Get your stein-holding arm and beer bellies ready, because it’s almost Oktoberfest season along the Peninsula. From San Mateo to Los Gatos, a variety of Oktoberfest events are scheduled throughout September and October.
Notably, Gourmet Haus Staudt in Redwood City is not hosting an Oktoberfest event this year, announcing in an Instagram post that its event space is unavailable. The German beer garden will, however, host a Fest Bier tap takeover Sept. 19, with giveaways and games.
Los Gatos Oktoberfest
KCAT Public Media is starting off Silicon Valley’s Oktoberfest season with its fifth annual Los Gatos Oktoberfest Sept. 12. The event is free to attend, with German beer, wine and food available for purchase. Expect bratwurst, chicken schnitzel, soft pretzels and Bavarian desserts from The German Guys; German specialty wines from Ancora Vino owner Ryan Smith; and various German beers served from colorful tap trucks.
For entertainment, German sing-along band Blow Musik and marionette variety show The Vaudeville Follies will be performing. The event also includes raffles, stein-holding contests and a Kinderplatz Carnival, which has carnival games, cornhole, water pong and a DIY flower crown booth.
Los Gatos Oktoberfest is a fundraiser to support programs and services of KCAT Public Media, a nonprofit local public television station.
Heritage Pub & Chop House is hosting Los Gatos Oktoberfest’s official after-party beginning at 8:30 p.m.
Los Gatos Oktoberfest, Los Gatos Civic Center Lawn, 110 E. Main St., Los Gatos. Sept. 12 from noon to 8 p.m.
Springline Oktoberfest
Springline in Menlo Park is hosting a ticketed Oktoberfest event Sept. 18-19 from 5-9 p.m. Admission is $30, or opt for the $40 ticket that includes a 1-liter stein and a drink ticket that’s redeemable for beer, wine or a nonalcoholic beverage.
The event includes German music, live performances, stein-holding competitions and photo ops. Oktoberfest-inspired food, German beer, Barebottle Brewery beer, wine and cider are available for purchase.
Springline Oktoberfest, 550 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park. Sept. 18-19 from 5-9 p.m.
Taplands Oktoberfest
Taplands in Santa Clara is bringing back its Oktoberfest celebrations Sept. 19-20. Expect craft beer, food, music and games, including a stein-holding contest. Lederhosen and dirndls are encouraged.
Taplands, 1171 Homestead Road #110, Santa Clara; 408-709-2990, Instagram: @taplandssantaclara. Sept. 19 from noon to 11 p.m. and Sept. 20 from noon to 10 p.m.
Redwood City Oktoberfest
Redwood City is once again transforming Courthouse Square into a Bavarian village, with more than 2,000 feet of family-style bench seating, live entertainment and plenty of beer.
This ticketed event is $10-$27 for non-drinkers and $16-$37 for drinkers, which includes a commemorative stein and drink ticket to redeem beer, cider or soda, depending on the ticket type. Food (such as giant pretzels, grilled bratwurst and other Bavarian bites) and extra drink tickets are sold separately.
Festival seating, offered Friday to Sunday for two weekends, includes live music from The Internationals Band and Golden, performances from the Golden Gate Bavarian Club and stein-holding challenges, dance contests, yodeling competitions, comedy skits and the chicken dance.
Happy hour seating, held Tuesday to Thursday, includes live music from Deutscher Musikverein, Alpine Sound Band, or The Internationals and Nature Friends Schuhplattler, depending on the day.
Redwood City Oktoberfest, Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City. Sept. 18–27 (except Sept. 21), times vary.
Los Altos Mountain View Community Foundation Oktoberfest
The Los Altos Mountain View Community Foundation is hosting a free Oktoberfest event at Lincoln Park Sept. 26 from 3-6 p.m. The event includes beer and German wine for purchase from Laughing Monk Brewery, pretzels and cookies from Little Sky Bakery and bratwurst, currywurst and potato salad from Redwood Grill.
For entertainment, expect a live performance from Alpine Sound and a square dance group performance. For activities, there will be a stein-holding competition, costume contest, photo booth and kids’ activities, such as cornhole and hands-on art.
All proceeds from the event support LAMVCF’s community work across Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View.
LAMVCF Oktoberfest, Lincoln Park, 199 University Ave., Los Altos. Sept. 26 from 3-6 p.m.
Frau Ludwig’s Oktoberfest
Ludwigs, a German beer garden in downtown Mountain View, is hosting an Oktoberfest celebration Sept. 26 from noon to midnight. The Zicke-Zacke Band will be performing from 4-9 p.m., and a stein-holding contest will be held around 6 p.m. Oktoberfest game booths will also be available.
Ludwigs Biergarten, 383 Castro St., Mountain View; 650-282-5342, Instagram: @ludwigsmv. Sept. 26 from noon to midnight.
Fieldwork San Mateo
Fieldwork Brewing is hosting an Oktoberfest celebration Sept. 26 from noon to 5 p.m. with live music from Bill Likens & The Oktober Schlager Band, fest games and more. No tickets or reservations are required.
The brewery will also be offering a limited-edition stein, its annual Fest & Last Oktoberfest Lager, a new Rough & Tumble Bock Lager and German-inspired food (hot pretzels, smoked bratwurst, bratzza and German potato salad) from Sept. 19-Oct. 4.
Fieldwork Brewing, 3030 S. Delaware St., San Mateo; 650-242-1280, Instagram: @fieldwork_sanmateo. Oktoberfest menu from Sept. 19-Oct. 4. Oktoberfest celebration Sept. 26 from noon to 5 p.m.
Oktoberfest Coastside
Old Princeton Landing in Half Moon Bay is hosting its first ever Oktoberfest Oct. 3 at 2 p.m. This $15 ticketed event (kids 12 and under are free) includes live German music from AlpineSound, singalongs, dances and stein-holding competitions. Expect German beers on tap, as well as sausages, pretzels and other German food options.
Old Princeton Landing Public House and Grill, 460 Capistrano Road, Half Moon Bay; 650-728-7096, Instagram: @oldprincetonlanding. Oct. 3 from 2 p.m.
Mountain View Oktoberfest
This year’s Mountain View Oktoberfest will be the largest one yet, with the event taking over Castro Street from Church Street to Mercy Street Oct. 10-11 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Spearheaded by the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce, the 11th annual event will be the first not co-hosted by Steins Beer Garden, which changed ownership last year.
The event is free to attend, but eventgoers must purchase a glass stein and drink tickets to consume alcohol. San Francisco German band Deutscher MusikVerein will perform both days from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and Blow Musik will play from 3:30-7 p.m.
Expect various contests throughout each day, including a kids’ pretzel-eating contest, yodeling contest, stein-holding contest, costume contest, beer belly contest and best chicken dancer competition.
Mountain View Oktoberfest, downtown Mountain View; Instagram: @mvoktoberfest. Oct. 10-11 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Campbell Oktoberfest
The 31st annual Campbell Oktoberfest is Oct. 17-18, with more than 125 artisan and business booths, the Biersch Garten, kids’ zone, community stage, five stages of live music and 18 food vendors. Admission is free, with food and drink available for purchase.
The Biersch Garten is an open-air, 60×30-foot tent with family-style seating, brews from Gordon Biersch Brewing Company and live performances by the Zicke Zacke Band. Stein-holding contests will be both days at 3 p.m. along with best-dressed contests at 2 p.m.
The kids’ zone features a 20-foot double inflatable slide, Shooting Stars inflatable basketball, a climbing wall, activity tables, a magician and arts and crafts.
Five stages of live music will offer German, rock and roll, R&B, blues and country music. For food, expect German offerings such as Bavarian bratwurst and German sausages from Lockeford Sausage or German cake and apple strudel from Caraliere’s Bakery. There will also be festival food, such as turkey legs and garlic fries from Aroma Concessions and kettle corn from Pot-O-Gold.
Campbell Oktoberfest, downtown Campbell. Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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