German Park

Came with some friends to partake in all that is Oktoberfest and it was a fun evening. We enjoyed the people watching, the food, drinks, music and vendor stalls. Was confused why people were coming with their own mugs and finally understood when we git drinks. The best food of the night was the germN potato salad. Definitely worth experiencing and may be back next year.

Nestled back in German park is the "German American Klub." I have to admit, I'd never heard of this little eatery. From the outside, it appears to be something akin to a Moose or Masonic Lodge, and the interior matches that.Down in the basement, there's a restaurant serving authentic German dishes and sometimes a buffet. The food was fantastic! I had Currywurst, which is very rare to find in Indiana. I've had it in Berlin and felt the Klub's version lived up to the experience. My son had the pulled pork, and it too was great.If you're looking for a little taste of Germany in Indianapolis, this is a great choice.

Scottish festival was interesting.Park is nice, but I wish they would have mowed and done some kind of mosquito treatment. Also the "designated smoking area" isn't enforced.

Oktoberfest at German Park was better than expected. I don't venture to the southside of Indy very often, but if you are looking for something to do on that side of town Oktoberfest is a good pick.Went to the festival for the first time this weekend so wasn't sure what the layout was. When you first walked in you are greeted by an amusement area but not much else. However, the majority of the festival actually took place behind the woods. There were several food/drinks booths scattered throughout the grounds, mainly serving brats ($6 from Claus) and side items ($2-$8), and Warsteiner beer ($6). Several food trucks were also on hand. It isn't a huge selection but you don't need much else than meat and beer. Two stages of entertainment, one playing classic tunes and another featuring traditional music and dancing, kept the crowd occupied. There were also a few vendors selling local goods.I was surprised by the bigger crowds later on in the evening, and most folks were just hanging out and having a good time. Oktoberfest was also family-friendly w/ a kids area. There were some seating areas but it's advised to bring your own lawn chairs. Parking is available inside the park. Admission was $5, and it turned out to be a decent festival to go to.

Our daughter and her fiance wanted an outdoor wedding without being forced to buy a package. They wanted to have the caterer of their choice, baker, florists, photographer and decor etc There were a few restrictions we had to work around and in exchange for that we had a lot more freedom to give our young couple the unique wedding that they wanted. The grounds were perfect. The Shelter house was a well laid out. The people were great to work with.

Scottish Highland Games and Fest is a smokers paradise. There are no annoying designated smoking area's you can do it anywhere.This is great if you are a smoker, but if you are sensitive to smoke, you have to be continually on the lookout and run around a lot to avoid people who are smoking. I went to see DW because she was a performer there (and she is much more sensitive to smoke than I am) and much of our time was spent trying to avoid smokers. They seemed to be everywhere and there was nowhere that was safe for us for long. So I saw her preform, saw what of the sights I could, and 45 minutes (and $15) later headed out.I know that a common perspective is that if smoking bothers you, you need to suck it up, but it is a real problem for some that The Scottish Foundation of Indy have yet to address. Until then it will be something we won't be able really enjoy when DW preforms there.

My daughter and son-in-law chose German Park for their wedding this past Saturday. First I want to praise to the sky the staff who worked with us. Lisa, especially, could not have been friendlier or more helpful. Now, I will say also that, if you choose the ballroom and/or patio as a wedding venue, you will do a little more of the work than at other venues, since you will be decorating the wedding arch, table centerpieces, etc. What this allows you though, is control. You won't be finding yourself, for example, seated at a table with an enormous ugly potted mum in the center, trying to talk around it to the other guests. The staff made it easy for us to come in and do the decorating a full 24 hours in advance of the wedding, too, so we weren't rushed, and allowed ample time and space for the rehearsal, even though the restaurant and patio were open during the wedding rehearsal. You also aren't locked into a package deal at German Park. The kids chose their own photographer, DJ, baker, etc. No paying for an unneeded cake cutting service or unwanted extras. Beyond that, I have been to many weddings in which everything was all fluff and no substance: lovely crystal and china and silk garlands, and lousy food and snooty staff. Everything at German Park was very nice but understated and simple, and the food served at the buffet was absolutely delicious and plentiful. We lucked out on the weather, and so were able to use the patio for the service, but even if we'd been forced to move the wedding ceremony to the ballroom, it still would have been beautiful due to the parquet floor and lovely sconces. Having the wedding of my only child at German Park was a fantastic experience. I highly recommend it.

This gets three stars because while the park is pretty fantastic, the restaurant inside the park 'Edelweis' is prettty horrific. The park has nicely wooded and hosts the Annual Police Picnic every summer and as a kid, I always enjoyed going. I've been to a wedding reception at Edelwies and while a good job was done of that, The food at the restaurant is pretty horrid. I'm talking flies in it, sides of the grape tomatoes rotted out, the only vegetarian option at the time was a grilled cheese. It was disgusting. So the restaurant within the park was total ass-hattery, but the park itself is a lot of fun and a great place to hang out with the family.