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Grab your lederhosen and your favorite drinking mug, Arkansas’s most popular brewing company is bringing a slice of Oktoberfest this Saturday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The festival is a part of Rapp’s Barren Brewing Company’s five-year anniversary celebration of brewing their famous beers in Mountain Home. The brewing company will also be hosting a Happy Ale-Versary event starting at 11 a.m.
“It’s a family oriented festival, there will be a kid’s zone set up with a few different activities,” said Russell Tucker, co-owner and founding member of Rapp’s Barren Brewing Company.
Rapp’s Barren will kick off the day with its Happy Ale-Versary event at 11 a.m. The event will feature live music from The Natural State Band at 7 p.m. and will feature various giveaways throughout the day.
Since its inception five years ago by Russell Tucker, Chris Gordon, and Kyle Swallow, Rapp’s Barren has partnered with 19 different businesses through its “Tap into Local Business” series. The popular brewing company has also hosted 520 local music performances and has created a total of 65 craft beverages since it first opened its doors.
The brewery currently provides 40 jobs to local workers in Mountain Home.
“It’s hard to believe, but Saturday, September 17th marks our 5th year of business,” said the company in its anniversary celebration announcement. “So much has happened in that short amount of time and it’s all because of your gift of love and support.”
Saturday’s ARktoberfest kicks off with a Beer Mile run at 2:30 p.m. The beer run starts with contestants drinking a beer before beginning a run along a one mile course in downtown Mountain Home. Contestants will stop at each quarter mile to drink another beer.
The run will be followed up with a barrel race around a track, a sausage throwing competition and a pretzel eating competition. For those children attending the festival, they can expect to have fun with painting, blow up animals, and a “The Floor is Lava” obstacle course.
Food for the festival will be provided by Heart of the Ozarks BBQ & Sweets and At The Curb Food Truck & Catering. A live polka band will be playing music throughout the festival.
“You’ll have a whiskey barrel or a wine barrel, and you’ll lay inside of it, and we actually roll that on the side around a course like that,” Tucker said. “One of the other food booths that we have set up, is a pretzel eating competition, where they can see who can eat the most pretzels in a minute.”
Following the events of the day, ARktoberfest will kick off its main event, the Masskrugstemmen or Stein Holding Championship, at 6 p.m.
Masskrugstemmen is a German tradition in which competitors face off against each other by seeing who can hold up a liter of beer the longest. Both the stein and the beer weigh around 5 pounds together.
The beer is to be held in one arm, right or left, in a stretched out position in front of the body. The arm must be parallel to the floor. The stein must be held by the handle loop. Contestants cannot wrap their hand through the handle.
During the competition, the contestants will face each other as they hold their beer filled steins. They cannot switch arms, nor can they use grip powders, tars, or braces for support.
Contestants who participate in the Masskrugstemmen will receive a commemorative stein, and a free beer.
“Another station that we’ll have is the Stein Holding competition,” Tucker said. “You’ll fill the stein up with liquid and you’ll hold that up. If you want to compete in our mainstage Stein Holding competition, that will be filled with actual beer, and it will be a traditional, full blown competition.”
All proceeds from Saturday’s ARktoberfest will go to Mountain Home Backpack Food 4 Kids, an organization that provides our community’s food insecure youth with meals at home.
Tucker said he would like to raise $10,000, if possible, through donations. Ticket information to ARktoberfest can be found below. A link to purchase tickets can be found here.
WHEN:
Saturday September 17, 2022, from 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at Rapp’s Barren Brewing Company in downtown Mountain Home
WHO:
All ages welcome! Must be 21+ to participate in Beer Festival
PRICE:
- Ages 11 Under: Free Game Wristband
- Ages 12+ Game Wristband: Donation (unlimited game play and access to Kids Zone)
- Ages 21+ Beer Festival Wristband: $40
- Ages 21+ Beer Mile Only Including Participant T-shirt: $25 – Beer Mile Registration Here
- Ages 21+ Stein Holding Championship: $20 (Includes1 Liter Stein and Beer Fill )
- Ages 21+ All Inclusive Bundle Package: $75 (Bundle and Save $10)
21+ ticket participants will be required to show a valid ID at check in
BEER FESTIVAL WRISTBAND INCLUDES:
- Commemorative Taster Cup
- Bottomless beer fills from all vendors
- Pretzel Necklace
- Unlimited Game Play
ALL INCLUSIVE BUNDLE WRISTBAND INCLUDES:
- Beer Festival Wristband and all that is included
- **Beer Mile Race and Participant T-shirt (must fill out race registration form, see instructions below)
- Official Stein Hoist Championship at 6pm – Including your own commemorative glass stein with beer fill
**Once your bundle ticket is purchased, you will receive an email with instructions on how to formally register for the race. This will include a promo code to register without any additional registration fees. You must register for the race in order to participate. Please allow 24 hours for the email. If you do not receive your email, reach out to [email protected].
All tickets must be presented at event check-in where you will receive your wristbands.
No refunds, ARktoberfest is a rain or shine event!
