Octoberfest
I redesigned The Fox Cities Chamber Octoberfest Weekend website to give Octoberfest and License to Cruise distinct identities within one consistent navigation and content framework. I also built reusable vendor and musical act components so the client could add and manage event content without designing each entry from scratch.
The Project
Scope:
Website redesign for Octoberfest and License to Cruise, bringing two event experiences into a shared design framework
My Role:
Website design and development, UX and content structure, visual direction, reusable components, client training, and motion art direction
Team:
Character animation was produced by the StellarBlue.ai video team based on my creative direction
The Challenge
Octoberfest Weekend includes two distinct events, each with its own identity, schedule, and audience. The previous website mixed event information in a way that made it difficult to distinguish which details belonged to Octoberfest and which belonged to License to Cruise.
The redesign needed to connect both events without making them look or feel interchangeable. It also needed a practical content system: the client had to be able to add vendors, musical acts, and other entries as event plans were finalized and changed.
One Framework, Two Event Identities
I led the redesign from concept through launch, establishing the visual direction, responsive page layouts, navigation, and content structure. I used shared typography and layout patterns across both events while preserving their individual colors, logos, and imagery.
The navigation connects both events within Octoberfest Weekend, while event-specific pages organize their own schedules, entertainment, and practical information. The shared homepage introduces both events with separate choices, dates, and imagery.
Built for Client-Managed Updates
I designed the full vendor sections and the individual components used within them. Food vendors, beer vendors, and musical acts each had their own card, allowing the client to manage individual entries rather than treat an entire section as one fixed piece of content.
The system supported both the overall page composition and the smaller content items that changed over time. I provided hands-on training so the client could manage updates independently as event details changed. The result was a content workflow built around reusable entries, reducing ongoing design and development dependency.
Music Location and Act Cards
Reusable location components grouped individual music-act cards. The client could add performers and update details within a consistent layout.
Food Vendors and Locations
Reusable vendor cards organized food options by location. The client could add, update, or move individual vendors without rebuilding sections.
Beer List
A consistent listing format kept beer selections and descriptions easy to scan. The client could maintain individual entries as offerings changed.
Design Decisions
The before-and-after comparison shows how I reorganized the experience around shared navigation, distinct event identities, and practical visitor tasks. These decisions connect the visual redesign to how the site presents event information.
01
Shared Navigation
02
Distinct Identities
Colors, logo, and imagery differentiate each event while shared typography and page patterns keep them connected.
03
Task-Oriented Content
Prominent content groups bring music, vendors, parking, and other practical information into a scannable page structure.
Motion Graphics
I provided creative direction for character animations and implemented custom CSS interactions to bring the events’ personality into the website. The StellarBlue.ai video team produced the character animation based on that direction.
The examples connect motion with its actual page context, including food and beer content, entertainment, and the License to Cruise hero. My contribution combined the visual direction of the animated elements with their integration into the web experience.
Page Screenshot
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Page Screenshot
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Page Screenshot
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The Outcome
The redesign gave Octoberfest and License to Cruise distinct identities within a connected, responsive website. Shared navigation and layout patterns provided consistency across the two event experiences.
The reusable component system gave the client a practical way to keep event content current. They could add new vendors and music acts, move vendor cards, and maintain individual entries within a framework I had already designed.
Let's build something great together
I’m looking for my next opportunity to create thoughtful, high-performing web experiences with a team that values great design.
Web and Brand Designer
© 2026 Amanda Gomez. All rights reserved.