What to expect this weekend at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is taking place this weekend and the traditional German festival has a new location. Beer halls, stages and vendors will be located in Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove. Chelsea York of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber says the new location has many advantages.

“The footprint down here is about a mile long, so it's pretty comparable to our location on Fifth Street and Second and Third Streets,” she says. “We're really excited about the extra width we get from the green space and trees in the different areas of the park.”

York says the park will have more seating, food and drink options, and more places to hide from the sun. Temperatures could be around 32 degrees this weekend.

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“We've put a lot of effort into giving the park here a Bavarian feel. You'll notice Oktoberfest flags flying on all the flagpoles,” she says. “We're going to decorate every inch of this park to turn it into a Bavarian village.”

A large tent has been set up on the lawn near the west entrance to the park. Two more beer tents are located between the Purple People and Daniel Carter Beard bridges. The Zinzinnati Circus will perform in the playground.

The River Stage also hosts several other activities, including the Mug Holder Contest, the Vienna Sausage Run and the annual Duck Dance, which takes place on Saturday at 4 p.m.

According to Amy Fitzgibbons of the Chamber of Commerce, two famous Bengals will be honored at this year's Zinzinnati Oktoberfest.

“This year we have Ickey Woods and David Fulcher … leading our chicken dance, along with the Bengals superfans who will be on stage with them,” Fitzgibbons says. “A few years ago we set the world record for the world's largest chicken dance, and we've had that nickname ever since. It's just one of those annual traditions in Cincinnati that people love to see, and that's why we bring it back here every year.”

The Chamber also plans to install a large-screen LED television along the Serpentine Wall.

Fitzgibbons says the event attracts a lot of people.

“We see that people from all over the world come to this event, including from Germany and the entire USA,” she says. “And we can see that in the hotel bookings.”

And the beer?

One of the cornerstones of any Oktoberfest celebration is beer. And Fitzgibbons says Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is no different.

“We'll have 25 different breweries this year, including local breweries, German breweries and our local Sam Adams,” she says. “Each brewery will bring their own Oktoberfest beer; some will have other German-style beers as well.”

Fitzgibbons says they have ordered about 620 barrels of beer from Germany. She says there should also be plenty of beer from local and other American breweries.

It's not easy to get that much beer.

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“The interesting thing about German beers here in Ohio is that we only get a certain number of cases and kegs each year,” she says. “We always have to sign up about a year early to get as many kegs as possible, which is the most kegs available in the state.”

Fitzgibbons says there are plenty of drinks other than beer, too.

And to wash down the beer: food. She says there will be Mett, bratwurst and cream puffs, along with a “German pizza” and a pretzel corn dog.

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati opens on Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. and runs until 11 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, the festival runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The last day, Sunday, is also known as “Family Day” and runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.