As the leaves begin to change and fall from the trees, students are also beginning to get into the groove of classes. Some may even be preparing for their first exams of the semester, while almost all are already anticipating the celebration of Halloween.

In Madison, Halloween is synonymous with riots, police and, of course, drinking. Every year there are threats to cancel the holiday festivities, but every year new regulations are put in place instead, in an effort to reduce the amount of damages, arrests and injuries that occur.

Unfortunately for students, Halloween is still over a month a way. For eager partiers who just can't wait that long or those in need of a weekend away from the books, La Crosse has its own party going on beginning this weekend.

La Crosse has been home to its own Oktoberfest since 1961 when it was first held over a single weekend. It is a spin-off of the almost 200-year-old celebration that takes place every October in Munich, Germany.

The first Oktoberfest was actually the wedding celebration for Princess Therese and the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig. The party was such a success that people decided to hold a festival every year. Now, almost two centuries later, the festival officially begins when the clock of St. Paul's Church in Munich strikes noon, the Burgermeister enters one of the beer tents and taps the first cask and quaffs the first stein during a 12-cannon salute.

La Crosse's Oktoberfest came about because the city had been without a community-wide event for 40 years. Several representatives of the La Crosse based G. Heileman Brewing Company were brainstorming an annual promotion at the same time city officials were looking for an event to hold.

A brewery employee suggested a version of the German festival Oktoberfest and the idea was quickly accepted.

A committee was created to oversee the planning of the event. According to La Crosse Festivals, Inc., it came up with five main objectives for the festival: to promote local pride in La Crosse, obtain national publicity for the city, promote tourism for the area, involve a large number of people and break even financially while staying non-profit. When the original Oktoberfest Committee convened, no one could have guessed how many people would take part in the festivities over the years.

La Crosse's Oktoberfest is recognized nationally and has hosted close to 200,000 attendees during what has now become a weeklong event. Although many people come for the family-friendly activities, parades and pageants, a large percentage of the participants come for the "beers, brats and babes," which, according to Gordon T. Anderson of CNN International, is the unofficial slogan for this Wisconsinite version of the German tradition.

Spanning over two weekends, it provides the perfect vacation for students who can manage to get away for a few days. Oktoberfest offers the party atmosphere that many college students crave and, being a college town itself, is friendly toward students. Third Street, which is where most of the main bars are located, closes down, similar to Madison's Mifflin Street during the annual block party. The bars overflow with patrons as well as visitors from all over the state and even country, with a good time reportedly had by all.

Oktoberfest begins this Friday, September 30 with the opening parade followed by the tapping of the Golden Keg at 11 a.m., and runs through October 8. For a full list of Oktoberfest activities and events, visit www.oktoberfestusa.com.