Oktoberfest 50th celebration postponed until 2021

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  • The Greater Helen Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that the 50th Anniversary celebration of Oktoberfest has been postponed until 2021.
    The Greater Helen Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that the 50th Anniversary celebration of Oktoberfest has been postponed until 2021.
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The Greater Helen Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that they are postponing their 50th Anniversary celebration of Oktoberfest until 2021.

Because the Festhalle, where the event is held, is considered a live performance event facility under guidelines set by the State of Georgia for COVID-10 reopening, and for the safety of employees and tourists who visit the area, the decision was made to postpone the celebration, the Chamber said in a press release.

"This has been an extremely difficult decision." the Chamber said in a press release. "No one could have imagined a situation that would cause us to cancel the Festhalle celebrations for our 50th Anniversary, and all options were looked at prior to reaching our decision. The businesses we represent are still open for you. We still have some of the best restaurants you will find anywhere. Our beautiful mountains are still here. We love our visitors and we welcome them. We are hopeful that other celebrations can safely continue. Because of the size of our venue, the concerns expressed by our entertainers who would have to travel here to perform, and the expectation of what a Festhalle celebration should be (filled dance floors, beer lines, food lines, dancing parades through the hall, etc.), we see no way to proceed. Despite our wishes and best efforts, we do not believe we would be able to provide an appropriate 50th Anniversary celebration for our visitors and still maintain required safety protocols. It would not be possible for the Festhalle experience this year to come close to what we are known for or what is expected."

Information about the Greater Helen Area Chamber of Commerce can be found here