New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
OKTOBERFEST
CELEBRATIONS ALL AROUND CONNECTICUT
Pretzels, bratwursts, German oompah music, lederhosen and, of course, beer. If you’re looking for Oktoberfest fun, there’s plenty of it around the state in the next few weeks. Parties are taking place in downtown spaces and at breweries and restaurants.
Two Roads Brewing Stratford
The eighth annual Two Roads Ok2berfest is scheduled for Sept. 18 and 19 from noon to 6:30 p.m., with German music, German-style beers, food, games and more. General admission is $25 and includes entry, first beer and commemorative stein. It’s a 21+-only event. tworoadsbrewing.com/ event/two-roads-ok2berfest.
Downtown Oktoberfest Bethel
Broken Symmetry in Bethel hosts the downtown Oktoberfest on Sept. 19 from noon to 6 p.m., with live music, corn hole tournaments, steinholding contests and food vendors, including Broken Symmetry, La Zingara, Vesta Rooftop Bar & Cafe, Live Soulber, Kingsbridge Social and Daily Fare. Tickets are $20 for adults 21+; $10 for under 21, free for guests 12 and under. Downtownoktoberfest.com.
Parkville Market Hartford
Two weeks of celebration run from Sept. 20 to Oct. 2, with daily German beer specials and a Friday night biergarten with local breweries pouring on site Sept. 24 and Oct. 1.
Two ticketed Oktoberfest events, on Sept. 25 and Oct. 2, feature live German music, beer bars, a stein-hoisting contest, festive food pop-ups and raffles. Tickets are $65 and include a Sam Adams stein, tickets to use toward food and drink, lederhosen
koozie, Sam Adams Oktoberfest pin and German hat and Oktoberfest suspenders. parkvillemarket.com/ oktoberfest-2021.
Toxtoberfest New London
Tox Brewing hosts Toxtoberfest on Sept. 25 from noon to 9 p.m., with live music, German-inspired food by Backyard Smokers and access to surprise and limited-edition beers. The event also features contests for best facial hair and costume. A $20 ticket includes a commemorative glass stein and a first fill of Toxtoberfest Marzen Lager. Tickets: events. beerfests.com/e/toxtoberfest.
Back East Oktoberfest Bloomfield
Back East’s Oktoberfest party on Sept. 25 from noon to 10 p.m. features live music, German-style beer and limited fruited kegs of select Back East beers, prizes for best dirndl/ lederhosen, stein-holding contests, Oktoberfest-inspired T-shirts and German ceramic steins, an Oktoberfest-theme photo booth and food from the Square Peg pizza truck. Backeastbrewing.com.
Quassy Oktoberfest Middlebury
The 30th annual Oktoberfest at the amusement park runs Sept. 25 and 26 in its pavilion from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with German food and beer and music starting at 1 p.m. Admission is free and parking is $10; food, beverages, rides and attractions are extra. A special $26.99 deal includes a meal with beer or soda and an all-day ride pass. Information: quassy.com/ special-events.
Counter Weight Oktoberfest Hamden
Counter Weight’s Oktoberfest party on Sept. 25 and 26 from noon to 6 p.m. features an outdoor beer garden tent, German-inspired brews, Oktoberfest-inspired food by Me’Stezo Grill, games, live music and an outdoor market. There will be a new limited-release Counterweight Fest Bier 0.5L stein and a drink ticket for the first beer. beerfests.com/events/ counter-weight-brewing-company -oktoberfest/.
Twelve Percent Oktoberfest North Haven
Twelve Percent Beer Project’s Oktoberfest runs Oct. 1 to 3, with a weekend full of beer, live music, German food, games and dancing. The festival runs 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Meriden Turner Society and Hop Haus food truck will be serving German cuisine like schnitzel, bratwurst with sauerkraut, smoked venison potato pancakes, apple-braised pork shanks and jumbo pretzels with beer cheese. Tickets are $25, including entry to the daily celebration, a first beer and a commemorative stein. twelvepercentbeerproject.square.site/ oktoberfest.
East Rock Oktoberfest New Haven
East Rock Brewing in New Haven hosts Oktoberfest on Oct. 2 from 1 to 5 p.m. at its German-inspired brewery, with live music, German-inspired food, games and prizes. $30 admission includes entry, first beer and commemorative stein. Beer and pretzel tickets will be available for purchase at $6 apiece. Other food will be available for purchase from East Rock Market vendors. events.beerfests.com/e/east -rock-brewing-company-oktoberfest.
Powder Ridge Oktoberfest Middlefield
The mountain beerfest on Oct. 2 (general admission from 4 to 10 p.m.) features tastings from more than 30 breweries, rides on the ski lift, live music, a home brewers contest and keg tossing. Food vendors include Whey Station, Scatz BBQ and On The Flip Side. Tickets are $42 for VIP (admission one hour early), $32 for general admission and $15 for designated drivers. powderridgepark.com.
Elicit Brewing Manchester
Elicit’s first Oktoberfest, running Oct. 2 and 3 from noon to 8 p.m., includes live music, a stein-hoisting contest, traditional German food and dancing. Beer selections include Elicits own brews, plus guest beers, ciders and seltzers. General admission is $25 and includes entry to the festival, first pint of beer and a commemorative stein. beerfests.com/events/ elicit-oktoberfest/.
Stony Creek Brewery Branford
Stony Creek’s annual Docktoberfest on Oct. 9 at 11 a.m. features live music and dancing, games, Germanstyle food, raffles. Tickets are $25 and include two beers and a commemorative stein. facebook.com/Stony CreekBeer/events.
Wurst Haus West Hartford
Wurst Haus hosts an Oktoberfest weekend Oct. 15 and 16 from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday, with live music, German beer and grilled bratwurst. $20 at the door includes a German pretzel. facebook.com/WurstHausWeHa.
Westoberfest Westport
The third annual Westoberfest craft beer tasting in Westport’s downtown is Oct. 16, with activities starting at noon. The event features the beer tasting from 2 to 5 p.m., food by Walrus & Carpenter, live music, a 10K road race and a pumpkin giveaway. Tickets are $40 for general admission. events.beerfests.com/e/westoberfest/ tickets.