Feats of Strength

This series of individual and team competitions includes traditional Oktoberfest games: Barrel Rolling, Stein Racing, Keg Lift Racing, and the official Stein Holding Competition. Presented by UFC Gym and hosted by YaJagoff Media, The Feats of Strength will take place in Market Square each Saturday and Sunday during the Festival.

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Stein Holding

Individual Event

An official US Steinholding Association event!

  • Saturday 10/5, Sunday 10/6, Saturday 10/12, Sunday 10/13 at 2:00pm and 2:30pm

  • Heats will take place on or in front of the stage area

    1. The competitor who can hold their stein with proper form (as described in the rules below) for the longest without being disqualified by the judge will be considered the winner.

    2. An infraction of any rule will result in a strike being issued by the competition judge. After two strikes, the third strike results in immediate disqualification of the competitor.

    3. If any amount of beer spills or drips off of the stein, the competitor is immediately disqualified, regardless of the number of strikes previously assigned.

    4. Once the match has started as signaled by the judge, the competitors will immediately extend their arms, and may not set the stein back down, switch hands, or touch the stein with their off-hand (hand not holding the stein).

  • 1. A 1L dimpled glass stein with handle weighing approximately 3 lbs must be used.

    2.The stein must be filled with liquid up to the 1L line marked on the stein.

    3.The stein must be gripped by the handle.

    4.The thumb may not rest on top of the stein handle; it must rest on the other fingers.

    5.The pinkie finger may be held outside of the stein handle. If positioned outside the handle, it may touch the stein handle, but it may not touch the body of the stein.

    6.The stein must be gripped such that the front (the side of stein opposite the handle) faces directly away from the competitor, extending in parallel with the arm.

    7.Limited arching of the back is permitted, however only minimal leaning is acceptable. In the vertical plane, the competitor's elbow must never cross behind the back of the ankle of either foot, and the competitor's armpit must never cross in front of the hips or toes of either foot.

    8.Significant leaning to the left or right side is unacceptable. The upper torso may not be noticeably angled to the competitor's left or right side, and the line between a competitor's shoulder blades should remain close to parallel to the ground.

    9.The stein must be held out directly in front of the competitor, not out to the side. The line between a competitor's shoulders should remain close to perpendicular with the arm holding the stein.

    10.The arm holding the stein must remain close to parallel with the ground and from a side view should remain close to perpendicular with the line of the torso from the neck to the bottom of the rib cage. The arm holding the stein must be extended straight with no bending at the elbow.

    11.The arm holding the stein must remain separated from the chest and torso of the competitor. The chest and torso may not be used to support the arm.

    12.The off-hand should remain at the competitor's side and may not touch or support the stein or the arm holding the stein. The off-hand/non-holding arm may be held in a straightened position against the competitor's side but may not otherwise be used to brace or support the competitor's torso.

    13.Competitors may not contact any other structures, objects, or people during the competition.

    14.Competitors must stand within their personal area and may not move more than is necessary to make adjustments ensuring proper form during the competition.

    15.If any amount of the liquid filling the stein spills or drips off of the stein, the competitor is immediately disqualified, regardless of the number of strikes otherwise assigned. NOTE: During outdoor competitions or in humid conditions, judges must take care to differentiate between dripping resulting from condensation or sweat, and dripping resulting from spillage.

  • The longest time in each heat will win a Festival Prize Pack and coveted trophy. The longest men’s and women’s time over the entire weekend will have the opportunity to compete at the State Championship in Bethlehem, PA and be immortalized with their name engraving on the official Oktoberfest Pittsburgh championship belt to be displayed at the UFC Gym.

Keg Lift Racing

Individual Event

Individuals will compete to see who can carry a full half-barrel keg over the finish line.

  • Sunday 10/6 and Sunday 10/13 at 3:30pm

  • In the square in front of the stage for a 25’ long path

  • Individuals will compete to see who can carry a full half barrel keg over the finish line. Starting at one end, racers will lift a 160 pound half barrel full of beer and carry it 25 feet to the finish line. Contestants may take breaks and set down the barrel, however the barrel can only be moved by being picked up completely off of the ground. The barrel cannot be rolled or dragged. The fastest person to complete the race while properly carrying the barrel wins.

  • The fastest competitor in each heat will win a festival prize pack and trophy.

Stein Racing

Team Event

Teams of two people will compete to see who can complete the course the fastest while carrying six filled steins without spilling.

  • Saturday 10/5, Sunday 10/6, Saturday 10/12, and Sunday 10/13 at 6:00pm

  • In the square in front of the stage for a 50’ long path

  • Teams of two people will compete to see who can complete the course the fastest while carrying six filled steins without spilling. Each stein weighs approximately 5 pounds, so each competitor will be carrying 30 pounds and will need to travel 50 feet where they will hand off to a partner to complete the race. The hand offs are done without the use of a table, but may be completed by setting the steins on the ground if desired. Steins must be carried in the hand through the handle of the glasses, and may not be supported by any other part of the body. A team who drops a stein or spills more than ½ of the liquid from any one stein is disqualified. Two teams of two people will compete in each heat.

  • The fastest qualified team in each heat will receive a festival prize pack and trophy

Barrel Rolling

Team Event

Teams of two will compete to roll a large 55-gallon wooden barrel through a very bumpy 400-foot course.

  • Saturday 10/5 and Saturday 10/12 at 3:30pm

  • Starting line will be the crosswalk between market square and Alta Vita

    (South East Quadrant) and the course will follow the street to the handoff point nearest Moe’s (upper forbes before Forbes Ave)

  • This is a team competition in which two teammates will compete to roll a large 55 gallon wooden barrel through a very bumpy 400 foot course and over the finish line with a hand off half way. An empty wooden barrel weighs approximately 100 pounds. The competition begins with one player at the starting line who rolls the barrel west from the starting crosswalk (towards Primanti’s from the stage area) and around the bend in the street to their partner who is waiting at the handoff zone (in front of Moe’s). At the handoff point, the players reverse the direction of the barrel and send it back to the finish line, with the second runner now rolling the barrel back around the square and over the finish line at the crosswalk. The competition takes place on the bumpy cobblestone streets, making navigating the barrel difficult, and the course includes a turn that has to be navigated by each player. There are two teams of two people competing in each heat. There is one heat per day on each Saturday of the festival.

  • The fastest team in each heat will receive a festival prize pack and trophy.