Had a great time at Oktoberfest. Parking was easy enough since we got there early, it was right by the door although when we left we did see that they were using trams to bring people in and out. I had the amber ale in a stein and the ale was really good. When I went up to order our first round of beers I wanted to see if I could taste the blonde but the gal said that she was not allowed to sample. I didn't want to order a stein full of beer I didn't like so I stayed with something I knew I would be able to drink. This was at the south end of the main building but I think the beer stands are independently owned; but I am not positive on that. There were some other food vendors like the Cathy's cookies [which are awesome, Wetzel Pretzel and an independent pretzel that was in one of the beer stands. It was not good but Wetzel and Cathy's were both awesome. Be prepared to hear the Chicken Dance often. It actually was fun to watch, especially the progression as more beer was consumed. They had some pretty cool events like a women's beer chugging contest, the men came later, a horn blowing contest and beer holding contest and oh yeah, more Chicken Dances and Polkas. First time here but hopefully, it won't be the last. read more

Oktoberfest at Fairplex - Let's get this started! - Festivals Near Me - Pomona, California

Probably the worst Oktoberfest that I've ever been to. I thought it was going to be really big because it was at Fairplex, but they were actually sharing the venue with another event. There were food vendors and a couple fair activities. The best thing to do was watch the entertainment, but even that was not great. Nothing was very traditional, which I was disappointed about. The food was very overpriced and not good. I was extremely disappointed by the pretzel with cheese. The cheese was flavorless and had the texture of Kraft mac & cheese cheese. Overall, I would not recommend this festival and I would not come back again. read more

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Signs at night are not prominent on where to park, you want to navigate to gate 17. Card only for parking and tickets at venue if you haven't already purchased online. It's a few dollars cheaper online compared to day of. They check ID and have bag check up front for saftey. Dressing up is not mandatory but adds to the atmosphere. Drinks range from $17-$25 for beer depending on if you want a cup or souvenir plastic stein. There venue is both indoor and out, so if you're outside wear layers like a thin flannel or cardigan. There are plenty of beer and food booths so lines go fast. I really like the outdoor stage where polka band lead by Festmeister Hans played a variety of oldies and modern hits with a polka twist. I feel like it's a welcoming environment, like how everyone on St. Patty's day can participate in drinking although not of Irish decent... everyone can drink together although not of German decent. Getting a giant pretzel with cheese sauce and a bratwurst with sauerkraut is almost as mandatory as the beer just expect to pay a premium price. It's something to do for the fall and and good for groups, just go early if you want a seat at a table. read more

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Yo! October fest? More like cholo fest at Santa Fe springs swapmeet ! The freaks come out at night at and Airplane to the German accordion.... It was lit! All of Aiden's moms where there, the primo that just got out, and that couple wearing matching raider jerseys. Food was premade and wrapped like cafeteria and cost way too much for no reason, beer selection was whatever, but it was cold ..In all was a desmadre, and would be down to go back again. read more

This was out second time visiting Oktoberfest in the past 8 yrs. And this year was less than stellar! There beer choices are few and if your in the mood to see a bunch of drunk degenerates. This is right up your alley, needless to say we won't be going back in the future. read more

My friends were not allowed back into Oktoberfest fest once they left for the "Lights Out" event. There was still about 1 hour left for Oktoberfest to be over. I hope next year this rule can be changed. read more

Awesome event! Biggest Oktoberfest! Thousands of people each day. What a party!! Live entertainment, dance club and authentic bavarian food! All Oktober! read more

Please- disregard all the negative reviews. This is held at the Fairplex, simply expect to pay parking and fair type prices. Yes, a big beer was $22, BUT it was a fun vibe and crowd. We LOVED the No Doubt cover band, No Duh. The lead singer totally channeled her inner Gwen and put on a super energetic and fun show! We prepaid tickets and parking- made things flowich smoother and we weren't the o es that held up the lines haha The beer selection was ok- we were hoping for a far bigger selection- but all in all we got what we paid for, had a blast and will be going back next year. read more

The car show that was a part of the Oktoberfest had a total of two (2) cars. I was shocked. How can they call this car show. Next, the beers in steins were $25, and another $17 for only a partial refill. There was not enough to do, and the Oktoberfest show in the hall was boring. Save your money. read more

terrible security. power tripping per usual. there's a way you should be talking to the people!!!! i'm drunk but not that drunk mf read more

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October 19, 2013 After a long day at the beach in Venice, my bf and his friends were ready to get their drink on at the fest. Me, how has never been to one, was excited to see what's in store. Most importantly, all I care about was the food. We got there at 9:10pm and left at about a few minutes past midnight. Once we got there, we paid the $10 parking fee, hiked all the way up to the tram, and rode it for a mere fifteen seconds to the entrance. At the entrance, this is the part I was pissed at....was that apparently, you have to get your ticket at another line in order to get into the line to get in. What? Where is that sign that says that...I would have thought that the long line was for the tickets and to get in. Well, anyways. Don't want to ruin my first experience too early in the night. After we got in, we had to stand in another line for our beer. I'm not a beer person, but since i'm participating in this event, mind as well do it. So, stood in line for about 10-12 minutes with only six people ahead of me, I had to decide what beer I wanted. I'm not going for the Orange beer just because it's orange flavored. So, I ended up with the Oktoberfest beer. Beer was cold, but chilled to crisp perfection, but oh well. The first beer cost me a pretty $20, but I got two, so It cost me a pretty $40. Now, I don't know how to drink beer, but i'm pretty sure you don't drink the foam. I didn't know how to get rid of it, so I blew the foam to the sides, but ended up drinking it anyway. As we got our beers, I, yes I, proceeded to the food line! Yes my YELPERS, i'm doing this for you and for my tummy. I ordered the Bratwurst and it was magnificent. It was as if the heavens had lifted my tummy spirits and GOBBLED the dang thing down in a matter of minutes. The bread was thick as heck. The meat was small becuase on my first massive bite, I didn't get a sliver of the meat in my mouth. SAD. But the grilled veggies were awesome. And, my yelpers, don't drink and drive! read more

Oktoberfest at Fairplex - Bratwurst - Festivals Near Me - Pomona, California

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Cool event! Was worth the cover charge and the food/beer were delicious! Will definitely come back with the familia.

My girlfriend and I had been seeing a ton of content from Oktoberfest on social media. For some reason we just assumed this was the only Oktoberfest in the greater Los Angeles area. We were wrong and we think we might of stumbled upon the least enticing of all. We showed up a litttle early. Right at the get go they get you for Parking at $15 dollars. And cover is a near $10 Right around 8:30. The entrance leads to the first room that is very well lit with a ton of benches lined up and a huge stage for a band. There is two bars inside that both have the same 3 beers. The beers are priced at $22 for a beer and (plastic) and $12 dollars a refill. They had a lager, a hefe, and and Oktoberfest option. Thy also also offer Stella wine single bottles for $10 The next room is the "nightclub" all I have to say is that the second I stepped in that room I felt like it was my highchool homecoming dance all over again. The playlist matched as well. Lastly they have some tables with food trucks lined up outside. And another live band playing outside. Maybe it's just not what we were expecting but the two of us were headed home around 10:00 read more

Oktoberfest at Fairplex - Plastic steins - Festivals Near Me - Pomona, California

Half ass garbage. Terrible band, no games,no German food, boring waste of money. Do not go

I've attended this event for 3 years in a row. This event is beyond fun. The selection of Octoberfest beers are great and most importantly taste great. What puts this event far above the other Octoberfest locations is that this venue offers live cover band music. So if you're not into polka music walk outside and listen to the rock cover bands or the indoor type of club music dance floor now being offered. This venue has something for everyone. I do highly recommend you bring a designated driver or Uber just to be on the safe side, the beers are strong and will sneak up on you especially if you take down some Jager shots! read more

Oktoberfest at Fairplex - Festivals Near Me - Pomona, California

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Waste of money completely not one German food place and WAY overpriced parking. It would have been cheaper and more fun to buy beer at a liquor store and hang out in a parking lot with strangers. Do not waste your money it is a HUGE failure as far as fun or value. What a joke!!! A fee to get in and a fee to park to get beer and horrible entertainment. read more

As a beer aficionado I love me a good beer festival...whether it be an Oktoberfest or an event held in park/hangar/fairground I know I'll enjoy it if I plan it accordingly. This being said I know I'm going to enjoy myself if I do things right...and beer festivals are never cheap so I knew I was going to spend a pretty penny. Bought me the groupon for $32...redeemed it online...printed out my 4 vouchers (2 for entrance, 2 for stein & 32 oz beer combo) since it was my first time attending I went on the website and I knew that there'd be no stein refills...common sense also dictated that the steins would be plastic because...come on...glass & crowds of drinkers is rarely...if ever a good idea. Parking was $15 common sense also dictated that events held in fairgrounds rarely accepted debit/credit cards so I had cash money on hand. Now the general consensus of all the negative review is that people showed up late and were upset over the crowds, long lines, and beer getting cut off...I showed up at 5:30 (cause my beer drinking was not about to be ruined by the crowds of ruffians) I redeemed my vouchers with no problem since there was a short line....my printout sucked but the guy scanning them just ushered my group in and requested he keep the print outs. After redeeming the stein/beer vouchers you get orange tickets to turn in at any of the many beer stations...which had very short lines ....again because I got there early... The hall had a traditional polka band playing and seating was plentiful...I strategically seated myself right in front of a beer station. I wasn't in the mood for traditional "German"food...so king taco it was. Security was plentiful...come 9pm the place was packed...lines were long but I was already 4 32oz beers deep and glad I had found seating early in the night because it was packed everywhere... Moral of the story...it's expensive...so drink 2 or 3 before you get there (responsibly of course) be prepared to spend money, and most importantly...get there early!!! read more

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Beer drinkers rejoice! The Fairplex Oktoberfest is here! This event is from Friday to Sunday during the last few weeks of October. Friday and Saturday is only for 21+ and on Sunday you can bring the kids. The price is fairly reasonable: $10 parking $5 admission $20 for 32oz plastic stein and first fill $13 for refills ~$8 for sausages ~$7 for a large pretzel The venue is separated into two sections. The tent/mess hall is meant to be more like a traditional Oktoberfest. There are long tables (like in Harry Potter :p), a German band, and beer chugging contests. Outside is an Americanized Oktoberfest. There is a cover band playing, carnival games, and food. The food is average at best. I ordered the bratwurst on a pretzel bun and a large soft pretzel. The bratwurst was really good, it was warm, juicy and filled with spices. The bun and "soft" pretzel on the other hand were horrible. There was no flavor whatsoever and it was stiff and cold. The organizers of the Fairplex Oktoberfest is just asking for trouble. There is no water available so people can't even sober up. To add fuel to the fire, they also serve Jägermeister shots! The crowd really kept to themselves so you don't get to experience what you see in the movies. I must say I was disappointed, but overall I had fun! Definitely will be back next year! read more

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A good change of pace from the bar scene, Oktoberfest provides a diversity of thrills if you're looking for a drink. Try to plan ahead and buy the groupon. The $39 groupon covers admission and a 32 oz stein for 2 (a savings of $25). Not trying to advertise, but that's a great deal, especially since admission is $10 and it's $15 for parking. It's not the best place to try craft beers. Options are pretty limited and expensive, and you can find plenty of other bars that have tastier options. They do accept credit card for admission and beer sales, which is a plus. Came here on a Saturday night at 7:30pm. The Dodger game was going on, so the lines weren't that long. The place did get crowded after the Cubs hit a grand slam. Bummer, but at least it was more festive afterwards. There were multiple events going on at Oktoberfest which kept everyone entertained. The main room consists of long tables and Oktoberfest festivities. Try to buy your beer outside of the main room, because the lines are much shorter outside and you're getting the same thing. There aren't many options on tap, but I advise skipping out on the Spaten. It provides a really bitter, unpleasant aftertaste (not the good kind like an IPA). The Hefe wasn't that great either, but it was much better than the Spaten. They also only give you two size options; $22 for a 32 oz beer stein or $12 for 24oz of bud light. Other attractions included a live band, a dance floor, and carnival games! Something about carnival games gets me enthused, even though they're a complete scam. There were about 5 games at the fairplex (expect the ones that hardly anyone is expected to win). The dance floor played plenty of old hip hop songs, which had me reminiscing about my days in high school. Definitely need to bring a large group to the dance floor. Didn't see too many new groups mingling with others. I recommend going to this place for a date or with a group of friends. It's a nice change of pace if you want to go to a weekend event, but I don't think I'll be coming back in the following years. read more

Horrible. Absolute trash. Don't waste your time people. Steins are expensive af paying 20 bucks for a full stein that you can keep but who cares honestly cause its a cheap plastic stein not that much significance to it. The lines are long af and you would think at a oktoberfest there would be plenty of beer and stands to go around but every damn stand is packed to the max. The food is actually reasonably priced but its not great and very gimmicky. The wait for the food is ridiculous because they dont have a great system for picking up your order. They just yell your number and you can't hear anything because there is line forming for the pickup station so people in the back won't hear shit or are too drunk to pay attention so the line just piles up. They should just give you the food right after you order because the food doesn't take that long. Its just cheap beer food that only tastes good cause you're drunk. Shit is actually fucking horrible. The place is packed with drunks. The beer is regular beer you can get anywhere and they even have king taco here. Like wtf? Its honestly a joke at how "german-y" they try to make it with the music and the dressed up people but honestly its pure poverty. Shit is whack. Dunno why I even went. read more

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Omg so fun!! I don't understand the 3 Stars!! I really had so much fun maybe it was my low expectations but really all the beers were bomb!! I spent 170 dollars for 4 people food and drinks. Pretty affordable! I highly recommend this experience. The band was pretty good too for 5 dollar admission. Honestly, everyone here is just looking for fun!! Super safe. There's like so much cops everywhere but it's like who cares!! Cos the cops are pretty chill as long as you're not trying to make trouble! I really had fun. Hands down! People gotta go here read more

Oktoberfest at Fairplex - Orange wheat and lager! - Festivals Near Me - Pomona, California

This place is hilarious! They have the biggest beer mugs known to man kind... $20 for the souviner cup.. the band was great.. they have drinking competitions...some older men can REALLY CHUG! I didnt get to try the food.. but it looked good, especially after a couple of brews. Overall it is a lot of fun just get hammered with your friends and do the YMCA the band plays the most random songs but its hilarious good place to come and pre party ... read more

Oktoberfest at Fairplex - Festivals Near Me - Pomona, California

My boyfriend and I attended Oktoberfest this past weekend and I have to say that I would probably, more than likely will never go back. I felt that everything was overly priced, let's begin with the parking fee a mere $15.00 when the complex is big enough to store thousands of vehicles. The entrance fee was a mere $10 per person (ordered online). The extra large beer with a complimentary oversized plastic beer mug was $22 and the smaller version of your throw away cup was $12.00. The food selection was scarce as I was hoping to eat "Real" authentic German food. We had German sausage, each for $9.00 which was overpowered with an oversized hotdog bun. The selection of souvenirs was mostly for small children, which included German hats for both girls and boys. There was a room with a DJ so you kinda felt you were back in a high school setting, like a gym at a high school dance. Our stay at the festival was short, sweet, and expensive! read more

I was going there several years before covid, now it's a $22.00 entrance and $15.00 to park?? Are you out of your f'n minds??? Cabn;t even guess what the beers will be.! read more

I understand that this was in pomona but i had higher expectations considering they host the l.a. county fair. Nah, it kind of had a l.a. county fair feel to it but on the smallest of scales. There were sone people in German attire abd a band playing inside what seemed to just be a large cafeteria. I saw someone said there were carnival games but i did not see that. I would suggest trying a different October fest because this one just did not satisfy. Please be advised also that it was 15 just to park and 5 bucks to enter facility. You mean it cost more to park my car than just get in...no thanks,never again. I was going to give it 2 stars because of the food but as i re-read my review it got me more upset. read more

It's located at the Pomona fair ground. Parking was easy. Well my impression of this event has changed. The entire staff was very very nice & welcoming. Most people attending were young. There were 3 music sections, 1) the German, 2) Rolling Stones impersonators, and 3) dj dance area, which was the most crowded & fun. Lots of beer concessions, fair type games & concession stands to buy Viking hats & wigs & food. King taco was open. Overall it was a fun evening, everyone was just drinking & having a good time together. read more

Oktoberfest at Fairplex - Ok..someone dropped this hat & it found its way onto my head.. - Festivals Near Me - Pomona, California

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I have to say this is my new way to do it. if they have it again next year. they had 12-16 different type of beers. 5.00 bucks to get in. (not 20 to get into Alpine Village parking 9.00 a short walk and plenty of space. ( no issue finding parking and taking 30-45 mins to find one space like in Alpine Village) they take credit cards everywhere. (for those of you who dont like to carry cash.) they had beer pong tables everywhere. carnival games, even bon fires to keep you warm. they had the band that normally plays in alpine village. great times hope they do it again next year. beers were 12.00 for 24oz and 8 for 16 oz so same price weather its small or large. read more

My boyfriend and several friends attended Oktoberfest yesterday at the Fairplex in Pomona. Everything was fine and we were having a lot of fun until it was time to get picked up by our ride. We were waiting alongside the drop off/pick up area and were being harassed by several security staff. And then the police intervened and wrongly arrested my boyfriend for being "drunk", not having taken a test, yet we were on private property, which is not against the law. We were stopped from walking to our ride with a sober driver to exit the premises. If this is what is to be expected at every Oktoberfest, I will personally make sure that everyone I come into contact with knows how terribly organized the security for the Fairplex grounds is and how inhumane and unjust the Pomona police department acted. My boyfriend was left with several bruises and was beat up, even though he didn't resist being wrongfully arrested. He spent 6 hours in jail and his personal property was damaged - watch and phone case. And our stein mugs and cups from the event, as well as my over-shirt were taken away by the police. My family friends and I will never again attend any event at the Fairplex grounds for these unfortunate circumstances. I also expect a full refund for the 2 tickets I paid that included the merchandise that was taken away illegally by authorities. A total of $50, which doesn't even compare to the amount it cost us to go through such an emotionally traumatizing event, due to the harshness of security and police activity. Everyone deserves to know what happened here to be aware and to stay away, since a security guard just recently killed someone at another event. They also went on to wrongfully arrest several others on the terms of being "drunk." And one of them included the driver who was there to just pick up his friend. read more

What a great time! The parking was a breeze, especially if you prepay, if not they take credit cards. The ticket booths are a bit of a confusion. If you buy the Groupon you still have to go to the ticket booth to "redeem" your stein and beer ticket otherwise your printed gate ticket is sufficient to get you in. Once inside, there are lots of food stalls with German- style options: bratwurst, pretzels and pretzel bun burgers. They also have a taco truck if that isn't your type of food. There just as many beer stands with mostly German beer options but a few American craft beers too. If you decide to go indoors there is a band in lederhosen playing their normal Oktoberfest tunes. Definitely get involved and do the chicken dance or participate in the beer chugging. It'll liven up your time there ( I know it did for me!) Overall, I had fun but would recommend arriving early if you want to avoid the long lines. They do happen later on in the night (8pm ish). Check it out! read more

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Oktoberfest! It's a holiday specially crafted for all the beer drinkers' out there. The Fairplex Oktoberfest is (you guessed it) located at the Fairplex fairgrounds. Parking is vast, and I can almost guarantee that you will never have any issues looking for parking. Entrance is also only $5 which is a HUGEEEE plus, however parking is $10 a car. Overall its still cheaper than the popular Alpine Village ($20 entrance, free parking). The venue is pretty big, and I can also say its bigger than Alpine Village. It's separated into two sections; an indoor tent and a small outdoor concert/carnival. The indoor section almost complete serves and cater's to the traditional "German" Oktoberfest celebration which includes a German band, food, and beer. The outdoor section is more of an "Americanized" celebration with a rock band and typical carnival games. They had a nice selection of Oktoberfest beers. It's $20 for a plastic Stein and beer (32oz) or you can bring your own Stein and get $12 refills. Overall the Fairplex Oktoberfest does live up to its hype and priced competitively against Alpine Village. However, the crowd and the entertainment was just not up to snuff with Alpine Village. You may be paying a premium for Alpine Village, but its definitely more lively and active compared to Fairplex. read more

I can see why people leave bad reviews. I was hesitant on going but I had to try it. It wasn't the best they have so much of the same stuff; food, drinks, things to buy. I would like to try and come again next year for now I shall keep the star rating read more

Even more fun the second time around! I had a blast the first time and came back with a different group of friends this year. The beer was delicious as before and I also enjoyed the selection of food. This time, there was a Queen cover band that really rocked. The performers were very enthusiastic and "Freddie" had an amazing voice and stage persona. The bathrooms were plentiful and there are more than enough stalls for the ladies. Also, it was well lit in the courtyard and most people were enjoying themselves outside rather than inside the music hall. A great aspect of Oktoberfest is that the people who attend are all in for a good time. Everybody gathered together to sing Bohemian Rhapsody and everyone knew the lyrics. Basically, it was my dream come true. All the attendees were extremely friendly and goofy from the beer and it just felt like one big house party with plenty of camaraderie and no care in the world. I'll be back next year! read more

The organizers of this venue are very rude and unprofessional, We drove 1 hour each way for us not being able to get in because they didn't except passport as a valid form of ID!!!! They said that there is no physical description of the person in Passport (like height and weight). I have never in the world heard that before!!! You can board a plane with it and you can't get in to a beer festival?!?!?! The place is a joke! NEVER AGAIN! read more

Oktoberfest?! More like WHACKtoberfest!!!! This was the biggest waste of 10 dollars parking and 5 dollars admission. There's a lot of beer here but it is your most typical beer that you can get at any point of the year anywhere and all they have for hard alcohol is jaager. This place is pretty much a big college party there's nothing to do here but drink, 5 really really lame games with horrible horrible horrible prizes, and for food do you have the option between German hot dogs for King Taco. You can walk through this place in approximately 2 and a half minutes. Totally NOT WORTH THE TIME! Better yet going to Dave and Busters or stay home and drink! read more

This place is Fun! They have the biggest beer mugs known to man kind... $20 for the souvenir cup.. Entrance $5 and Parking $10 I didn't get to try the food.. but it looked good, especially after a couple of brewskies. Overall it is a lot of fun just get hammered with your friends. the band Queen Nation was great! The venue is pretty big, and I can also say it's bigger than Alpine Village. It's separated into two sections, an indoor tent and a small outdoor concert/carnival. The indoor section traditional "German" Oktoberfest celebration which includes a German band and drinking competitions... Don't forget about the chicken dance! lol The outdoor section is more of an "Americanized" celebration with a rock band Queen Nation and typical carnival games. good place to come and have some laughs and drinks with friends and family! read more

This place is all right. Came here on a Friday night with some friends. It was $10 for parking and $5 to get in. People have been complaining about the parking fee, but if you see it that if you split it between friends, it's like two dollars a person. So in the end, it'll be $7 just to get in; which is still cheaper than Alpine Village's $20 fee. I was told that I was about to bring in my glass mug, but it turns out that I wasn't able to. They offer you to leave the glass mug in the front with them with your name on it, but I didn't want to risk leaving it with them and forget about it after drinking a lot of beer. The venue is huge and spacious. It is a more decorated than Alpine Village, but the interaction wasn't there compared to Alpine Village. Someone knocked over his beer filled mug on the table, and that is why they do not allow glass mugs. The spill was quickly cleaned up. There is another section of the venue that has carnival games. read more

Way better than the Oktoberfest at Alpine Village in Torrance and much closer. This Oktoberfest has more room to move around and different areas to check out compared to the one in Torrance. There's a large indoor area where drinking contests take place and Oktoberfest music is being played. Then there's an outdoor area with different live bands each night. This year they opened up more space in the Fairplex to allow for more people to attend. The only problems I saw with that was that there were not enough restrooms or beer stands for all the attendees. You would think that they would have thought about adding more beer stations and restrooms to prepare for the amount of people expected to come thru. Last complaint is how many more douchbags there seem to be this year. As it got later people became more rowdy and looked like everyone wanted to fight. Save money and look out for deals on groupon or living social a week before Oktoberfest happens. read more

You charge 5 bucks to get in and you get all the riff raff ok low life's. Sorry me and my wife go every year with my drinking friends real beer drinkers. This year lots of problems this year was a mess fights, pissing outside toilets and over pouring... read more

Oktoberfest at Fairplex - What a blast every year. .... - Festivals Near Me - Pomona, California

I want to rate Oktoberfest higher, but unfortunately, it isn't deserving of a higher rating. I was unfortunate to order tickets late, so I had to get them from Goldstar, which cost a whopping $3.50 more per ticket since Goldstar charges a nonsense fee. Groupon sold out before I could order, so I missed out on the deal. The charge was $16 + 3.50 = $19.50 for the entrance fee, a souvenir plastic 32 oz stein, and a free first pour of beer. There's an extra $10 charge for parking. Parking was easy, and they even offered a free tram for the short quarter of a mile walk from the parking lot to the entrance. That was nice, although I didn't see the tram when the event finished, which is probably when it would have been more useful. Getting in was easy, and I had to wait in a short line to get my beer. I got the Spaten and enjoyed that. I tried the lager as well and didn't quite enjoy it as much. I found it to be bitter. There were a good amount of food options, ranging from Mexican food like King Taco to bratwursts. I got to try two different bratwursts and enjoyed both. I did not enjoy the potato pancakes, which were oddly topped with applesauce. Had they just been plain without applesauce, it would have been better. There were two areas with live music. Inside the tent, there was German music playing. Outside in the courtyard area, there was a band playing American music. There were a handful of carnival games like pop a balloon, and roll the bowling ball. There wasn't as much to do at Oktoberfest as I thought there would be. It was fun because I was with good company, but aside from drinking beer and having good bratwursts, there wasn't much else that appealed to me. I have never been to the one at Alpine Village, so I don't know how it is there. However, I have been to a beer garden in Munich, Germany, and although there were not many activities there either, it just had a better atmosphere. I probably wouldn't come back just because it felt like something you do once to experience, then you don't ever need to go back. read more

We came back for 2015's event after having a blast last year. Same ol' good stuff, same food, beer, entertainments, etc. However, prices for almost everything have gone up. Parking jumped from $10 to $15, admission is still $5.00. No Groupon deal this year or it was sold out when we decided to go; got our tickets from Goldstar for $16 each plus $3.50 Goldstar service fee. No more stein refills, like another reviewer said, you need to purchase a 24 oz cup of beer for $12 then dump it into your 32 oz plastic stein. In 2014, you could refill your stein with 32 oz of beer for $12, if I recall correctly. If you want to "refill" your 32 oz stein, then you need to hand over your spent stein then fork out $20 for a brand new stein. Dropping 1 star because of this, however we arrived early with friends and still had an immensely great time. Overall experience and value is still better than Alpine Village. Until 2016, Oh, du schne, Schnitzelbank! read more