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“We felt that it was time to bring the Oktoberfest back to the area in a big way,” said Mark Faller, founder and managing partner of 6 Bears & a Goat. “In some ways, we are bringing a Fredericksburg tradition back to life, but Fredtoberfest is something new and different in a beautiful new venue that was meant to accommodate a crowd of thousands.”

In fact, it’s anticipated that 5,000 visitors will be on site for the celebration this year.

Produced and presented in collaboration with the breweries of the Fredericksburg Area Beer Trail, Visit Fredericksburg, Tour Stafford and Visit Spotsylvania, Fredtoberfest will be a celebration of all things local and is designed to engage all ages. Faller explains that the celebration was developed on the model of the original two-week Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

“Years ago, I visited Southern Germany where I attended their Oktoberfest and went to their biergartens,” said Faller. “What impressed me was the family atmosphere. In contrast with what we typically think of as a bar in America, the concept of a biergarten is that it is a place where you can bring your kids and your dog and stay for hours, sitting under a chestnut tree with your choice of beer and great food. It’s all about community and family.”

That model inspired not only the Fredtoberfest but the launch of the 6 Bears & a Goat Brewing Co. itself. The partners of the brewery are all retired service officers and the enterprise’s name connotes the mascots of the Coast Guard and Navy from which the seven founders hail, representing a collective 140 years of service.

“Our entire business is built on the…