Yes. There’s beer at Oktoberfest in Helen, Georgia. There’s plenty of beer to partake in, but this Oktoberfest destination is also oodles of fun for families, also. Helen is naturally beautiful. The city looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale. There’s even a store that pays respect to Hansel and Gretel. As I walked down the streets (which thankfully are not cobblestone) I heard a mother tell her delighted young son, “There’s Hansel and Gretel.”
Old Fashioned Fun for Oktoberfest
Helen doesn’t have to don decorations in homage of Oktoberfest. It’s an alpine city year-round. Nestled in the mountains, visitors will find homemade fudge, ice cream, and pretzels sold in the picturesque stores. Horses clop down the street, which is busy with SUVs, sedans, and tour buses. Yet, the horses pulling the carriages seem not to be bothered by all of the racket. The tourists in the carriages are delighted. A horse walked slowly and steadily in front of my rental car, and I learned another lesson in patience.
I walked past a little old man playing the drums on the sidewalk. A couple of bystanders were drawn to him and chatted with him. Another performer sung German songs under a shelter, and down the street yet another singer sung upbeat melodies on a stage. His audience members were ordering up all of the beer they could handle. Their voices were animated and jovial, festive. I’m not a beer drinker, but I thought about joining them for a hot minute. I didn’t, because there was so much more to see.
Festhalle Fun at Oktoberfest in Helen Georgia
The Chamber of Commerce building is the home of the Festhalle, an indoor venue with scheduled shows and plenty of singing, dancing and beer-drinking. ID’s are required to drink, but all ages are invited. There’s even a dance floor for the kiddies, and children under 6 can enter the for free. It’s half-price for kids who are 6 to 12. Admission is $8 Monday through Fridays. It’s $10 for adults on Saturdays, and it’s free to get in on Sundays. The Festhalle is open in the evenings, from 6 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. from Mondays thru Thursdays and 6 p.m. until midnight on Fridays, 1 p.m. until midnight on Saturdays and 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Sundays. There’s more information about the Festhalle in Helen, Georgia on this calendar.
During the daytime hours, I saw dozens of people walking. Many people had pets with them. Pets are allowed in an area of the Festhalle, I read, but you should ask the Oktoberfest organizers first, to be sure. I even saw a sign in front of one of the small restaurants on the main drag, which said that the restaurant accepts well-mannered leashed pets. Not all restaurants accept, pets, though. However, some of them have outdoor seating, so you’ll have a better chance getting those restaurants to accept your pets.
To take a break from the excitement, some visitors like to float down the Chattahoochee River to relax and cool off. Cool River Tubing is one of the popular companies for this activity. You’ll probably see a Cool Tubing bus going down the street during your visit. The water is calm and the breeze will feel great. It can get hot in Helen, even in the fall.