Oktoberfest

Ah, Oktoberfest. It took over a couple blocks of Larimer Street in downtown Denver these past 2 weekends, as people drank and ate and ate and drank as much as they could under sunny skies.













Of course we had to check out the stein hoisting competition, where contestants hold out 2 full steins of beer straight out in front of them for as long as they can. You can't spill any beer, lean back or bend your elbows or you'll be out.Winners of the qualifying heats throughout the day got to compete in the final, where the winner won a trip to Oktoberfest in Boston (I think that was the prize. I may have been tipsy when they explained the contest.) In the qualifying heat we saw, the guy in the middle with the black shirt was entertaining, speaking to the crowd and whatnot as he held his steins aloft for 10 straight minutes! Impressive.








Also this past Saturday, some friends entered the bratwurst eating contest, where they had 8 minutes to stuff as many brats as they could into their faces and swallow. The top 3 amateurs won money they could donate to a charity of their choice. A pro eater ("Big Sexy") also competed, but just to entertain the crowd. He ate 23 brats in 8 minutes, and oh my goodness, it was disgusting! His technique involved drinking and stuffing food in his mouth alternately. It all happened so fast that there were bits of brats flying from his mouth, down onto his shirt, along with liquid. Joe (light blue shirt, second from left) took off his glasses to eat. Peter (ponytail, far right) looked like he was in pain the whole time, but ...






Peter somehow managed to eat 18 brats in 8 minutes and get in the money! He won $500 for Aurora Rise, then got to sit back in the VIP tent and get drunk and eat even more weiners for the rest of the afternoon. The top amateur won $1, 000 that he donated to Denver Rescue Mission.