Alderbrook Park Event Center

I've been coming to Alderbook Park for various events for most of my life. As a child, it was to attend my mom's company picnics, back when she worked for Burgerville. As an adult, things came full circle when I started to visit to attend my *own* employer's company picnics, and later, special events like this weekend's Alderbrook Oktoberfest, or a friend's wedding, several years ago. I remember fondly several of its unique attractions: the fountains of pink lemonade; the (semi)-heated pool; the mini mini-golf course; rowboats on the pond (now replaced with paddleboats); all you can eat hot dogs; the dinner buffet and live music under the awning. Some of the above features aren't a part of a standard admission ticket, or present at each and every event. For example, the dining options at this weekend's Oktoberfest were certainly not free, but an a la carte selection of sparse and underwhelming German options; one measly stand selling Costco brats with sauerkraut, some pretzels and cheese...and that's about it. There was beer, of course, and wine, but nothing to write home about. It was basically Alderbrook with a very thin coat of Bavarian paint over the top, which as a seasonal event would be an abject failure, if not for the fact that Alderbrook itself elevates anything that takes place here a few notches above the bar. There are few family-friendly outdoor venues as uniquely appealing in the PNW area. So many play places, open fields for games and sporting events, hiking trails and places to explore, that any kid (or kid at heart) is going to have no shortage of things to do or see. Our toddler son loved jumping around in the provided bouncy castles, wandering the paths, riding the "train", climbing the play structures, exploring the wooden ship, swinging in the swings, paddling out on the pond, and feeding the fish from the 25c food dispensers on the dock. It was a joy to see him experience the very same things I did as a child, with a huge smile on his face, and to hear him giggling with excitement. Not every event at Alderbrook is perfect; what you get is directly related to how much time, effort and money are poured into planning and preparation. Whether that be your company putting on a holiday event or get together, or something more publicly accessible (and put on by Alderbrook itself, to draw in the public), there may be things that could be improved, but in general, there will always be more hits than misses here. The real magic, and draw, of Alderbrook comes in the form of memories that you build and share with your friends, co-workers, and family, and as evidenced in my own case, these memories are fond, romantic, and now, passing on into their third generation. That's something really special, if you ask me.