Lisa Denton and Barry CourterBARRY: Lisa, I remember a day 13 years ago when I had lunch with Mike Schoenborn and Nick Jessen when they discussed putting together an Oktoberfest event at the Chattanooga Market at First Tennessee Pavilion. Neither is involved today, but the event has grown from first one day to two and this year it will span five days. Yowza.
Who knew we liked our oompah music and lederhosen so much? Or maybe it's the brats and the beer.
LISA: Everybody polka! Chattanooga Market is celebrating for five days, Rock City has its Oktoberfest every Saturday and Sunday in October, and then there's the monthlong celebration of my birthday. It's a festive time.
BARRY: Happy birthday, by the way. You are the only person I know who has a birthday gift from local gallstone artist Lin Parker. My gift to you is that you now get to explain that to people.
LISA: I would, but then everyone would want one. (But you can see it online.)
A couple of decades ago there was a fall celebration downtown that was called Oktoberfest, but there were so few things Bavarian that a co-worker renamed it the Pinto Bean Festival. I guess we have Volkswagen to thank for this new interest in Oktoberfest, so danke schoen, VW, danke schoen.
BARRY: Chattanooga Market has added an art element to their Wednesday night markets, which will be called Artoberfest this week, and on Thursday they will have something called a Festhalle Banquet. It's a ticketed event billed as a German tradition with Chattanooga roots and will feature locally sourced foods, seasonal beers and live music.
The menu, including bratwursts, Porter-raised beef brisket, spannferkel, which is roasted pig, German breads, Rotkraut, which is red cabbage and, of course, beer, looks pretty amazing.
They will also have a Southside Beer Mile on Friday with music and dancing and they will crown Mr. & Ms. Oktoberfest, so dress up, the Chattanooga Oktoberfest 5K and 1-mile Fun Run on Saturday.
LISA: Rotkraut is an interesting name for a dish but, you know me, I'd still try it.
I also need to leave room for sorghum molasses at Ketner's Mill Country Fair this weekend near Whitwell, Tenn. That's another one of the biggies on the festival circuit. And folks in Cleveland, Tenn., and Ellijay, Ga., will be serving up apple festivals.
We also have more Halloween attractions opening. Friday and Saturday will be the first of two weekends at Boo in the Zoo at Chattanooga Zoo and Acres of Darkness Haunted Trail & Family Adventure at Audubon Acres.
BARRY: There are a couple of good concerts in town this week also. Ben Rector is at Track 29 on Friday and Big Gigantic is there on Saturday and Paul Thorn is at Rhythm & Brews on Sunday.
And the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera lunchtime concert performance returns to Warehouse Row on Thursday. It's kinda cool to hear them while you eat.
Get event details every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.