Lauren Walton, the 2023 Hop Queen of The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Otto Ratz takes a sip of beer from his stein at The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Carol and John Free dance to the German music played by The Bavarian Echoes at The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

A competitor strains to keep his stein level during the mens' stein-holding contest at The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Sue Erickson and Mike Free dance to the music of The Bavarian Echoes at The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Musicians with The Bavarian Echoes play a variety of waltzes and polkas during The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Pam Saunders and Donna Willett, whose family and friends traveled from Seattle to attend, dance to the music of The Bavarian Echoes at The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Kyle Thurk and Carolyn Harms won the barrel-rolling competition at The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

A competitor strains to keep his stein level during the mens' stein-holding contest at The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

A bartender fills a mug at the biergarten at The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Marty Weimer takes a sip of beer from his stein at The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish on Saturday, Oct. 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)