The Cleveland Oktoberfest would like to thank all those who came out in 2009, a year where we saw a dramatic increase in attendance as we continue to grow the Oktoberfest into a world class event. Similar to our gate figures, we also saw a near doubling in the number of registrants for our Cleveland Labor Day Oktoberfest Bier Run, from 230 for 495!

Congratulations to Timothy Budic and Kelly Staruch, who had the best overall male and female times in the Oktoberfest 5K Bier Run. To view a comprehensive list of all winners and overall results, click here. To view pics from the race, click here.

Congratulations as well to Fat Heads Brewery for winning Judge's Choice for Best Microbrew, as well as to Gordon Biersch and Brew Kettle for coming in second and third respectively. The winners of the People's Choice awards went to Goose Island of Chicago on Friday night, Ohio Brewing Company on Saturday night, and Ohio Brewing Company again on Sunday night.

The winner of Hofbrau's Masskrugstemmen (Bavarian Strong Man/Woman Contest) was Doug Marxen of Cleveland. Whether by coincidence or divine providence, note that if you reorder the letters of Doug's name, you get Don-a-Rex Mug (Rex=King in Latin) or Mug No X Dare. You be the judge, but it just seems so obvious when you really look at it for a very long time. Doug got to keep his one liter mug, and additionally, he and a guest will get to enjoy a free night out for two at the Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh, including free hotel accomodations, and two tickets to a Browns home game. Not bad for doing what pretty much everyone else was doing anyway (holding a beer).

A special thanks to Johnsonville Brats, Sugardale, and Hofbrau for sponsoring the Oktoberfest. Without your support, we wouldn't be able to offer the wide array of entertainment options that we make available to Oktoberfest patrons. Lastly, thanks to Scene Magazine for voting the Labor Day Oktoberfest as the Best Annual Festival at the Berea Fairgrounds.