Founded in 1992 by Austrian native, Richard Netzberger, the Oktoberfest has grown into the #1 authentic German Oktoberfest in Louisiana featuring the largest German Beer Garden in the South.
The Oktoberfest German Beer Garden produced by Steiermark Productions, Inc. event took place in Ponchatoula, Louisiana for twelve years and then re-located to Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, Louisiana in the year 2004. The TradeMart building has 24,000 square feet of open space and is a completely enclosed temperature controlled facility with plenty of restrooms. Lamar-Dixon Expo Center has plenty of on-site parking and RV hook-up spaces for a modest fee. We will continue to have a self-serve food area as well as serviced table seating by our friendly staff servicing up to 2,500 people at one time.
Richard Netzberger’s experience as a professional musician playing music in German Beer Gardens throughout Europe and the United States is to his credit in producing this authentic event. He joined one of Austria’s leading professional folk music and show bands, The Murztaler Musikanten in 1983 and toured worldwide with the group for four years. In 1984 The Murztaler Musikanten were a spectacular success at the New Orleans World’s Fair, they were the only band contracted to perform for the entire six months in the German Beer Garden. Richard also met his wife, Brenda, during those incredible six months. She also worked at the World’s Fair and is a native of Baton Rouge. After the World’s Fair, Richard returned to Europe to continue with the tour and six weeks later sent an airplane ticket to Brenda so she could join him in Europe. The next three years she toured with the group throughout Europe and the United States. Richard and Brenda were married in St. Lorenzen, Austria in April 1987 and shortly after they were ready to settle in one place and returned to Baton Rouge in October 1987. Because of the tremendous success of the New Orleans 1984 World’s Fair German Beer Garden, Richard and Brenda decided to start an annual Oktoberfest event of their own featuring the largest German Beer Garden not only in Louisiana but in the South that brings Germany to you!
Photo Gallery from our history.