Bluefin Bay Resorts hosted its second annual Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 11. Attendance was high, with approximately 600 people moving around the lawn and experiencing German-themed activities. Bluefin’s German food and beer tent was one of the main attractions at the event. A Minnesota-based polka band, brought together by musician Steve Solkela, provided excellent entertainment to attendees by playing a wide variety of songs, from Taylor Swift to Johnny Cash. In between the songs, Solkela performed comedic bits. 

Kids participated in pumpkin carving and played on Bluefin’s playground. A variety of German activities kept adults entertained throughout the event, including Hammerschlagen (a game where participants try to drive nails into a wooden beam or a tree trunk) and Steinholding competition (where participants have to hold a full one-liter, 5-lb beer stein out in front of the body with a straight arm for as long as possible without bending the elbow or spilling any beer), and axe throwing from Valhalla. Local artisans offered a variety of crafts, including fiber art, blacksmithing, and products from a boutique, mitten, and outdoor company from Ely. 

Eric Frost, Bluefin’s director of operations, told Boreal Community Media that the event “was a tremendous success” from their perspective. Bluefin doesn’t charge for the 15 vendors that came on Saturday, according to Frost, and they hope the local crafters and businesses experienced a boost in business right before the winter season. 

With excellent feedback from guests and support from Visit Cook County, Frost plans on continuing the festival into the future. Keep an eye out for information regarding next year’s event on Bluefin’s website.