Oktoberfest in San Diego from OB to El Cajon

Not everyone will be able to get on a plane to Bavaria, Munich, Germany in time for Oktoberfest but don’t worry because there are plenty of celebrations happening in San Diego this year. Everywhere from Ocean Beach to El Cajon has prepared their very own Oktoberfest festival and with many of them happening at different times, you can even catch more than one.

Ocean Beach Oktoberfest

Ocean Beach’s Oktoberfest will last two nights, Oct. 7 – 8, and will be found at Newport Ave. and Abbott St., in the pier parking lot. Lasting to 10 p.m. on both nights, OB promises a jam-packed schedule filled with live music, beer, and lots of food. Friday will kick off the festivities with a Beer Garden Band Slam at 4 p.m.

Don’t miss this battle of the tribute/cover bands so you can help your favorite win a cash prize of $4,000.

91X will be hosting Happy Hour for 91 minutes, from 5 p.m. to 6:31 p.m., and will be broadcasting live from the event until 7 p.m.

Make sure you make it for the 2 for 1 beers and don’t miss the Beer Garden Blonde’a’thon, which guarantees free admission and a free beer-drinking boot to anyone who shows up before 6:31 p.m., sporting a blond wig or blond braids.

Saturday begins even earlier, at 10 a.m., and gets started with the OB Brew Cup microbrew festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It begins with a Bloody Mary Morning celebration at 11 a.m. and is followed by traditional contests, such as bratwurst-eating and stein-holding. The sausage toss contest will award $10,000 cash prize to the very lucky winner. The outdoor area will be free but there will be a $3 donation fee to enter the Beer Garden, the money going to support the OB community.

Tasting tickets will cost you $15 but they afford you 6 tastes from various local microbrews. There will also be an all-ages area available, as well as many musical performances, including Electric Waste Band, Tommy Cubs, The Heavy Guilt, the Naked Funk, Bateke Beat, Tribal Theory, and the Bavarian Beer Garden Band.

El Cajon Oktoberfest

Another festival that always satisfies is El Cajon’s Oktoberfest. Not to be outdone, El Cajon offers their festivities two weekends in a row, Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 and Oct. 7 to Oct. 9. Taking place at 1017 S. Mollison Ave., it will cost just $5 for adults and will be free for those with military IDs.

El Cajon’s Oktoberfest is known for its authentic German music and this year is no different. The band Guggenbach-Buam, from Baden-Württemberg, Germany, will be playing rousing Oom-pah songs while dressed in traditional clothing.

While listening to music you would hear in Bavaria, enjoy a wide range of German food, including bratwurst, ox-on-a-spit, potato salad, potato pancakes, sauerkraut, red cabbage, and wide variety of German pastries. Of course, there will be no shortage of German beers and liquors. Also available will be all the games and contests one would expect, interesting vendor and craft booths, and a fun zone dedicated to all the kids.

Other Oktoberfest festivities can be found in La Mesa, Carlsbad, and Julian. All you need to do is find the one closest to you, round up a fun group of people, and drink and eat like you’re in Bavaria, Germany!