A Sound-Proof 'Oktoberfest'? Organizers Pledge Quieter Party In Torrance
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Residents in Torrance may not have to lose much sleep after all during next month's "Oktoberfest".
KNX 1070's Ron Kilgore reports that's because organizers of the event in the landmark Alpine Village have promised a more muted celebration this year.
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The annual event off the Harbor (110) Freeway and Vermont Ave. drew an estimated 66,000 revelers in its 7-weekend run last year.
Residents living near the site have long complained about the noise and event organizers took special steps to address complaints.
"The biggest one is that we're closing earlier," said General Manager Otto Radtke. "We use to close at 1 a.m. and now we're closing at midnight."
In addition, Radtke said the $10,000 revamping effort also includes sound-dampening material that will be put up along the side of the main tent facing residences, while loudspeakers will be faced toward the freeway and away from homes.
Long-term plans also include a permanent "Oktoberfest" tent several hundred feet further from local residences with a sound wall in between.
