Alpen Cafe and Bakery brought traditional German cuisine to the Auburn area by hosting its first street party for Oktoberfest Saturday.
The restaurant is in historic downtown Opelika off Ninth Railroad Avenue.
It served up schnitzel and brats along with a boot full of beer for the patrons inside while entertaining people on the street with face painting, bobbing for apples and guessing the number of nuts in a boot.
"We opened three months ago, so this is our first chance to host an Oktoberfest event," said Nathan Park, restaurant manager. "The Alpen Cafe is a traditional German restaurant and bakery. We asked the city of Opelika to block off the street for Oktoberfest, but it was only on a small scale this year. We plan to host an even bigger event next year."
Oktoberfest is an authentic celebration that is celebrated in Germany and around the world.
It began Oct. 18, 1810, as a wedding celebration for Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxehildburghausen, and they invited all of Munich to attend, an unprecedented occurrence.
Approximately 40,000 people attended the first Oktoberfest and now 10 million people celebrate it annually.
"I wore a traditional lady's tunic and a flower headdress to commemorate the event, while the men wear lederhosen," said Elif Ozgormus, a student in industrial engineering. "I celebrate Oktoberfest every year, because of my family's German heritage."
Auburn University German club came out to participate in the festivities.
"The German club celebrates Oktoberfest together every year, even though it has been small celebrations in the past," said Richie Rizvan, German club president. "This year was new, due to the recent opening of Alpen Cafe and Bakery. We felt it would be a great way to celebrate, because of the restaurant's theme and German emphasis."
The German club promotes activities as an outlet for Germans and German language enthusiasts in the Auburn area to have a place to connect socially and strengthen their language skills.
The German club's main activity is Stammtisch, or a round discussion, at the Ole Auburn Ale House two Thursdays a month.
They are in the process of planning more activities outside the University like Oktoberfest and promoting the club's presence in the Auburn area for future foreign language learners.
"My favorite part of Oktoberfest is the feeling of camaraderie you feel when celebrating with other people, especially other Germans," Rizvan said. "It is a fun time when you can eat, drink, listen to music and enjoy the company of others. Oktoberfest is also about a sense of tradition, and in carrying on that tradition, you really feel as though you are doing something special."
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