Oktober in the Square

The 200,000 people who descended on Harvard Square this Sunday for the 29th annual celebration of Oktoberfest were greeted by a strange sight: 300 feet of red pleather.

That attraction—the world’s longest couch, which was featured on Church Street—was just one of the many draws at Cambridge’s most recent rendition of the 200 year-old Bavarian tradition.

But while the Cambridge organizers imported the name from Munich’s storied event, they didn’t necessarily import the spirit: unlike Bavaria’s legions of inebriated revelers, Harvard Square was filled more with young families. Indeed, the Square’s streets were lined with booths hosted by the likes of Amnesty International.

“They actually recruited me here last year,” said Helen Morgan, a volunteer with Amnesty’s local chapter.

A giant hot air balloon floated above Cambridge Common, offering rides to people who donated to charities such as the Cambridge Housing Assistance Fund and Our Place Child Care Program.

“This is exactly what Cambridge has to offer,” said Andrew J. Vlock, a Cambridge resident who went on a balloon ride. “Lots of liberal hippies running around, enjoying themselves, caring about what they care about—whether it’s protecting the environment, picking apples, or helping alleviate homelessness.”

But while Cambridge’s Oktoberfest had its differences from Bavaria’s, the organizers gave at least a nod to the event’s German origin. Two sections were cordoned off as “Beer Gardens”—each occupied by employees from Charlie’s Beer Garden and Grafton Street—where people could enjoy two staples of the archetypal Oktoberfest: a beer and a brat.

Vic C. Mahillon, a resident of Brighton, said that he enjoyed the authentic German food served at a beer-garden booth set up by Charlie’s along Mt. Auburn Street.

“The outside is tight and crisp, the inside is soft and juicy—one bite and your mouth explodes [with] German flavor,” Mahillon said while chowing down a bratwurst. “I went to Germany in 2006 for the [World Cup] and this is exactly what I got—it’s really authentic.”

Consumption of alcohol was limited to these two areas, which drew criticism from some attendees.

“It’s sad that unlike in France or Germany we can’t just sit outside here with a beer in hand without being asked to be in a cage,” said Sarah Winawer-Wetzel, who lives in Porter Square.

But she said she was still happy to be at the festival. “I’m drinking beer in the afternoon sunshine with good friends—it’s awesome.”

The other beer garden, sponsored by Grafton, featured beer and chili, with all proceeds being donated to Help for Abused Women and their Children, an organization based in Salem, Mass.

“We all came in on our day off,” said Lauren J. Bonaventura, a Grafton employee. “We’re not getting any money or tips. We’re just here to have a good time, and [to] work for a good cause.”

In addition to the food and drink—as well as the more charitable-minded work—Oktoberfest also featured a musical selection, including simultaneous performances from six stages across the Square.

The Mass. Ave. main stage offered performances by rock bands, a hip-hop funk band and an alternative, psychedelic marching band from Portland. Club Passim showcased the club’s newest discoveries of singer-songwriters, while the Holyoke Center stage offered passers-by live jazz. Tthe HONK! Festival Parade, which ran from Davis Square to Harvard, featured 24 street bands hailing from across the country as well as Canada and Italy.

Student musical groups—including the Malcolm Campbell Quartet and the Harvard Jazz Collective—also played on the Holyoke stage.

“Harvard Square people are definitely the kind of people that appreciate jazz,” said pianist Malcolm G. Campbell ’10.

Harvard students said that they found live music an “overwhelmingly” attractive pull.

“I’m tired but exhilarated,” said Christopher S. H. Paik ’09. “It’s Octoberfest—Rocktoberfest.”

—Staff Writer Bora Fezga can be reached at bfezga@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff Writer Hee Kwon Seo can be reached at hkseo@fas.harvard.edu.