Troy McClain celebrates after winning a 1996 Suzuki Escudo Saturday during Oktoberfest at Camp Foster, Okinawa. He said he was thrilled with the win, especially since he has been thinking of purchasing a new car. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
Troy McClain celebrates after winning a 1996 Suzuki Escudo Saturday during Oktoberfest at Camp Foster, Okinawa. He said he was thrilled with the win, especially since he has been thinking of purchasing a new car. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
Katsu Yoshida gives 5-year-old Antonio Cordova a hand completing a flip on the bungee trampoline Saturday during Oktoberfest at Camp Foster. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The gates of Camp Foster were open to all as Marine Corps Community Services held its annual Oktoberfest celebration here Saturday and Sunday.
The festival was a chance for thousands of servicemembers and their families to get together with Okinawans for food, fun and entertainment.
In true Oktoberfest style, there was plenty of good food — and beer. Festival goers could fill themselves with everything from hamburgers and hot dogs to bratwurst and Okinawan fare.
While there was plenty of good German beer on hand for the adults, the children had their attractions as well. A kids’ area containing large inflatable slides and lots of moon bounces was on hand, and for the more adventurous children, a rock climbing wall and four bungee trampolines also were available.
Fun for both young and old could be had at the various game booths on hand. Balloons were popped and rings were tossed for prizes — no one seemed to walk away from any booth empty-handed.
One person at Oktoberfest left with a prize, but he didn’t walk away with it, he drove.
Troy McClain was the lucky winner of a 1996 Suzuki Escudo, which was given away by MCCS and BC Used Cars. During the kickoff of Saturday’s events, 15 people who won chances to start the car received a key.
One by one, they tried their keys, but the first 14 didn’t start the car. The last key-holder put the key in the ignition, but still it didn’t start. Someone had the winning key, but it didn’t work for him or her. So the decision was made to do it all over. All 15 contestants picked keys again.
A second chance proved lucky for McClain, whose key started the vehicle.
“I was talking with other contestants, and I didn’t think my key would start it,” McClain said. “My key was bent, and one of the other contestants said they had that key, but it didn’t work because it was bent. … I guess they just didn’t wiggle it right.”
McClain said his prize was perfectly timed, as he was thinking recently of purchasing a new car.
In addition to food, games and giveaways, live entertainment also helped make the atmosphere festive. R&B band Soul’d Out got things going Saturday, and the Latin-funk band Escovedo Project followed shortly after. Rock bands Plunge and SR-71 wrapped up the live entertainment Saturday.
On Sunday, Soul’d Out once again was to get things going in the afternoon, followed by Plunge and SR-71. Escovedo Project was slated to wrap up this year’s festival.
