Washougal Oktoberfest to benefit Gorge relief efforts

The fifth annual Washougal Oktoberfest will include opportunities to help businesses affected by the recent fires in the Columbia River Gorge.

The event will be held from 4 to 10 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, and Saturday, Sept. 30, in Reflection Plaza, 1703 Main St. Children are welcome to attend until 8 p.m., and their free admission includes a complimentary hot dog and ice cream, courtesy of Columbia Litho of Camas.

Admission for ages 12 to 20 to the family festival and dance area will cost $5 per person. The cost to enter the beer garden, $13 per person, includes a commemorative mug and one beverage.

All of the event profits will go to local nonprofits, including the Camas and Washougal Lions clubs’ charitable projects, the Downtown Washougal Association and Columbia River Gorge relief efforts.

The festival will feature music, authentic German foods, local brews and cider. The food menu options will include German brats, pretzels, chicken schnitzel, bacon wrapped hot dogs and hot red cabbage salad. The Friday night festivities will include live accordion music, as well as a DJ spinning dance music. Saturday night will be all DJ music.

The beer garden will feature brews from 54-40 Brewing and Doomsday Brewing, both of Washougal. Cider will be poured by Jester and Judge from Stevenson. There also will be beer from Thunder Island Brewing, in Cascade Locks, Oregon. The brewery and other businesses in that area have been hit hard financially by the Eagle Creek fire.

In the spirit of community, merchants from Cascade Locks will set up a booth to sell gift cards and T-shirts to help offset some of the financial losses caused by the fire.

Volunteers are needed to help at the Oktoberfest event, and interested individuals can contact DWAVolunteers@gmail.com to sign up. Tourism support for Oktoberfest is provided by the city of Washougal’s hotel/motel tax funds.

Superhero Relay

In conjunction with Oktoberfest, Washougal will host the 15K Superhero Relay, presented by Get Bold Events, starting at 5 p.m., on Saturday, Sept. 30.

Teams of three will compete, with each runner completing a 5K course along the Dike Trail, starting from the Pendleton parking lot, Two Pendleton Way. Prize money will be awarded to the fastest team.

A non-relay 10K and a Superkids 1K Run, for ages 12 and younger, have been added this year. A costume contest for the best dressed superhero team will be held at Oktoberfest.

The relay and run will benefit the Washougal High School cross country team. Registration is at www.superherorelay.com.