'Best' atmosphere at this year's beerfest (+video&pics)

The 9th annual Okere Falls Beerfest came to a close yesterday as people turned out in droves to soak up the sun and enjoy a feed of weisswurst sausage, brezel and brie.

The week-long festival played host to hundreds of people, award-winning beers and vast musical talent with Open Arms and Swamp Thing closing the festival yesterday.

Other entertainment included Antipodes, Handsome Giants, Dovetale, The Michael Barker Trio, Thermaleles, The Way The River Flows, The Fisher Kings, Alicesea, The Guggenmusik Festival Band, Sonic Delusion, with Waiheke Island's Solomon Cole Band headlining over the weekend.

Okere Falls Store worker Kimi Chater said the atmosphere this year was the best it had been.

Image 1 of 9: Okere Falls Beerfest. l-r Nicole Stagg, Ken Stagg, Ricky Biddle, Abbey Grimson. Photo/Ben Fraser

"We had 50 ticket holders on Monday which had increased to 100 by Wednesday.

"Then we had around 1000 people come through over the weekend with the ticketed events, as well as people visiting the store from surrounding lake users to grab coffee and lunches," she said. "It has been a fantastic family orientated event this year, with lots of kids up dancing and having fun. It has been the best festival so far, especially in terms of atmosphere."

Rotorua's Adam McHugh was there on Saturday. "This was the second year we have gone out there. We had some friends staying from Auckland that we took out there and they really enjoyed it."