COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — Beer drinkers will head to downtown Coeur d'Alene once again this weekend for the city's annual Oktoberfest celebration. The event this year, however, will look slightly different due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Like Oktoberfests of years past, event attendees are able to visit various downtown restaurants and stores to sample specialty beers and hard ciders. New in 2020, however, organizers have eliminated large gathering areas traditionally associated with the event and have subsequently added more participating businesses.
Traditionally, downtown's Oktoberfest would feature event tents on the lawn of the Coeur d'Alene Resort and at the corner of Second and Sherman.
Also new this year, the Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association reduced ticket sales by 80 percent due to coronavirus precautions.
Despite the changes, organizers have said the event is being well received and has already sold out.
"We have received a lot of excitement over the event and are so thankful to be able to hold something even if it is significantly smaller (and different) than in the past," said Downtown Association events coordinator Emily Boyd in an email to KREM.
Other precautions included the use of face masks by event staff and volunteers along with additional sanitary measures.
"It's Oktoberfest!" proclaimed RJ Rueber, owner of Calypsos coffee shop. The popular cafe is one of the new businesses that stepped up to the plate to serve as a tasting site for the event.
"Organizers are doing their part to make sure people are spread out, and limiting the number of tickets," said Rueber. "They're making sure that there's a certain number of people that are not crowding into each spot."
Calypsos was set to pour a hard cider for Oktoberfest attendees on Friday.
"It was always fun just stepping out, seeing people having a good time and hearing the live music playing," recalled Rueber of Oktoberfests past.
While the event was looking different this year, the coffee shop owner said Oktoberfest felt like somewhat of a return to normalcy for the Lake City.
"It does kind of feel like we're getting things back to where they used to be," he said. "Of course, it is different with everyone masking up and all that. But we're excited to see people coming in the shop and hanging out again."
According to the downtown association, funds raised by Oktoberfest go toward improvements and maintenance of the city's downtown corridor.
To learn more, visit the Downtown Coeur d'Alene website.