After much debate, the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors voted this week to cancel the Great Northwest Oktoberfest for the second year in a row. The 11th annual celebration was set for the weekends of Sept. 25 and Oct. 2.
According to a post on the Chamber’s Facebook page, board members cited rising COVID-19 hospitalizations rates in the county as a major concern, as well as the restrictions placed on the event by the city of Whitefish.
“In order to comply with the condition of our Special Event Permit, we’d have to cut event attendance by more than 60%,” said Chamber director Kevin Gartland. “That’s not economically feasible.”
The Chamber did add that while the main event is off this year, members of the Oktoberfest Committee are working with local businesses to keep the spirit of the festival alive in some format, potentially with specific events such as stein-holding and polka dancing getting farmed out to various bars and restaurants.
The Chamber will release more details as they come together, but is already planning for next year’s Oktoberfest Sept. 29-Oct. 8, 2022.
The Whitefish Legacy Foundation, which puts on a 50k mountain ultra, half marathon, 10k and 5k in conjunction with the Oktoberfest, has said that as of now, all races are still going forward with an in-person format. To register or learn more, visit the Whitefish Trail Legacy Run website.