Walter Raulston, left, cooks a skillet full of bratwursts while Austin Mansy grabs one for a customer's order at The Missing Link's booth during Chattanooga Oktoberfest at the Chattanooga Market in downtown Chattanooga on Sunday. Raulston estimated that they would sell around 650 bratwursts to hungry attendees throughout the day.IF YOU GO
* What: Oktoberfest at Chattanooga Market.* When: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20.* Where: First Tennessee Pavilion, 1829 Reggie White Blvd.* Admission: Free.* Website: ChattanoogaOktoberfest.com.
SATURDAY ENTERTAINMENT ON THE HITS 96 STAGE
1:30 p.m. DJ Glenn Morrison2 p.m. Anoop Desai2:30 p.m. DJ Glenn Morrison3 p.m. Kat Graham3:30 p.m. DJ Glenn Morrison4 p.m. Mike Posner5 p.m. Polka party5 p.m. The Wurstbrats6 p.m. Mr. & Miss Oktoberfest
Chattanooga Market will roll out the "willkommen" mat a day early this weekend, with a two-day Oktoberfest celebration evoking the sights, smells and sounds of traditional German culture.
Events start Saturday, Oct. 18, leading off at 8 a.m. with the OLPH Oktoberfest Ram Run, a 5K race and one-mile fun run/walk to benefit Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School.
The market opens at 10 a.m., with a Biergarten serving 99 varieties of craft beer, up from 55 last year. Food vendors will offer such fare as bratwurst, sauerkraut, frankfurters, spaetzle and schnitzel. The Scenic City Volks Folks will sponsor a car show.
At noon, an array of pop stars will entertain on the Hits 96 Stage, including Anoop Desai, a finalist on Season 8 of "American Idol"; singer/actress Kat Graham, "The Vampire Diaries" star whose first single, "Power," was just released; and Matt Posner, who debuted with the single "Cooler Than Me" in 2010 and will be a special guest on Kesha's upcoming tour.
Chattanooga oompah band The Wurstbrats will perform both days, along with other acts on the Hits 96 and EPB stages.
Those attending Saturday are asked to dress in their best Bavarian garb to enter a polka party from 5 to 8 p.m. A contest for Mr. and Miss Chattanooga Oktoberfest 2013 will be held at 6 p.m, with judging based on audience enthusiasm. Besides bragging rights, the winners receive goodie bags and commemorative sashes.
The market continues regular hours, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 19, at First Tennessee Pavilion.