By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
Junction City Oktoberfest will be held Oct. 3 and 4th.
This will be the fifth year for the annual event that drew an estimated 20,000 people in 2024. Activities will include craft beer, food, entertainment and live music.
The event kicks off at 4 p.m. Friday Oct. 3 with the Tapping of the Keg in front of the main stage at 8th Washington. The Drunk Monkeys Band will perform Friday evening.
Co-Director Matt Hoover said that the Kids Zone will be expanded from past years. "So we are again going to have the train rides, the arts and crafts tent and inflatables. We are adding in an escape trailer." In the escape trailer there will be two themed escape rooms.
The Saturday lineup begins at 10 a.m. and continues until 10 p.m. The Kids Zone will run all day, dance companies will perform and the Junction City High School J-Steppers will also perform. There will be contests such as stein holding and stein carrying. The Circus Man will be present on both Friday and Saturday with 15-minute performances every 30 minutes. He will perform a one man act including fire shows, magic and stilts.
The Highwind Brewing Company, Aggieville Brewing Company and Manhattan Brewing Company will sell beer and there will be commemorative steins. Beer will be sold at 7th & Washington and at 8th & Washington.
Food items will range from brats and schnitzel to shaved ice for kids. There will be 13 vendors plus lemonade stands.
Hoover addressed the purpose of the celebration. "The reason we do it is to bring family and community together, have a great event that Junction City can be proud of, show off our downtown and Junction City is a great place to have an event."