Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati delivered a balance of celebration and remembrance as festival-goers sampled German heritage while honoring the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

        The 25th annual festival, postponed from last weekend due to the attacks, drew thousands to downtown Cincinnati. Lt. Kurt Byrd, spokesman for the Cincinnati Police Department, said it was one of the best attended Oktoberfests he's seen.

Chris Fryburger, in a ball cap, and Megan Fryburger, in chicken hat, enjoy a cream puff Sunday. They live in Mount Lookout. (Craig Ruttle photo) | ZOOM |

        Organizers, too, were buoyed by the turnout, considering there was no money to advertise that Oktoberfest had been postponed.

        “It's been a wonderful coming together of Cincinnati,” said Raymond Busse III, event spokesman. “The feeling is very patriotic. We've never seen so much red, white and blue at Oktoberfest. It's been a terrific weekend, even in light of the national landscape.”

        At Fountain Square Sunday, Gordon Brown of Covedale donated to the Flowers for Freedom project and placed a stalk of magenta coxcomb at the base of the fountain with thousands of other flowers.

        The project, sponsored by the Cincinnati Horticultural Society and Cinergy, raised money for the New York Disaster Relief Fund.

        “The response has been overwhelming because people want to do something,” said Jeane Elliot of the Horticultural Society.

        Mr. Brown doesn't attend Oktoberfest every year, but he felt compelled to come downtown and stand in solidarity with others.

        “It's a patriotic thing to come down and share the emotions,” said Mr. Brown, who was dressed in red, white and blue.

        While the attacks were still fresh in people's minds, the festival provided a diversion from all the bad news. “I think it's good,” Mr. Brown said. “I think we needed it.”

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