The Whiteface Mountain Ski Center celebrated Oktoberfest Saturday and Sunday. Hoffman and Conroy have actually been to the real Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. As they stood amongst crowds of drinkers, families waiting for the ski gondola and people looking to eat apple strudel, Conroy said the two festivals weren’t much different from each other.

“Imagine this, but just, like, a 100 times bigger,” she said. “They’re not too different.”

Conroy said the Munich Oktoberfest was one her favorite memories with Hoffman, and the celebration at Whiteface helped her recapture those moments.

“And, I mean, who doesn’t like beer and pretzels,” Hoffman added.

Ronald Kwas (guitar) and Freddie Meier (accordion) serenade the Norton family of Tupper Lake as they eat lunch during Oktoberfest at the Whiteface Mountain Ski Center in Wilmington Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Griffin Kelly)

Despite being a German festival with German beer, bratwurst and polka music, Whiteface naturally incorporated North Country elements into its celebration, too. The Paul Smith’s College woodsmen team was there demonstrating and letting people participate in lumberjack events.

“C’mon, Noah. You got this,” a crowd of people shouted as Paul Smith’s student Noah Eisenhardt repeatedly chopped into a thick block of Aspen hardwood on which he stood. This particular event is called the underhand chop. He wore a pair of metal booties to protect himself from any miscalculated swings. A hit might cause a bruise, but at least it wouldn’t cut him. Eisenhardt got a little tired but didn’t give up. After a few more chops from his heavy ax, the wood split in two beneath his feet.

“That was a real knotty piece of wood,” he said. “It took way more chops than it should’ve.”

Eisenhardt has been a logger for the past few years and started competing in woodsmen sports two years ago.

“I worked all summer with a chainsaw in my hand,” he said. “I couldn’t stand sitting behind a desk all day. There’s a real adrenaline rush you get from dropping trees. Coming home sweaty and dirty after a hard day of work don’t bother me.”

German-American band the Adlers perform a mix of polka and rock music at the main stage during Oktoberfest Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Griffin Kelly)

Inside at the Cloudspin Bar & Grill, Ronald Kwas and Freddie Meier serenaded the North family of Tupper Lake with the song “Du, du liegst mir in Herzen,” which translates to “You, you are in my heart.”

“It’s actually one of the songs that Lili Von Shtupp sings in ‘Blazing Saddles,” Kwas said.

Madeline Kahn played a German burlesque performer in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy.

Kwas and Meier have been coming to the Whiteface Oktoberfest for years, performing under the name Schachtelgebirger Musikanten — Scha-music for short.

“We enjoy doing it every year,” Meier said.

Paul Smith’s College woodsman Noah Eisenhardt demonstrates the underhand block chop during Oktoberfest at the Whiteface Mountain Ski Center Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Griffin Kelly)

“It’s a wonderful event for the mountain before the winter season starts,” Kwas added.

Oktoberfest became a tradition in Munich, Germany, in 1810 when King Ludwig I married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The city’s residents were invited to join in the festivities. The whole party wound up lasting about two weeks.

“It was a mixing of royalty and the common folk,” Kwas said, “and that’s just a beautiful thing.”

Whiteface Mountain Ski Center employees Amanda Cassidy (right) and Amy Luebbers pose in German clothing during Oktoberfest Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Griffin Kelly)