Oktoberfest USA in La Crosse first came to life on October 13–15, 1961, though the idea had been in the works for months prior. In 1960, civic leaders recognized that La Crosse needed a community-wide celebration, something the city hadn’t hosted since a winter carnival in 1921. While winter events posed challenges—unpredictable weather, high costs for artificial ice and snow, and competition from other regional festivals—the fall offered the perfect solution...