The German desserts were very popular as were the pretzels, bratwurst and pork knuckles. There was a very diverse menu of German food offerings typically not served at Soboba Casino Resort so even regulars such as Kim Corey enjoyed the opportunity to try some new things.

“I come to Soboba all the time, but I’ve never been to this event,” said Corey of Ontario, who was there celebrating with her son as an early birthday gift to him. Joseph, who lives in San Bernardino, said he found the food he had tried so far to be pretty authentic. “The pork knuckles, currywurst and the half chicken (Wiesn-Hendl, which is a beer-marinated half roasted chicken) were really good; they hit all the bases on food,” he said.

More commonly known items, such as frankfurters, bratwurst, sauerbraten, knackwurst and oversized soft pretzels with dipping sauces were very popular purchases. Also available were Lebkuchenhertz (gingerbread hearts), Kirschmichel (cherry bread pudding with vanilla sauce), jagerschnitzel (roast pork in mushroom gravy) and other traditional German dishes.

“The culinary team loves this event because they get to flex their culinary expertise and produce amazing food offerings that are not on our usual menus,” SCR Chief Marketing Officer Martin Moore said.

Ticket holders were given a souvenir glass beer stein, three $5 tickets to purchase food or beverages, a voucher for $5 in free slot play to use at the casino and a raffle ticket for some exciting prizes offered at the end of the 4-9 p.m. celebration.

“Along with the great food and awesome beers offered, everyone had a great time with the Bavarian Beergarden Band and their sing-alongs and polkas,” Moore said. “They put on a great show, and everyone loves their act. The Chicken Dance is always a crowd favorite.”

Headed by Joe Dyke, the band facilitated a felt hat game for kids and a stein holding contest for adults, along with other entertaining, friendly competitions throughout the evening. Kids were able to take handfuls of candy from a large bag after winning their round of the game that was held on the large dance floor in front of the stage. Other games offered fabulous prizes courtesy of the Soboba Casino Resort.

Staff, who greeted guests at the entrance and mingled with them throughout the venue, were dressed appropriately in Dirndl dresses and Lederhosen. Those who assisted at some of the beer and food stations were dressed more casually with T-shirts emblazoned with I love Oktoberfest on the back. A large pretzel design served as a heart shape to represent the word love.

Some of the attendees were also dressed in traditional German Bavarian attire. Adrian and Ana Jacquez and longtime friends Greg Lopez and Elizabeth Torres came from Perris to enjoy the event. All but Elizabeth had recently returned from an 8-day trip to Munich where they attended the German city’s 189^th Oktoberfest. Ana said they also did some sightseeing while in Europe and were attending the Soboba event in celebration of Greg’s birthday.

Adrian said while the beers that were available tasted good, they suggested the inclusion of German beers at the next event. Adrian cited Pauliner and Hofbräuhaus Anno Múnchen beers as being the best they have ever tasted.

“The entire staff at Soboba Casino Resort contributes in a big way to making this event so special for our guests,” Moore said. “Everyone from Food & Beverage, Banquets, Facilities, Housekeeping, Security, Marketing, Hotel to our teams out on the casino floor in Slots and Table Games taking care of the guests when they need to have even more fun in the casino. It is a huge team effort from each and every team member at Soboba Casino Resort.”

Vendors poured 10- or 20-ounce servings of beer and shared the highlights of their offerings. Matt Mertz with Firestone Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles shared the microbrewery’s 805, which is a blonde ale and Mexican lager blend, Mind Haze IPA and Cali Squeeze, a citrus wheat ale, that comes in blood orange, tangerine and lime flavors.

“We have events at our location, but this is my first (outside) event with the company and it’s been great here,” Mertz said. “I like telling people about our brand. We sponsor surfers, skateboarders and motorcyclists.”

Chris Grimes, marketing manager for Lagunitas, said the brewing company is known for having the No. 1 IPA in the country. Located in Northern California and well known since 1993, representatives were serving its flagship IPA, Beast of Both Worlds IPA and Island Beats IPA. Like the other beer stations, customized flags, drink koozies and bottle/can openers were available as takeaways for all visitors. There was also a corner of the room set aside for the purchase of wines and cordials for those that wanted something other than beer.

Moore said staff start planning for the next annual event immediately following the conclusion of the current one. “We discuss what went well, what we could do to make the event better, what food and beverage items were the most popular and any notable guest comments,” he said. “We address any issues or problems that might have come up and how to resolve them. We continue to meet throughout the year to ensure we are not missing any key items. We discuss menus and various vendors we want to reach out to. It is a very lengthy and detailed process.”

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Everyone is encouraged to don their lederhosen and get ready to polka at Soboba Casino Resort’s third annual Oktoberfest and Beer Garden on Oct. 7 and 8 from 4 to 9 p.m. The 200-plus year tradition of the Tapping of the Keg will be just one of the many fun activities that will include contests and games for guests.

“The Tapping of the Keg is always a big hit among the crowd,” Director of Marketing Catie Stanley said. “However, the delectable food and beer selections are typically the biggest crowd favorite.”

Among the many food choices will be sauerbraten, wiener schnitzel, bratwurst, soft pretzels and apple strudel. SCR’s Food and Beverage team collaboratively engaged in the process of deliberation and decision-making regarding the beverage selections.

“Our objective is to feature German labels, while also ensuring a diverse range of beer offerings within our selection,” Stanley said. “Our teams are fully engaged and committed to the successful execution of this community event, with the assurance that all hands are on deck to promptly address any issues that may arise, be it related to registration, ticketing or the seamless dispensing of beverages.”

Adding to the festive environment will be the Bavarian Beergarden Band, providing authentic “Schlager” and contemporary Oktoberfest songs, contests, games and plenty of audience participation for all ages. This is the second year in a row that the El Cajon based band is bringing their talents and enthusiasm to Soboba.

Due to the overwhelming success of last year’s event, SCR team members decided to extend the event for two days. Stanley said, “Our guests were truly captivated by the entirety of the event, with the overwhelming request for an extension of the experience to an additional day. We are pleased to announce that we are delivering on this demand.”

The Soboba Casino Resort Event Center ballroom is designed to accommodate a flow of up to 1,000 guests and vendors, promising a comfortable and spacious environment for all attendees. Because guests can come and go during the five-hour event, Stanley said the team has established a predetermined ticket quota to ensure that every guest can enjoy an exceptional and memorable experience. “This event has been meticulously planned a full year in advance,” she said.

All ages are welcome to attend but guests must be 21 or older to purchase alcohol. Tickets are $30 each and include one beer stein, $15 event spending tickets and one $5 Free Slot Play voucher for the casino (minors are excluded from receiving Free Slot Play).

Tickets can be purchased online at Soboba.com/entertainment or at the Soboba Rewards Box Office. The Soboba Casino Resort is located at 22777 Soboba Road in San Jacinto. For more information, please call 866-4-SOBOBA.

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Beer flowed, music played, and guests enjoyed an unforgettable evening at Soboba Casino Resort’s first Oktoberfest celebration on October 5. More than 1,000 visitors had the opportunity to sample 36 different types of draft beers and authentic German cuisine at food stations offering an array of sweet desserts, savory meats and sauerkraut laden dishes. Special sauces were ordered for this event and all gingerbread hearts at the dessert station were made specifically for the occasion.

Each corner of the Event Center offered a distinct focus: Schnapps, café, wine and souvenirs. Seating was traditional Oktoberfest style of long tables with about 20 chairs each.

“In true German style, nobody ever needs to dine alone – tables are shared between family, friends and strangers alike,” said German-native Victor Mortazavi, SCR’s Food and Beverage Director.

The live band’s rousing polka music attracted many to the dance floor set up in front of the stage, which got more crowded as the evening progressed.

Michelle and Randy Huntley, of Nuevo, visit the casino resort regularly and were excited to attend Soboba’s first Oktoberfest because it was also their first one. Jerry Peebles and four others in his group were having a good time at a nearby table.

“I think it’s a great event,” Peebles said. “For an inaugural event to have this variety of beers and food is great – I’ve heard nothing but great things so far.”

Marc Krouse is somewhat of a beer connoisseur and said the ones being showcased were “awesome.”

“There are German beers here that you can’t get anywhere else,” said the Hemet resident. “It looks like they got everything covered. Maybe next year they can have an outdoor garden to show off the beautiful view of our valley.”

Garage Brewing Co, which opened in Temecula in 2013, was one of the local breweries that was serving up two of its craft beers: Pumpkin Spice and Belgian Style Triple. Allan O’Neil said he discussed with Mortazavi the best choices that would complement the menu.

The brewery was also chosen as the one to fill a 30-gallon wooden barrel with Märzen to be used during a traditional beer tapping ceremony, overseen by the “Mayor of Oktoberfest.” The lager that was specially brewed for the event originated in Bavaria and is the beer style that is usually served at Oktoberfest.

Wristbands gave guests the freedom to come and go throughout the four-hour event, allowing many of them to enjoy all the excitement at the adjacent casino.

Oktoberfest, held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, is the world’s largest beer festival with more than six million attendees each year during its more than two-week run.

The consensus from guests and staff was that Soboba’s first Oktoberfest was a Riesenerfolg (huge success)!

For information on upcoming events, please visit www.soboba.com.

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Next month, Oktoberfest will turn into October fun when the Soboba Casino Resort Event Center is transformed with everything German. The resort’s Food and Beverage Director is Victor Mortazavi, who is looking forward to celebrating his homeland and heritage with 1,000+ guests on October 5 from 4 to 9 p.m.

“With so many Oktoberfest events taking place throughout the southland, we wanted to challenge them,” he said. “The food will set us apart from all the rest.”

Food stations set up throughout the center will offer authentic German recipe eats from savory to sweet. German waffles can follow soft pretzels with beer cheese dipping sauce and mustard dip with berries, applesauce, whipped cream, and powdered sugar or any of the other 15 delicacies available.

“Seating will be traditional Oktoberfest style: long tables,” Mortazavi said. “In true German style, nobody ever needs to dine alone – tables are shared between family, friends, and strangers alike.”

A Schnapps garden will have a dozen diverse offerings, and more than 20 beers will be served keg-style to a background of live traditional polka music. For those that want something different, there are 11 German-label wines and four coffees to choose from including Black Forest Chocolate Coffee.

“We have selected several craft beers,” Mortazavi said. “We looked for local and American, next to German and then Mexican breweries. We strived to provide a well-balanced offering from each style.”

Oktoberfest, held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, is the world’s largest “Volksfest” (beer festival and traveling funfair). It lasts 16 to 18 days and welcomes more than six million visitors from throughout the world each year. It has been an important part of Bavarian culture since 1810. Many cities around the globe host Oktoberfest celebrations modeled after the original one.

Mortazavi has attended the Munich event and found one of the most amazing things to be the amount of American music that is well-liked there. Most notably is that Neil Diamond’s hit song “Sweet Caroline” can be heard throughout the affair with thousands of people singing along.

“I think these events are popular in this country because they focus on food and beer – and beer is the beverage of choice for most Americans,” he said.

As if the experience of attending Soboba Casino Resort’s first Oktoberfest wasn’t enough, there will be lots of souvenirs to buy as well as a custom Soboba Oktoberfest beer mug for each paid guest.

Advance tickets are $20 and will provide admission and $15 worth of tickets for beer, food, wine, and merchandise. These must be printed out and presented at the door. Tickets are on sale now at https://tickets.holdmyticket.com/?search=Soboba&location=92553&accuracy=25

Tickets will also be available at the door for $30 at the Soboba Casino Resort Event Center, 22777 Soboba Road, San Jacinto.

Information: 866-4-SOBOBA, or www.soboba.com.

Soboba Oktoberfest Menu

Sauerbraten with spätzle and red cabbage

Schweinshaxe with potato dumplings

Wiener Schnitzel with pan-fried potato and red cabbage

Jägerschnitzel with spätzle and red cabbage

Frikadellen with mashed potato and German cucumber salad

Bavarian Cold Cut Platter

Soft Pretzels with beer cheese dipping sauce & mustard dip

German Waffles with berries, apple sauce, whipped cream, & powdered sugar

Gingerbread Hearts (small, medium, large)

Currywurst with fries and sliced French bread

Bratwurst with sauerkraut and roll

Frankfurter with potato salad and sliced baguette

Apple Strudel with vanilla sauce

German Crepes with raspberry preserve

Weisswurst (Bockwurst) with soft pretzels and sweet mustard

Nurnberger Bratwurst with sauerkraut, mashed potato, and caramelized onions

Knackwurst with potato salad and sliced baguette

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