3 Oktoberfest events on Long Island this weekend
Mini pretzel slider rolls filled with sliced brats, Swiss cheese and bacon at the Plattduetsche Park Restaurant's biergarten in Franklin Square. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
Break out your lederhosen, it's that time of year again. With its dozens of breweries and strong German community, Long Island is the place to be for Oktoberfest. In fact there are so many celebrations and parties going on, our heads are spinning trying to keep up. (Or maybe that's the doppelbock talking.)
In Germany, Oktoberfest technically runs from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4. It's a 200-year-old celebration that came about as a way for Germans to drink up the last beer of the season, before they started producing more beer in the fall. In the U.S., bars and restaurants are running specials through the end of October.
Here are three events coming up this weekend to celebrate.
Art + Ale Oktoberfest, Bay Shore
Great South Bay Brewery, 25 Drexel Dr.
Part beer festival, part artisan market. The folks at Great South Bay Brewery are putting on a big warehouse party with local artisan vendors and craft activities. They'll be serving their usual beer lineup, which includes 15 Great South Bay beers on tap as well as a couple of beers from their sister brewery, Ghost Brewing Company. This includes two pumpkin beers, the Splashing Pumpkin and Baked Pumpkin Pie ale, which can be ordered with a cinnamon sugar rim. There will also be stein-holding competitions throughout the day, as well as performances by The Great South Bay Brass Quintet. The night before, at 7, they'll have a show by The Warped Tour Band, which does covers of emo and pop punk songs.
Cost: $15 for the band on Friday, free on Saturday
When: Concert is 7 p.m. Friday, Art + Ale is 4:30-11:55 p.m. Saturday
More info: merrymarketandco.com/upcoming-events/art-ale-oktoberfest
Annual Seaford Oktoberfest, Seaford
Seaford LIRR train station, Sunrise Highway
Outside the Seaford train station, the Seaford Chamber of Commerce is holding a family-friendly event featuring a craft and vendor bazar, live music and four Long Island breweries. There will also be food trucks serving chicken and waffles, sausage and peppers, barbecue, zeppoles, empanadas and chocolate-covered strawberries. Artisan vendors will sell handmade jewelry, handmade soaps and lotions, baked goods, pickles and more. For the kids, there will be face painting as well as 10,000 square feet of obstacle courses, slides and bouncy castles.
Cost: Free
When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday
More info: 516-644-5615, events.longisland.com/annual-seaford-oktoberfest.html
Oktoberfest at Plattduetsche Park, Franklin Square
1132 Hempstead Tpke.
Long Island's oldest German restaurant goes big for Oktoberfest, with a multiday party that's spread out across its 8 acres of ballrooms and beer halls. There will be special Oktoberfest beers on tap, as well as fall menu items at the main beer hall as well as The Hive restaurant.
Traditional Enzian dancers will perform alongside musicians Johnny Koenig on Friday, die Spitzbuam on Saturday and Bavarski on Sunday. At The Hive restaurant, there will be live accordion music and a mug holding contest at 8 p.m.
Cost: $8 cover charge starting at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday.
When: From Oct. 2-11
More info: 516-354-3131, parkrestaurant.com
Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.
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