Bust out that lederhosen and don your best dirndl, because it’s Oktoberfest time! From Munich munchies to Bavarian bites and Prost parties, there are near-endless ways to celebrate Oktoberfest from right here in the Bay.
Woodsfest – Island Oktoberfest: 12 to 6 p.m. Sept. 9, 1 Avenue of the Palms, San Francisco. Celebrate Oktoberfest in the Bay with festive music from Joe Smiell’s German Brass Band and delicious food, including grilled sausages, housemade sauerkraut and soft pretzels, plus breathtaking views of Treasure Island. $25. bit.ly/WoodsfestOktoberfest
Schroeder’s Annual Oktoberfest Block Party: 3 to 10 p.m. Sept. 15, Schroeder’s, 240 Front St., San Francisco. Come out for Schroeder’s annual Oktoberfest Block Party featuring live music, beverages and bites, plus games and activities including stein chugging, stein holding and costume contests. Free admission. bit.ly/SchroedersOktoberfest
Benicia Oktoberfest & Marketplace: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 16, First Street Green, Benicia. Indulge in the spirit of Oktoberfest as Benicia brings you the best of German culture. From traditional Bavarian music to mouthwatering food and an artisanal marketplace, this event promises an unforgettable experience for all. Grab your lederhosen or dirndl and immerse yourself in the lively atmosphere. $10. bit.ly/BeniciaOktoberfest
Oktoberfest at Original Pattern Brewing: 12 to 8 p.m. Sept. 16, 292 Fourth St., Oakland. Dust off that lederhosen and mark your calendars for another epic Oktoberfest in the heart of Oakland. Keep the German legacy going with live music, delicious bites, beer, games, prizes, and, of course, Original Pattern’s festive annual beer releases. $25-$40. bit.ly/OriginalPatternOktoberfest
Oktoberfest at Side Gate Brewery: 12 to 9 p.m. Sept. 16, 1822 Grant St., Concord. Side Gate’s Oktoberfest will include live music, a craft fair, a stein-holding contest, corn hole and delicious German-style bites and beers on tap. Pre-sale tickets $25. sidegatebrewing.com/oktoberfest
Radhaus’ Oktoberfest: Sept. 16-Oct. 3, Radhaus, Fort Mason, San Francisco. Head to the Alpine Beer Hall and Restaurant for Oktoberfest to enjoy an impressive lineup of daily specials, rare German beers, delicious Bavarian eats (including a new in-house pretzel program) and unrivaled views of the bay. Free admission. radhaussf.com/
REDWOOD CITY, CA – SEPTEMBER 25: Redwood City hosts an Oktoberfest celebration in Redwood City, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Oktoberfest Downtown Redwood City: Sept. 20-24, Courthouse Square, Redwood City. Immerse yourself in the spirit of traditional Oktoberfest revelry with authentic German music, brimming steins of delicious brews on tap, tasty German delights like pretzels and brats, plus fun games, activities and contests. $10-$27. bit.ly/RedwoodOktoberfest
Parktoberfest: 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 22, Park Chalet Coastal Beer Garden, 1000 Great Highway at Ocean Beach, San Francisco. Oktoberfest in the Park is back with specialty beers and German-inspired menus, fun contests and live music from Alpine Sounds. $48. parkchalet.com/oktoberfest
Vacaville Oktoberfest: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 23, Greater Town Square, Downtown Vacaville. PureGrain Bakery and Downtown Vacaville are partnering again to make this annual event fun and festive, just in time for the grand season of Oktoberfest. Enjoy beers, brats, pretzels and German music galore. Free admission. downtownvacaville.com/oktoberfest-1
Flagship Taproom Oktoberfest: 12 to 10 p.m. Sept. 23, Flagship Taproom Cotati, 8099B La Plaza, Cotati. Join the festivities at this Oktoberfest parking lot party offering 15+ different German beers, a special menu of German bites, plus yodeling, mug holding and, of course, the traditional costume contest. Free admission. bit.ly/FlagshipOktoberfest
Oktoberfest Midtown Sacramento: 3 to 9 p.m. Sept. 30, Der Biergarten, 2332 K St., Sacramento. Der Biergarten will once again take over the block of 24th and K Streets in Midtown for an Oktoberfest street party. Plan on German beer, entertainment, food and games. $10-$15. bit.ly/MidtownOktoberfest
Oktoberfest by the Beach: 4 to 11:30 p.m. Sept. 30, 2700 45th Ave., San Francisco. Come out for the fifth annual Oktoberfest by the Beach at the United Irish Cultural Center featuring music by Alpine Sound, German beer and tasty food in the large bier hall and outdoor beer garden. $25-$35. bit.ly/OktoberfestbytheBeach
Shadelands Ranch Oktoberfest: 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 30, 2660 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. Enjoy an afternoon of fun Oktoberfest activities in the beautiful Shadelands Ranch Museum Biergarten. This festive event offers stein holding and costume contests, dancing, and an authentic German dinner and dessert booth. $60. bit.ly/ShadelandsOktoberfest
Sacramento Oktoberfest Pub Crawl: 5 to 11 p.m. Sept. 30, various venues in Sacramento. The magic of this event lies in the diversity of venues you’ll explore. From cozy corners that exude the warmth of rustic charm to sleek modern spaces reimagining tradition, each bar is a unique chapter in your Oktoberfest adventure. Free admission. bit.ly/SacramentoOktoberfestCrawl
Clayton Oktoberfest: Sept. 30-Oct. 1, Main Street, Clayton. Experience a Munich-style Oktoberfest in picturesque downtown Clayton with an authentic German biergarten, delicious German foods, live music and dancing, arts and crafts vendors, plus a full-size carnival with amusement rides, game booths and street performers. Free admission. claytonoktoberfest.com/
Bob Bloom drinks a beer during the 10th annual Oaktoberfest on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Oaktoberfest in the Dimond: Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 3426 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland. Oaktoberfest offers a hopping main stage with four additional stages of music and dance performances, an outdoor artisan marketplace, interactive games and activities, plus local craft brews from more than 50 breweries and a mouthwatering collection of traditional German-inspired cuisine. Free admission. oaktoberfest.org/
OktoberFest Los Gatos: 1 to 6 p.m. Oct. 1, Civic Center Lawn, Los Gatos. Cheers! All are invited to kick off the fall season with OktoberFest Los Gatos. Enjoy authentic German music and dancing, contests and lawn games, plus plenty of German bites, brats and beers. Free admission. kcat.org/oktoberfest-2023
San Ramon Historic Foundation Oktoberfest: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 7, Forest Home Farms Historic Park, 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. This annual fundraising event will feature a German-themed lunch, live music from the Olympia Fields Brass, a sheep herding demonstration and tours of Forest Homes Historic Park. $0-$40. srhf.org/index.php/event/oktoberfest/
Oktoberfest at the Northern California Renaissance Faire: Oct. 7-8, Casa de Fruta, 10031 Pacheco Pass Highway, Hollister. If jousting and pageantry aren’t your cup of tea, don’t fret, because the Renaissance Faire will be hosting a special Oktoberfest weekend. Join the German mercenaries and their camp followers, as they ring in the harvest season with some cold Willingtown ale. $25-$35. norcalrenfaire.com/theme-weekends/
Oktoberfest Food Festival at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom: Oct. 9-29, 1001 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo. Hop off your favorite ride and straight into Oktoberfest to enjoy Bavarian delicacies and craft beers. Feel transported with themed décor, live entertainment and activities including the beer keg tapping ceremony, pretzel eating contests and giant beer pong. $45+ admission. bit.ly/SixFlagsOktoberfest
Walnut Creek Oktoberfest: Oct. 13-14, Civic Park East, 1375 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. Raise your beer steins high and dust off your lederhosen because Walnut Creek’s Annual Oktoberfest is back! The Bavarian spirit will be on full display with an authentic biergarten, German delicacies, dozens of artisan vendors, plus live entertainment and a Kinder Platz Kids Zone. Free admission. bit.ly/WCOktoberfest
Oktoberfest at SideTrack Bar + Grill: Oct. 13-14, 30 W. Angela St., Pleasanton. SideTrack’s parking lot transforms into an Oktoberfest destination this year with a walk-up bar offering German food and drinks, a full-size band bringing a mix of live polka and German folk music, plus cornhole, Jenga and other fun festivities. $0-$65. bit.ly/SideTrackOktoberfest
Turn Verein Oktoberfest: Oct. 13-14, Turner Hall, 3349 J St., Sacramento. The Sacramento Turn Verein will hold its 54th annual Oktoberfest at Turner Hall. Enjoy authentic German food, an outdoor biergarten and German beer on tap, live music from three different bands, German music and dancers, plus an array of fun kids activities. $5-$40. bit.ly/TurnVereinOktoberfest
CAMPBELL, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 17: Daniel Hernandez and Erica Vega-Coloca get their photo taken at the 2021 Oktoberfest in Campbell. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Campbell Oktoberfest: Oct. 21-22, East Campbell Ave., Downtown Campbell. For 28 years, the Campbell Chamber has celebrated all things German during this annual festival featuring German foods, beers and ales in the Biersch Garten, arts and craft booths, live music and entertainment, plus stein-holding and costume contests and kids activities. Free admission. campbelloktoberfest.com/
Piedmont Oktoberfest: 12 to 5 p.m. Oct. 22, Piedmont Park, 356 Highland Ave., Piedmont. Piedmont’s Oktoberfest is back! This festive event features local craft breweries, the Wente Wine Grotto, grilled sausages, German-style pretzels and music by Polka Geist, which organizers call the best German oompah band in the Bay Area. $60-$200. piedmontoktoberfest.com/
Oktoberfest BBQ at Cavallo Point: 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 22, 601 Murray Circle, Sausalito. Get ready to experience a feast of epic proportions at Cavallo Point’s unique spin of this iconic German tradition. Let rich flavors transport you to the heart of Germany with every bite from the grill, sip craft beer and wine, and enjoy the festive sounds of Tim Weed & Friends. $15-$45. bit.ly/CavalloOktoberfest
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Ludwig’s Oktoberfest: 4 to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays Oct. 22-30, Ludwig’s Biergarten, 383 Castro St., Mountain View. Celebrate Oktoberfest the Ludwig’s way with a traditional Oktoberfest menu, live music and entertainment, plus a costume contest and stein holding competition. $0-$140. bit.ly/LudwigsOktoberfest
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