Biddeford Celebrates Third annual Oktoberfest with Bavarian Food, Brews, and Festivities
BIDDEFORD, maine - Mainers experienced a slice of German culture Saturday at the third annual Biddeford Oktoberfest, drawing an estimated 1,500 attendees to a community gathering and fundraiser hosted by Heart of Biddeford. The event featured three local breweries serving Pilsners and lagers, a dozen food vendors offering traditional German fare like pretzels with beer cheese, and live music from Boston-based Bavarian band, Oom Pa Pas, who punctuated their sets with a cheerful “danke schön.”
Beyond the food and drink, the Oktoberfest offered inflatable axe throwing, cornhole, pretzel necklace-making, and a new addition this year: a maker’s fair showcasing a dozen local artists.
Heart of Biddeford, a nonprofit institution dedicated to supporting a vibrant downtown, organized the event as both a community builder and a fundraising opportunity. Last year’s ticketed event welcomed 1,200 guests and raised nearly $10,000, which was reinvested into free community events including Music in the Park, Merry and Bright Night, and River Jam. This year,organizers pre-sold 600 tickets and anticipated exceeding last year’s attendance.
“With all that community engagement, we’re building a lot of connections in the community and people feel more included,” said Delilah Poupore, director of Heart of Biddeford. “This is their town.”
Local brewery Banded Brewing Co., owned by Ian McConnell, brought 10 barrels of beer to the event, including a popular Oktoberfest lager he began brewing before the festival’s inception. “It’s a big day for us,” McConnell said. “We’re pouring a lot of beer.” he added, referencing the lively atmosphere, ”You just bounce around.”
Attendees embraced the Bavarian spirit, with some donning traditional German attire. Heidi Parmenter of Biddeford wore a dirndl inspired by the 19th-century novel “Heidi,” a nod to her namesake and her mother’s favorite movie. She participated in the event’s inaugural stein-hoisting competition, bowing out when her arm began to tire.Phil Cheverie and Kerry Bush, of Alfred, purchased German outfits for the occasion, intending to repurpose them for Halloween.
Cheverie, who attended Oktoberfest in Munich two decades ago, remarked that while Biddeford “is not quite Munich,” the combination of good food, cold beer, and pleasant weather created a “marvelous afternoon.”
