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The Oktoberfest German Beer Garden celebration is back and, yes, the beer will be flowing. This year the event is Oct. 20 through 22 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

Think long tables, traditionally-dressed beer maids, heaping plates of bratwurst and sauerkraut, trays of frothy mugs of beer and live music.

But this is not your typical festival-style, beer-guzzling Oktoberfest. Organizers pride themselves on offering an authentic atmosphere in a sit-down setting with the capacity to serve 2,500 people at once. Austrian bands Murztaler Musikanten and the Stratton Mountain boys will be on hand to entertain with music that runs the gamut from German folk to jazz.

After 12 successful years in Ponchatoula, the event made the move to Gonzales, where it upgraded to a bigger—and air-conditioned space. Now, it’s the largest German beer garden in Louisiana, if not the South.