Willkommen zu Mandeville!!!

Get out your lederhosen and grab your bier steins Oktoberfest is upon us! 

Join us for the First Annual Oktoberfest on Friday, October 16, 2009, and Saturday, October 17, 2009. We are keeping Sunday afternoon reserved for a rain date. There will be beer, wurst, pretzels, traditional drinking songs and of course, more beer! If Beer and Brats isn't enough... we've got traditional Oktoberfest Oom-pah music on tap in addition to great New Orleans entertainers, Benny Grunch and Cats Meow! No celebration would be complete without plenty of contests for young and old alike! The fest will feature a Yodeling contest, Chicken Drop, Beer Stein Races, and of course "Chicken Dance" lessons! We will have prizes for everyone courtesy of New Orleans Hornets and the Cats Meow.

Got BEER?

If you can't make Munich, be sure to get to Mandeville

Great beer is what Oktoberfest is all about, and our bier garten will feature a selection sure to please any palette.

What's on tap?

Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest

This festive amber lager is a traditional Marzen-Style bier with a blend of Pale Malts, Caramel and Munich.

Heineken

This pale lager has been in production since 1873 and is the world's most popular lager.

Pilsner Urquell

This is the world's original "pilsner" or golden beer, with a heavier body and more strongly hopped than most.

Shiner Bock

A combination of its old-world, Bavarian heritage with the ingenuity of American hand craft brewing for a smooth, rich, darker beer.

Miller Lite

This ultimate light beer is the only one to win four gold awards in the World Beer Cup for best American-style lager.

Please remember to drink responsibly!!!

Brats and Kraut

No Oktoberfest celebration would be complete without a sampling of some authentic German food.

Our German "Food Garden" will benefit two volunteer non-profits trying to make a difference in our community! Scott's Wish will be cooking German sampler plates with Bratwurst, Sauerkraut, German Potato salad, and a Kaiser Roll. Sausage and Hot dogs on buns will be also be available. Log on to www.ScottsWish.Org to learn more.

The St.Tammany Spay and Neuter Group will be selling a variety of German and American Desserts to satisfy anyone's sweet tooth!

If you'd like to lend a handing grilling or baking, or can help out in any way, please contact the Mandeville Trailhead at 985-624-3147 and we will be happy to sign you up!

Kids won't miss out on any fun either

Bring the kids too! 

The Kinder corner(near the fountains will offer plenty of fun activities for KIDS! Beth of Rockin' Karaoke will be back at the Trailhead hosting a yodeling contest for kids and many other fun contests. Be sure to call Beth for parties at 1-504-874-2328 if you want entertainment to delight any age!

Beer Stein Races

Can you run and carry beer at the same time?

The Trailhead is looking for a few talented men(and women) to compete for the coveted Grand Champion Prize on Saturday night. Steve Sperier, Crawfishman Triathlon fame, will serve as Race Director for this first ever annual event. Steve came to mind immediately, as he is an expert in beer drinking and races! Friday night's fest will feature preliminary rounds where contestants will race a short distance with two fists full of filled beer steins! The winner is determined not only by the best time, but by the amount of beer left in the steins at the finish line. A second is added onto the contestant's time for each ounce of beer spilled. Sound easy? Then we are looking for you! Stop by The Spokesman Pro Bicycle Works in Mandeville to ask for some pointers.

Nightly Chicken Drop Contest

Famous Chicken Drop Every Night!

Make a donation to a charity and receive a number for the Famous Chicken Drop Contest! If you're the lucky one, the chicken will "poop" on your number and you'll walk away with a spectacular "Chicken Drop" Trophy created by local artist Ted Pullig! The only downside to this contest... the winner must clean up the mess!

Disclaimer: No worries-The chickens are family pets and will not be harmed!

Cats Meow Casting Call

Show off your talent and help charities at the same time!

Do you think you have what it takes to be an entertainer at The World Famous Cat's Meow in New Orleans? If so, come out and participate with the Cat's Meow Entertainment Director, David Punch, as he emcees the first annual Mandeville Trailhead Oktoberfest with all proceeds benefiting local non-profits. Join him as he leads the crowd through contests, beer songs, and even the chicken dance! Please e-mail CatsNola@Bellsouth.Net if you are energetic and interested in participating in this casting call. 

Get Yer Yodel On

Warm up those vocal cords and get ready to enter our Yodeling Contest with fun prizes! Contestants can perform a freestyle yodel, or sing along with a karaoke yodel. We will choose nightly winners in both children and adult category!

How to Yodel

Step 1. Determine your raw power.

On a nice warm day, step outside and stay close to your front door(for safety reasons). Yell at your neighbor across the street. Words like: HEY, WHY, GO work best. Duck and rush back inside, Don't approach. Lock door if applicable...

Now reflect on what you have done, did you notice you yelled not only from the top of your lungs, but the top of your voice. If not try again and listen to yourself. Your voice should be higher! Thats what provides the most power you need for yodeling!

Step 2. Finding your falsetto(ladies refining your shriek)

Got to the zoo. Find the primates. Listen to the sound of an excited chimp! Go home. With your mouth closed at first, try to imitate the chimp. There! Thats you falsetto... don't over do it! Now produce both sounds repeatedly in succession (HEY-iihh, GO-iihh...)

Step 3. Combine fist two lessons

Rent a Tarzan movie. Tarzan type of jungle-yodeling is most suitable for the average person. Watch a Tarzan movie THREE times, paying close attention to the yodeling scenes(these are usually the ones where Tarzan is swinging on vines).

Take step 1 and 2 and use them try to imitate the jungle yodeling, gliding from your chest voice into the falsetto and back. Don't worry if you don't sound exactly like "Tarzan" That's the beauty of it! This is that type of improvised yodeling that is only limited by your creativity. Now you can yodel(practice in shower)!

Step 4. Last step, come to Mandeville Oktoberfest and enter the Yodeling Contest!