Where to Celebrate the Oktoberfest in Maryland
>> Yodel for your supper. Bring your best vocal techniques to the Ocean City Oktoberfest to yodel or join a sing-along. But don’t stop there. Enter a knockwurst-eating contest, eat schnitzel and apple strudel, down a beer (or two or three) and then hit the arts and crafts fair to buy cuckoo clocks, Bavarian nutcrackers, beer steins, handmade musical instruments and more. $6 for adults (with a senior and student discount), and free for children (13 and under) and anyone in full German apparel. Oct. 9-11, Roland E. Powell Convention Center, Ocean City; http://www.oceanpromotions.info/oktoberfest.html
>> Über fun. According to the Smithsonian, America first celebrated Oktoberfest at Blob’s Park Bavarian Bier Garten— one of the largest in the mid-Atlantic. So it should come as no surprise that its Oktoberfest is something you don’t want to miss! Live German polka music and bands, Bavarian dancing on a mammoth dance floor, home-cooked schnitzel, weisswurst, schweinshaxe (pigs feet) and other great German food (all authentic and delicous— Mahlzeit) await. So come and raise a healthy glass of Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel beer or any other number of German brews and toast with a Prost! $10 per person. Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 10- Oct 24, 8024 Max Blob’s Park Road, Jessup; http://www.blobspark.net
>> Boom, boom, oom-pah-pah! For more than a quarter of a century, the Germantown Oktoberfest in Montgomery County has been serving up beer with a bang. Pilsner and Roman candles, weizenbock and sparklers, dunkel and bottle rockets— whatever the combination, beer and fireworks in the Germantown Oktoberfest bier garten is the perfect way to end a day that begins with family fun: kids’ games and inflatables, live music, superb Bavarian food and craft vendors. Admission is free— danke schäen! Oct. 3, Ridge Road Park, 21155 Frederick Road, Germantown; http://www.germantownoktoberfest.org
>> Get your polka on. The Frederick Oktoberfest is known for its polka-off— test your polka, schnell— and after you’ve built up an appetite, there’s plenty of bratwurst and sauerkraut with which to refuel. You’ll need it to compete in the Log Sawing Competition and Über Strong Man/Women Contest (see who can hold a full stein of beer at arm’s length the longest). Let’s not forget the specially brewed Oktoberfest beers from Barley & Hops, Brewers Alley, Flying Dog and Wild Goose, along with non-alcoholic beers, German wines and tasty McCutcheon’s apple cider. Live music and an accordion player, to boot. Cute for children: scarecrow making and a hay bale maze. $5 admission, free for children 11 and under. Oct. 3-4, Frederick Fairgrounds, Frederick; http://www.frederickoktoberfest.com
>> Bier ist gut! And so is the schnapps and the food— sausages, potato cakes, sour beef, schnitzel, snitzengruben, etc.— at the Maryland Brewers’ Das Best Oktoberfest in D.C. and Timonium. While you eat and drink, catch the Miss Oktoberfest contest (forget the bathing suits, the gals are decked out in German attire and judged on their Oktoberfest knowledge— “What’s the name of that white German sausage?”). Not to be outdone by the fräuleins, the fraus get attention at the Wife Carrying contest where the men carry their wives around an Olympic regulation obstacle course and the winner wins his wife’s weight in beer. For die männchen, bring your biggest gut and win Baltimore’s Best Beer Belly Contest. Admission and tasting mug, $18 in advance and $25 at the gate, Designated Driver ticket, $10, Oct. 10, Timonium Fairgrounds; http://www.dasbestoktoberfest.com/maryland/ show-info (The D.C. festival takes place on Sept. 26.)
More autumn-themed fests
> National Apple Harvest Festival Eat apple scrapple, go apple bobbing, make apple syrup, hang out on the apple pancake patio or press some apple cider— plus arts and crafts, contests and entertainment. Oct. 3-4 and 10-11, Arendtsville, Pa.; http://www.appleharvest.com
> Autumn Wine Festival Chow down on jerk kabobs, buy Stonefield soaps and other local goodies, listen to jazz (Brian Perez Quartet, Everett Spells, The Jazz Guys and Paul Cullen) all while tasting delicious Maryland-grown wines. Oct. 17-18, Salisbury; http://www.autumnwinefestival.org
> Potato Festival Jump into a potato sack race or a potato scramble, shoot potatoes from a potato slingshot, make your own Mr. Potato Head and join a potato-eating contest. Sept. 26 (rain date Oct. 3), Ronks, Pa.; http://www.cherrycrestadventurefarm.com/potato.asp
> Pumpkin Festival Navigate a corn maze, ride the train through the pumpkin patch and pick your own pumpkin, take a Bumpity Farm hayride, climb Straw Mountain and lots more pumpkin fun. Oct. 10-11, Frederick; http://www.summersfarm.com
> Oyster Festival You’ll find bluegrass, jazz, Celtic, folk and country music, along with an oyster shucking contest, an oyster cook-off and cooking demonstrations at this annual event. Oct. 17-18, St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds; http://www.usoysterfest.com
