Thursday, October 8, 2015

Oktoberfest in San Diego

We are at the height of celebrating Oktoberfest which means it’s time to fill your stein with foamy drafts and tucking into warm, doughy pretzels this weekend.  This ‘holiday’ stems back to the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) on October 12 in 1810 in the state of Bavaria.  However, there’s more to this ‘fest than drinking beer, especially in San Diego.  There are some great family-oriented activities that will be enjoyed by herr, frau and kinder alike.


Although Ocean Beach doesn’t have a lot in common with the thick forests of Bavaria, this Friday and Saturday (October 9 and 10th), the base of the pier will be turned into a German village on the shore.  This is the 11th year Ocean Beach has hosted O.B. Oktoberfest, and this year promises to be the best one yet.  The two-day festival begins Friday at 4:20pm and goes until 11pm that night.  The fun begins again on Saturday at 9am with a 2K family run, which benefits the Ocean Beach Community Foundation, which promotes local youth sports.  
 Friday’s festivities will be geared toward the 21-and-over crowd with live music and a beer garden complete with German microbrew tastings.  Saturday morning kicks off will two races, the family 2K ($25 covers a family of six people) or the 5K, which starts at 10:00am and has a $30 fee.  Entry in the races will gain you access to the day’s activities and those runner who are over 21 will receive two complimentary beers.   
A traditional German band will be playing  ‘Oom-Pah' music to get the crowds in the mood for a fun-filled day.  The whole family will love the different contests, such as the annual Sausage Toss Competition for a chance to win $10,000, as well as the food and craft vendors.  There will  be a shuttle running from the beachside festival to various locations around San Diego to cut down on driving (check out the map HERE for more info).  The $5 entry fee is good for both days.  





A short 20 minute drive east of Mission Bay is El Cajon and their three-day Oktoberfest party.  From October 9th to the 11th, you’ll feast on bratwurst, potato pancakes, sauerkraut and pastries, listen to the Guggenbach-Buam band (who flew in from Germany!), and sample their German beers (if you’re over 21, of course).  No Oktoberfest is complete without the Chicken Dance.  That’s right, this funny song has been part of the German celebration for the last two decades.  The kinder will love the colorful folk dances, all the sing-alongs, and the Kid Zone.  There will be games, contests, craft booths, and more, that will make you feel like you’ve been transported to Bavaria.  If you are under 21 or active military duty, the event is free, for everyone else it’s $5 to enter.   





 Next Sunday, October 18th, you can take part in a truly unique way to celebrate Oktoberfest at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.  You can celebrate with the animals, while having a delicious dinner buffet in the Nairobi Village and listening to live music from 5:00 to 7:00pm.   The regular entry fee is required in addition to the meal price, (Safari Park member’s pay $44.95 for adults and $18.95 for kids, while adult non-members are $57.95 and non-member kids are $31.95), but when else can you say that you celebrated a Bavarian holiday that dates back over 200 years while gazing at an African savannah?




 If you want to indulge in authentic and delicious German fare on a non-Oktoberfest day, than head over to Kaiserhof, a German pub and restaurant that feels like you’ve entered a  cottage in the Black Forest.  Even if you don’t normally crave sauerkraut (their’s is especially yummy though) and goulash, this place is worth a visit for the charming, warm atmosphere alone (but the food is darn good, too).  Although there are many notable items on the menus (the bar menu differs a little from the main restaurant), the apple strudel is a not-to-missed item.  And, did we mention they have an extensive selection of German beers on tap?    



 This is the perfect weekend to be brushing up on those few Deutsche words that you might know (like ‘danke schoen!’) and getting ready for some hearty German dishes.  Mission Bay Vacation Rentals can be ‘home base’ you as you hit all the festivities.  Remember, this might be the only time of the year where the ‘chicken dance’ is mandatory fun, so you won’t want to be left out.