Oom Pah

With the last vestiges of the 2007 Kansas City Irish Fest swept away from the cozy confines of Crown Center, it's time for the Deutschlanders to move in for Oktoberfest. Now, we're pretty well entrenched at Crown Center, having just completed our biggest ever 4th year there on the South end of beautiful downtown Kansas City. The Germanic festers are gearing up for year number two on the square after shaking the mud of Berkely Park off their boots. So since you might find yourself at Crown Center next weekend and wonder which ethnic group you're supposed to be celebrating, I've prepared this helpful list. Feel free to clip and save. Maybe print it first.

Six Ways You Can Tell You're At Oktoberfest and Not At Irish Fest, Though Both Take Place At Crown Center

1. Per capita tuba ratio is dramatically increased.

2. Healthful, wholesome Irish menu items like fish and chips and shepherd's pie are replaced with artery-clogging sausages.

3. Trains at nearby Union Station begin running on time.

4. Unless Michael Flatley drops by, nobody at Irish Fest is wearing leather pants.

5. Blondes outnumber redheads.

6. There's lots of beer drinking at Oktoberfest, whereas at Irish Fest...uh...okay, let's make it Five Ways You Can Tell You're At Oktoberfest and Not At Irish Fest, Though Both Take Place At Crown Center.

I think we should go check it out. Let's begin here.