Thousands of Ventura County residents munched bratwurst and chugged beer to the strains of a 36-piece German band Sunday at Ventura County's second annual Oktoberfest.
The three-day event, held at the Ventura Fairgrounds, began Friday evening and ran through Sunday.
In the main pavilion, converted into an echoing beer hall, crowds watched as men in plume-feathered hats and lederhosen waltzed with women in long, swirling gowns.
Fest-goers could also stroll through a Renaissance village and a wood-worker show, watch boxing matches and listen to mariachi music.
"It doesn't seem very German to me," said Linda Cross, a manufacturing worker from Thousand Oaks. "It's strange to have all these other things going on."
Fair organizer Kai M. Werzinger explained that he wanted the event to appeal to non-German residents as well.
"Sure it's an Oktoberfest, but it's an international fest, too," he said. "We have Hispanic music and entertainment and also oom-pah-pah music for the Germans," he said.
