Oktoberfest Organizers Breathe Sigh of Relief After Dodging Rain

David Smyle and Richard Felix were sweating bullets Thursday night. The lightning storm threatened to undo Oktoberfest, the biggest event of the year for their partner groups—the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce and the La Mesa Village Merchants Association.

The annual street fair, which concluded Sunday untouched by rain, is by far the biggest fundraiser for the business groups, say event organizers.

Its revenues subsidize money-losing events in The Village, including the Back to the '50s and '60s Car Show and Christmas in the Village, said Felix, who has coordinated Oktoberfest for the merchants association for a dozen years (and whose father helped found the event in the early 1970s, when it was centered at Palm Avenue and La Mesa Boulevard).

"Thursday night made be sweat, where you have that cloud waiting over your head—literally," Felix said. "And your markings [chalk numbers indicating where  vendors would set up booths] are being washed away." Smyle said plans for a 20-by-24-foot wooden dance floor at the main beer garden were yanked.

Deena While, a director of the merchants association, said it looked "very bleak"   Thursday night.  

"The booth sales were slow this year because of the economy," she said, "and the last of the booths didn't sell out until the 113-degree temperatures of last week—that's when vendors were feeling confident that we'd have great Oktoberfest."

"What a beautiful weekend we had! A little muggy, but great, great weather."

Friday's opening day dawned foggy but otherwise dry. Booths went up as usual—including more than two dozen under chamber auspices and 350 via the merchants association.

"I had the pleasure of sitting outside [my] store frequently with local authors who were signing books," said While, who operates Readers Inc. bookstore. "We enjoyed people-watching. The crowds were large, everyone was carrying shopping bags, enjoying the tasty treats up and down the boulevard.  

"Reports are coming in that the merchants had a good weekend. I'm waiting to hear about the vendors' success."

Smyle, a commercial mortgage broker wrapping up his term as chamber treasurer, wouldn't reveal how much money the main beer garden brought in. Smyle suggested the event's success was measured in smiles.

"The city was happy with us, the vendors were happy with us, and the businesses and community were happy with us," Smyle said. "If we [had gotten] complaints from anyone, none of [the revenues] would matter," since they wouldn't be allowed to "put it on next year."

"If we have any fights or accidents in the [Allison Avenue] beer garden, that's a reflection on us as organizers," said Smyle, whose business coordinated the event even though he acted as a volunteer.

In fact, La Mesa Police Chief Al Lanning confirmed that only a handful of arrests—for public drunkenness—were made Friday and Saturday. No arrests were made Sunday, the shortest day of Oktoberfest, ending at 6 p.m., he said.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Lanning said Monday. He said a few disturbance calls were answered and an after-event report will analyze how things went over the three-day beerfest.

No doubt Karl Strauss Brewing Co. did well.

The San Diego brewery "blew through 150 kegs" at Oktoberfest, said Melody Daversa, a spokeswoman for Karl Strauss. "They were in 14-ounce cups, so that means we went through more than 20,500 servings of beer!"

The Village merchants group, nearly 100 members strong, and the 3-year-old Chamber of Commerce, with more than 250 members, rely on Oktoberfest revenues to carry them, organizers said.

"This is the only [Village] event that makes money," Felix said, referring to booth rentals and other income. He called Oktoberfest the "backbone" of merchants association finances.

Smyle said this would be his last year as the chamber's coordinator of the beer garden, acting as a logistics chief at a two-thirds discount from what a commercial organizer would charge.

"I've done my part," he said. "Most people would agree I went above and beyond."

For Felix's part, proof came in Sunday night's appearance of La Mesa Boulevard, the main artery for Oktoberfest.

"One thing we pride ourselves on [is when] we returned the street to the city, it was cleaner than when we received it," Felix said.

Felix also reacted to the Union-Tribune's online poll asking: Which city has the best Oktoberfest?  The options included La Mesa, El Cajon and "This is a trick question. Both are great."

Felix said he got a chuckle out of the premise—that the neighboring towns have rival Oktoberfests.

"No real rivalry," Felix said. "It's all about helping your community; let's have some fun. There's enough for everybody."