Fort Bliss celebrates Oktoberfest weekend

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Fort Bliss brought a taste of Germany to the Borderland over the weekend with its annual Oktoberfest celebration at Biggs Park.

Monica Thomas, marketing manager for Fort Bliss MWR, joined us on the Noon show ahead of the three-day celebration to discuss what visitors could expect.

The event featured German food, beer, music, games and other activities. Friday and Saturday were reserved for guests 18 and older, while Sunday featured a Family Day open to all ages.

Thomas said one of the goals of the event was to bring the Fort Bliss and El Paso communities together.

“It’s Germany brought to El Paso,” Thomas said during the interview.

This year, Fort Bliss offered free admission to Oktoberfest. Thomas said organizers wanted the celebration to be accessible to the community, soldiers and their families.

During the interview, Thomas also explained how civilians without a military ID can access Fort Bliss. Visitors can apply for a community access pass and must provide a valid driver’s license for the required background check.

Fort Bliss also offers yearlong community access passes for people interested in attending other events on the installation.