Thousands will be drawn to one of San Diego’s most attractive festivals, the 11th annual Ocean Beach Oktoberfest, on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9 and 10.
Guests at Southern California’s only Oktoberfest party at the beach can listen to live music, enjoy an oceanfront beer garden, participate in the annual OB Brat Trot Runs or try their luck in contests for cash prizes.
The event features nontraditional and traditional Oktoberfest games, contests and activities, live music, entertainment, food and craft vendors. There will also be a Find the Schnitzengruben, a cash stash contest leading up to the event. Participants who follow OBOktoberfest on Twitter will be given clues to find envelopes filled with cash around Ocean Beach.
The event will kick off Friday night with live music by Through the Roots and Electric Waste Band. There will also be German microbrew tastings in the 21-and-older beer garden. Tastings will include seven half pints, which will include a selection from Spaten, Franziskaner, Beck’s, Widmer and Goose Island. Admission to the beer garden is $5, valid for both Friday and Saturday. Tasting tickets can be purchased online at OBOktoberfest.com for $25 or at the event for $30.
Saturday morning festivities will begin at 9 a.m. with the fourth annual OB Brat Trot, a fundraiser sponsored by Ocean Beach Community Foundation to support local youth sports. All ages are invited to participate; registration is $25 per family (up to six participants) for the 2K Family Fun Run at 9 a.m. and $30 per person for the 5K Beach Run to follow at 10 a.m. Registration for the 5K Beach Run includes two complimentary beers and free entrance to the beer garden for runners 21 and older.
Saturday will also include a free beachside, all-ages stage with performances by the ReyVinole Band and the Bavarian Beergarden Band, along with a food and craft vendor area on the Veterans Plaza lawn. Beer garden entertainment will include live music by Hirie and Brothers Gow; the annual Sausage Toss Competition for a $10,000 cash prize; and Ms. Oktoberfest, bratwurst eating, stein-holding and other competitions.
There will be Saturday VIP tickets available for $50, which will include entry to the beer garden, an OB Oktoberfest mug, a Tarantino sausage, two drink tickets and access to the oceanfront Jägermeister VIP Lounge with personal bartender service.
Event shuttles will run every hour between the 710 Beach Club in Pacific Beach and the festival on Friday from 4 to 11 p.m. They will deliver people to and from the festival every half hour throughout the day Saturday from The Local Downtown, Rabbit Hole in Normal Heights and 710 Beach Club. The final shuttle will leave Ocean Beach at 10 p.m. There will also be a free bike and skateboard valet at the lifeguard parking lot.
OB Oktoberfest is presented by Ocean Beach MainStreet Association, Hoy Hoy Boys and the Ocean Beach Community Foundation. In the past decade, the OB Oktoberfest has raised more than $200,000 for local nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit OBOktoberfest.com. Oktoberfest schedule Friday at Main Beer Garden     
4:20 p.m. Sandollar
4:30 p.m. Happy Hour ’til 6:01
6 p.m. AJ Froman
7:30 p.m. Electric Waste Band
9 p.m. Balloon Blow
9:30 p.m. Through the Roots
11 p.m. Bye bye Saturday at Main Beer Garden
10 a.m. Brat Trot
11 a.m. Beer Garden Open
11 a.m. DJ’s Green T, Unite and
Peril
Noon Sure Fire Soul Ensemble
1 p.m. Bratwurst-eating
1:30 p.m. Jet West
2:30 p.m. Balloon Blow and Ms O
3 p.m. Oktoberfest Superunloader
4 p.m. Ms Oktoberfest
4:30 p.m. Bavarian Beer Garden
Band
5:30 p.m. Sausage Toss Final
6 p.m. The Routine
7 p.m. Stein Finals – Women
7:30 p.m. Hirie
8:30 p.m. Stein Finals – Men
9:00 p.m. Brothers Gow
10 p.m. Bye bye Sea Side Stage – Preliminary
9 a.m. Merchants open
Noon Rey Vinole Oktoberfest Band
1:15 p.m. Stein-holding preliminary
1:45 p.m. Rey Vinole Oktoberfest
Band
2:45 p.m. Stein-holding preliminary
3:15 p.m. Rey Vinole Oktoberfest
Band
5 p.m. Stage closed