The temperatures were triple digit, but the beer was cold and Oktoberfest 2009 over the Sept. 26 weekend drew its usual large crowds from across the Bay Area.

At noon on Saturday, Mayor Julie Pierce tapped the keg and with glass raised in a cheer to the crowd, kicked off the annual event.

The keg had arrived just moments before on a cart pulled by Chief, the same Burmese Mountain Dog that did the honors last year.

The six-year-old dog rested in the shade after the short parade from Ed’s to the Biergarten. “The hot weather really affects him,” said Chief’s owner Larry Bohlig.

As in the past the traditional and lively Biergarten music was played by The Internationals along with Bavarian Dancers entertaining the crowd under the big tent, interrupted every now and again by the band shouting out “beer”. The tent seats about 500 and every seat was taken. Every age was represented from the smallest babies to the most senior of citizens.

“Saturday was quite busy,” said Mary Ann Lawrence, event organizer for the event which is sponsored by the Clayton Business and Community Association. “It draws people from all over the Bay Area,” she said, pleased by the event turnout.

Outside the Biergarten, arts and craft booths, food and drink vendors all clamored to fill orders as the thirsty and hungry crowd weaved in and out to see what else was there. Arm bands on those waiting in line for beer proved they were over 21.

Noticeable this year was a larger than normal contingent of law enforcement as Clayton’s cops on bicycles fanned out to make sure that everything was under control. This year, the local police were joined by officers from the Alcohol and Beverage Control.

“ABC’s responsibility is to make sure license holders are following the rules and regulations of their licenses and to make sure that all was safe in that regard,” said Clayton Chief Dan Lawrence. “They were at our event doing just that for the festival as well as the surrounding establishments.”

“They were observers,” said Lawrence, who considered the the added police presence to have been a good thing. “There were no disruptions,” she said. “It was a pretty mellow crowd.”

“It is a multi-generational event,” Lawrence said. “It’s nice to see children and their grandparents at the same table.”