Myrtle Beach Oktoberfest plans set

People who wanted a little more German with their Oktoberfest will get it this year, as the Oceanfront Merchants Association has hired an oompah band from Georgia and arranged for more German beer.

People will be able to fill up on German food, participate in a bratwurst-eating contest, browse arts-and-crafts booths, take their children to the Kids' Zone for games and activities and listen to live music from noon to 11 p.m., when the festival will end with an oceanfront fireworks show.

OMA President Jonathan Staton said plans are being finalized for this year's festival on Oct. 9, including setting up a series of tents and TVs so people will be able to watch the day's football games as they party along Ocean Boulevard.

He also announced the musical lineup for this year's celebration: headline act Cowboy Mouth will perform on the Ocean Boulevard stage along with Carolina Liar, Passafire, Bloodkin, American Aquarium, Machine Gun and more.

Staton said he hopes this year's event, the second such festival in downtown Myrtle Beach, will draw an even bigger crowd than last year's estimated 10,000.

Many of the people who attended last year were locals. Some said Oktoberfest gave them a reason to visit downtown -- something they hadn't done in a long time.

OMA's goal is to grow the event into an annual reason for visitors to book a weekend trip to Myrtle Beach in a shoulder month as well as drawing locals.

For more on the festival, read Thursday's edition of The Sun News.