talents to the show to compete to be crowned as royalty. Set judging criteria for participants and let everyone impress you with Deutche creativity.
Supplies: Sashes, Crowns
Sanitation: Contestants to be spaced out 6ft apart.
KEG SQUATTING
Front rack a keg (or level up with an overhead press) and get low, get low! 90 degree bend at the knee required and last to succumb to the burn wins!
Supplies: Empty kegs, buckets to ensure no cheating by going too low
Supplies: Thoroughly wipe kegs with sanitizer wipes between participants.
See some of these games in action! Video provided by Travel Secrets TV.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jenna Thompson
Jenna is a mountain based Yogi with a love for veggie focused foods. When she's not in Warrior Pose you can find her spending time with her Avalanche Rescue Dog Luna with a Matcha Latte in hand!
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