Oktoberfest

[lei.talk]

La Mesa Oktoberfest 2010:

October 1, 2 and 3 - Are You Ready??

HOURS: Friday and Saturday 11am - 11:30pm; Sunday 12 noon - 6pm

The La Mesa Village Merchants Association

Please join your friends (200,000 or so) here at La Mesa Village for the 37th Annual Oktoberfest. You don’t want to miss the Grand Daddy of all street fairs and the largest 3-day Oktoberfest West of the Mississippi.

Put on your walking shoes and be prepared to walk 6 city blocks filled with over 300 craft and commercial booths, 5 food courts, 3 beer gardens and a children’s carnival.

Need directions?? Click here for Village Map or just follow the smell of the bratwurst and sauerkraut.

Parking?? What parking!! Take the San Diego Trolley, Orange Line (La Mesa Blvd Stop) Click here for Trolley Schedules and Map. The Orange Line will drop you off right in the middle of the event.

Vendor Booth Applications are available at www.lamesavillage.com

[Vasconcelos]

That's a nice tan she's got.

Anyway, always heard that the Oktoberfest is mostly aimed at tourists.

[Debaser11]

We have our own here in Texas because a large German community settled here after immigrating. It's not what it used to be, unfortunately.

[Svanhild]

Just visit the original, it's quite an experience. I was there last week and the year before.

[Imperivm]

I was going to go this year but it's a bloody rip off, many Americans I spoke to went but they are Americans... 8 Euro 50 for one liter of beer.. Outrageous!

[Debaser11]

Here, it's twenty bones ($) for a pitcher of Budweiser.

[Eldritch]

I was going to go this year but it's a bloody rip off, many Americans I spoke to went but they are Americans... 8 Euro 50 for one liter of beer.. Outrageous!

Also, you have to remember to tip the waitress, generously.

Otherwise you won't get to ogle the decoltee of her dirdl again, nor blow another 8.50€. Those girls are busy -- even if they can carry 12 liter tankards in one hand.

And what you are paying for is the experience, not just the beer. Sure, it's cheaper to guzzle Xtra-Value Euro-Lager from the supermarket on your couch but where's the fun in that?

[Imperivm]

Also, you have to remember to tip the waitress, generously.

Otherwise you won't get to ogle the decoltee of her dirdl again, nor blow another 8.50€. Those girls are busy -- even if they can carry 12 liter tankards in one hand.

And what you are paying for is the experience, not just the beer. Sure, it's cheaper to guzzle Xtra-Value Euro-Lager from the supermarket on your couch but where's the fun in that?

Very true. I prefer our beer festivals, they are cheaper, the beer is more to my tastes, you get a tankard and a t-shirt. For example the other day I got a cool t-shirt of this chap on the front.



Next time I go out chasing tail I know what to ware.

[lei.talk]

Your guide to the local Oktoberfests

Nina Garin | Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 9:08 a.m

The traditional German celebration of Oktoberfest turns 200 in 2010, and for San Diegans that means an extra joyous season of beer-drinking, bratwurst-eating and merriment.

“It’s a good time to get together, socialize, sing songs and sway to the music,” said Heidi Williams of the German American Societies of San Diego. “It’s a time to be happy and to be together.”

A refresher: Oktoberfest was first celebrated in Munich on Oct. 12, 1810, after King Ludwig I married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Since 1850 the annual parade, in which people in traditional costumes walk through the center of Munich, has become part of the tradition.

Though in Germany, Oktoberfest is celebrated for several weeks, in San Diego it’s a bit more sporadic.

The Oktoberfest in El Cajon, which Williams helps organize, is perhaps the most traditional party in town. It goes on for two weekends in October, and instead of a giant street festival, this celebration is at the more intimate German Club.

“We first started having our Oktoberfest mainly so that the members of the German Club and our neighbors could get together,” she said. “Even though it’s started growing, we still try to keep it as more of a family event, like you’d see in Germany.”

Other celebrations throughout San Diego range from community gatherings, like the 16th annual event in Encinitas, to the popular La Mesa festival, which hails itself as the largest Oktoberfest west of the Mississippi.

Speaking of La Mesa, does El Cajon’s neighboring city have an Oktoberfest rivalry? Williams assures that it doesn’t exist.

“Oh no, we like La Mesa,” she said. “We work together, we borrow things from each other. It’s all friendly and in the spirit of Oktoberfest.”

So as the Oktoberfest season approaches, here’s a guide to where you can find all the steins of lager, bratwursts and oompah music around town.

Oktoberfest at Petco Park: Sept. 24. Petco Park. Free with admission; more details. Hours: 4:30 to 7:05 p.m.

Celebrate with a beer tasting event and live entertainment on the field, happening before the Padres take on the Reds.

Oktoberfest 2010 Dance Festival: Sept. 25 and 26. Balboa Park Club (west of the international cottages). Free; more details. Hours: 1 to 4 p.m.

This family festival focuses on dance with free workshops in folk dance, Polka, Waltz and Schottische. There will also be folk arts, crafts, and food and drink. But alas, not much in the way of beer.

Encinitas 16th Annual Oktoberfest: Sept. 26. Mountain Vista Drive at El Camino Real; free. (760) 753-6041 or more details. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Encinitas kicks off the season with German food, a beer garden, bands, dancing and vendors selling various arts and crafts. There will be attractions including rides and a kids' climbing wall.

Oktoberfest in El Cajon: Oct. 1-3 and Oct. 8-10. 1017 S. Mollison Ave. $5; (619) 442-6637 or more details. Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Fridays; noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays; noon to 9 p.m. Sundays. $5 for 21 and up; free for military and under 21.

Put on by the German American Societies of San Diego, this authentic festival is celebrated over two weekends in El Cajon.

37th Annual Oktoberfest in La Mesa: Oct. 1 to 3. La Mesa Village. Free; details. Hours: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

La Mesa’s version is a giant block party in the town village and calls itself the largest three-day Oktoberfest west of the Mississippi.

Oktoberfest in Carlsbad: Oct. 2. Holiday Park. Free; more details. Hours: Noon to 10 p.m.

Carlsbad’s annual Oktoberfest celebration features live music, traditional German food and games.

St. Elizabeth's Annual October Fest in Julian: Oct. 9 and 10. Rabobank parking lot, Julian. Free; more details. Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Take a picturesque day trip to Julian for this annual festival featuring bratwurst, beer, oom-pah music and dancers in traditional German and Austrian style.

Ocean Beach Oktoberfest: Oct. 9. Ocean Beach Pier. Free for entertainment; beer gardens are $3 to $15; more details. Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Music, beer, games and more will be the highlight of this beach-side celebration.

Ramona Oktoberfest: Oct. 16 to 18. Ramona Outdoor Community Center. Free admission, parking is $5; more details. Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 16; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 17; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 18.

Beer and wine, family activities (a fainting goat show and chicken bingo!) along with a car show and pumpkin recipe contest will be featured at this free family event.

[Piparskeggr]

This afternoon, the home brewing club to which my wife and I belong are having their 15th annual Oktoberfest gathering.

We are missing it as I have some sort of flu going on...