HELEN — As several thousand people waited for the 47th-annual Oktoberfest Parade to begin in Helen Saturday, the sound of sirens perforated the crisp air.
A medical call temporarily pulled away the city’s firefighters who, with their new fire truck, were serving as grand marshals of the parade.
The new custom fire truck arrived only a couple of days before Saturday’s parade, and still hadn’t been lettered after arriving.
The delay was only a matter of minutes, and spirits in the crowd remained high, growing more enthusiastic as the parade neared.
These photographs offer a look at some of the sights from Saturday’s parade.
The 2017 Oktoberfest, featuring live authentic German music, continues Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 14-17 and Sept. 21-24, then nightly from Sept. 28-Oct. 29 at the Festhalle on Edelweiss Strasse along the Chattahoochee River.
Hours are 6-10:30 p.m. weekdays; 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays; 1 p.m. to midnight on Saturdays; and 1-7 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $8 Monday through Friday, $10 on Saturday and free on Sundays.
