Many of the attendees were first-timers. They included Ted Sunder of Chaska.

“I’ve never been here before but decided to meet family and friends from the Twin Cities here today. The weather is idea,” he said on the walk through the woods into the brewery.

A large crowd gathered on a hillside just west of the brewery to cheer on 72 men and women competing in more than three hours of six-person heats for the Oktoberfest stein holding championship.

Defending female champion Liz Sandberg of Almelund (near Forest Lake), finished second this year after winning her six-person heat.

A tent full of salubrious people celebrate Oktoberbest under the big tent at Schell’s Brewery Saturday.

“I work on a dairy farm, one of only three dairy farms left in Chisago County,” she said.

Skyler Petry, a high school math teacher in Waterville-Elysian Morristown, was the 2014 Minnesota State High School Class A Wrestling Champion, competed in the stein holding but didn’t reach the final found of six competitors.

Owen Brewster of Kimball finished second stein holding for the second straight year. Paul Rahmann, 60, a Farmington carpenter won the men’s championship.

John Allen of Castle River, Colorado, was attending his first New Ulm Oktoberfest and competed in stein holding.

“It’s great here. I’m having a great time meeting people. The people-watching here is really fun,” he said. “Colorado has a few craft beer festivals but nothing like this.”

Schell’s stein holding defending champ Liz Sandberg of Almelund strains to hold a stein in first round competition

Meg Wildberger Young of Minneapolis and her friends Dick and Maggie Wildberger of Minneapolis said they enjoyed going to Bockfest at Schell’s and thought they’d give Oktoberfest a try.

“It’s a different vibe than Bockfest where we enjoy running into beer fairies in the woods,” said Meg.

Perhaps the most interesting hat worn by anybody at Oktoberfest was a combination ram horn/coyote pelt donned by Spencer “Titus” Hulburt of Fairmont.

“I bought the hat at a Galveston, Texas, motorcycle rally when I was in the Army

there,” said Hulbert. “I remember the day I bought it. The seller said if I walked 200 feet into the rally and a woman didn’t come up to me and start talking about it, I could have it for nothing. Sure enough, a woman came up to me. They often tell me they want to wear it and have a picture taken of themselves with it on.”

Photo by Clay Schuldt The newly crowed Miss New Ulm, Evie Mages (center) dance with her princesses Naomi Friese (left) and KayLee Evans (right) during Saturday’s Oktoberfest celebration.

Hulbert said he’s been offered up to $1,500 from people who want to buy the hat, but he isn’t selling it.

“This is my first Oktoberfest in New Ulm. It’s really cool seeing so many people come together like this. I may come back to Bockfest next March,” he said.

Photo by Clay Schuldt Isaac Donahoo (left) and Mattie Bartholomew (right) from Waseca celebrate their first Oktoberfest in New Ulm.

hoto by Clay Schuldt A member of the Hobo band performs.

Photo by Clay Schuldt The fog machine turns on near DJ Strudel Boy’s booth during the Oktoberfest celebration.

Photo by Clay Schuldt The Schell’s horse-drawn wagon parks in front of the brewery visitor’s center. Photo by Clay Schuldt A member of the Hobo band performs. Photo by Clay Schuldt The fog machine turns on near DJ Strudel Boy’s booth during the Oktoberfest celebration. Photo by Clay Schuldt The newly crowed Miss New Ulm, Evie Mages (center) dance with her princesses Naomi Friese (left) and KayLee Evans (right) during Saturday’s Oktoberfest celebration. Photo by Clay Schuldt Isaac Donahoo (left) and Mattie Bartholomew (right) from Waseca celebrate their first Oktoberfest in New

Staff photo by Fritz Busch A tent full of salubrious people celebrate Oktoberbest under the big tent at Schell’s Brewery Saturday.