Lisa Denton and Barry Courter
BARRY COURTER: Lisa, I’ve seen how you stretch your birthday into a weeklong celebration, so I know you’ll appreciate how the Chattanooga Market has grown Oktoberfest from a one-day event into a four-day festival. The traditional part of the festival is Saturday and Sunday, but on Wednesday at First Tennessee Pavilion, they have Artoberfest. Works from local artists will be available for buying, and they will have a Chalk Art Competition featuring young local artists.
LISA DENTON: I’m intrigued by what may come out of the Chalk Art Competition. Hopscotch grids are the extent of my skills, but some chalk art creations are these crazy good 3-D images that fool the eye into thinking you’ll be stepping into a canyon or you’re about to be eaten by a shark. Or maybe that was just the dream I had last night. No more nachos at bedtime.
BARRY: That’s so weird; I had the same dream. Seriously, those 3-D chalk art images are crazy. The market will also have something called a Festhalle Banquet on Thursday. As the name might suggest, it’s about the food, which promises to be some of the wurst you’ve eaten . you know like bratwurst and currywurst. They’ll also have schnitzel, spannferkel, which is roasted pig, and beef brisket. I bet there’ll be beer as well. Cost is $50, and tickets are limited.
LISA: Gimme a minute. I’m still laughing at “some of the wurst you’ve eaten.” That may be some of the wurst you’ve written, too.
Don’t forget that Rock City has a monthlong celebration called Rocktoberfest that continues the next two weekends. So many chances to wear the lederhosen.