Jacktoberfest, poolside this Saturday at Sunset Station, is starting its own tradition of festive fun.

Jacktoberfest, to be held this Saturday (October 3) poolside at the beautiful Sunset Station Hotel & Casino in Henderson, Nev., has none of the history but all the festivity of the real Oktoberfest, which concludes Sunday in Germany. So while the two events may seem antithetical (that means opposites), here’s a quick light-hearted comparison that proves that ingenuity can, in some cases, makes up for a lack of tradition.

• Oktoberfest – the original one in Munich – is in its 176th year, lasts 16 days and draws some six million visitors annually. Jacktoberfest is a little newer (in its second consecutive year), just the right length (one spectacular day), and last year was packed with a few thousand party people.
• Oktoberfest has a bunch of beers you can’t pronounce, like Armbrustschützenzelt, served in big heavy steins. (Actually, that doesn’t sound too bad.) Jacktoberfest will have more than 30 types of beers, including a few you also can’t pronounce like Weihenstephaner Herfe Weissbeer to along with Budweiser, Pabst Blue Ribbon and more. One of the highlights of this year’s Jacktoberfest is sure to be the Hooters Bikini Girl Beer-Chugging Contest. Budweiser and Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada are also two of the event’s sponsors.
• Oktoberfest has tasty Würstel and those big pretzels. Jacktoberfest has Hooters!
• Oktoberfest has charming traditional folk music, marches and polkas for that classic OOM-PAH sound. Jacktoberfest will have four kick-ass bands: The King Mixers, Hair Nation, Nawgahyde and Sin City Sinners. Jack FM 100.5 is also one of the sponsors (Jacktoberfest, get it?) and sure to keep the party upbeat.
• Oktoberfest attendees don dirndls, lederhosen and those dashing alpine hats like in The Sound of Music. So do Jacktoberfest attendees. What’s more, the winner of Jacktoberfest’s sexiest costume contest will get $500.
• According to the Munich Oktoberfest’s official website (www.oktoberfest.de), in the early years the festival ended with a dramatic horse race. Jacktoberfest will have wiener dog races (that’s right, those cute long dogs with short legs).

“Although it’s not quite as big as the original Oktoberfest and only one day, Jacktoberfest drew a crowd of nearly 2,000 out-of-towners and locals last year,” said Sunset Station Marketing Manager Nathan J. Sorenson, who will temporarily proclaim German heritage during the five hours, from 3pm – 8pm, of Jacktoberfest. “Being the ‘City of Entertainment,’ we felt it necessary to throw a party for what has been the largest fair in the world, Oktoberfest. We just put our spin on the festival with what we feel appeals to the people of Las Vegas.”

So, in conclusion, Oktoberfest and Jacktoberfest are both splendid events. It’s just that one is half way across the globe in some place called Bavaria while Jacktoberfest is right in your neighborhood.

Hope to see you at Jacktoberfest!

More Jacktoberfest information