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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Publisher

HELENA – If you are looking for your Oktoberfest fix, look no further than this Saturday on the banks of Buck Creek as the city of Helena’s final Old Town Live of the 2024 season will feature all of the traditional fun you are looking for.

The event, which is free to attend this Saturday, Sept. 21, will start at 11 a.m. and carry throughout the day, leading up to the live musical entertainment to close down the night.

The day will kick off at 11 a.m. with an opening toast lead by City Councilman Hal Woodman, which will lead into the festive fun.

Following that, a pretzel eating contest will take place at 11:15 on the main stage, while a keg toss will follow shortly after.

That will lead into the first set from musical act Bavarian Express, who will take the stage for an hour at 11:45 a.m.

Stein Hoisting and another pretzel eating competition will then take place on the stage, before the second toast is made and followed by the Alabama Accordion Association from 1:15-2:15 p.m.

Attention will then shift to the buzz of the day as the Dachshund Race will take place at 2:15 with three heats of five dogs each leading up to a final race that will determine the winner.

From 3-5:45 p.m., there will be two more rounds of contests featuring pretzel eating, stein hoisting and the keg toss, while the Bavarian Express will hit the stage again for another hour at 4:15 following the third toast of the day.

That will all lead up to the final toast at 6 p.m., which will be followed by a 90-minute set from The Vegabonds to close down the final Old Town Live of the season with a high-energy show.

Expect some of their popular work such as “Georgia Fire”, Shaky Hands”, “Partying with Strangers” and “Heartache and a Memory”.

There will also be a lively beer garden throughout the day, offering a wide selection of brews to pair with the Oktoberfest event, as well as German sausage, bouncy houses for the kids, prizes and so much more.

If you want to sign up for any of the competitions throughout the day, you can do so here.