The wurst of times is the best of times! There’s an autumnal abundance of Oktober-festivities happening on eastern Long Island this month, complete with oompah bands, Bavarian deliciousness and, of course, enough beer to fill the Peconic River and Shinnecock Canal. Here’s our list of where to fest with the best!
Shippy’s Oktoberfest, Oct. 1 – Oct. 31, 36 Windmill Lane, Southamampton
For the second year in a row since new owner John Betts too over, Shippy’s is celebrating Oktoberfest all October long, just like a good German themed resto oughta. A special $46 two-course prix fixe menu will be offered all month paying homage to traditional Bavarian dishes like sauerbraten and bratwurst — and a few that combine German classics with local flavor, like flounder schnitzel.
Cooperage Inn Fall Festival, Oct. 1 – Oct 27, 2218 Sound Ave., Baiting Hollow
Technically not a Oktoberfest, but the popular, homey Baiting Hollow spot’s annual family-friendly outdoor festival is chock full of all the bratwurst, sauerkraut and potato pancakes you can eat, along with fire-roasted corn, hot cider and all order of autumnal goodies (plus music every weekend) is a is a great stop no matter which fork you’re hitting or coming from.
The Barnyard’s Oktoberfest, Oct. 5, noon – close, 270 W. Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays
Don your best lederhosen and head to Hampton Bays for the 2nd annual Oktoberfest celebration at The Barnyard. Claiming to be one of the biggest celebrations on Long Island (this was the former Boardy Barn, for those who recall…), expect your typical German-centric celebratory fare and fun: brats, beers, pretzels and music.
Riverhead Reflections Oktoberfest, Oct 5, 3 to 9 p.m., Grangebel Park, Riverhead
Bring a blanket and a hearty appetite to celebrate Oktoberfest in Riverhead’s Grangebel Park. Get ready to embrace the wurst (the knock and brat kind), Bavarian soft pretzels with warm beer cheese, loads of local beer, music by the Bratwurst Boys and even a stein-holding contest — that is, holding a stein full of beer with your arm extended straight for as long as you can; do a few extra curls at the gym to get ready.
The Gabreski Airport Business Park-based brewery may go by the motto “every day’s a beach day,” but on October 5, they’re all about the Bavarian black forest. Head on over for traditional brass-band live music, a rollicking stein holding competition, their famed giant soft pretzels, grilled bratwurst and, of course, a multitude of beers on tap.
Jamesport Farm Brewery Oktoberfest, Oct. 5, noon – 6 p.m, 5873 Sound Ave., Riverhead
Expect a multitude of food trucks (and, yes, some with German-centric food), live music and Oktoberfest work-outs (you know, keg tossing, keg rolling and stein hoisting – hey, they burn calories!). They’ll also have their special Oktoberfest beer on tap, “and our pumpkin beer,” says manager Joe Gaggiano, “which is really popular.”
Oktoberfest at The Clubhouse, noon – 10 p.m., 174 Daniel Hole Road, East Hampton
Live German-style music (and no cover) will put the oomph in your oompah at this day-long celebration. Expect Bavarian food galore and eight different German-centric beers on tap to inspire stein hoisting shenanigans.
Oktoberfest at Canoe Place Inn, Oct. 11, 4 – 8 p.m., 239 E. Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays
Missed out on Westhampton Beach Brewing’s Oktoberfest? Head to Canoe Place Inn where they will be exclusively featuring the local craft brewery’s Oktoberfest and Hampton Pumpkin brews. This no-reservation event will flow between the lovely garden lawn and Good Ground Tavern, with music by DJ Evan Flow and the High & Mighty Horns, along with a bevy of à la carte bar specials and twists on Bavarian classics.
Kidd Squid Sagtoberfest, Oct. 12-13, 11 Spring St., Sag Harbor
It’s times like these when the shared outdoor space between Kidd Squid and Sag Harbor Garden Center is über-handy (instant biergarten!) for brew-hall style seating. Raclette is back at the whaling village’s only brewery, along with grilled bratwurst, Bavarian-style pretzels made with Kidd Squid stout by Alpina Bakery in Water Mill, and fresh local oysters. And you may well just want to clear the decks and show up both days to take in the excellent line-up of music: Saturday is local fave Julia King and Woody Boley; Sunday sees the likes of Lina Maxim and Jake Lear. And, of course, beer!
Long Ireland Oktoberfest, Oct. 12, noon – 9 p.m., 817 Pulaski St., Riverhead
This is the ninth year that Long Ireland has held their annual epic Oktoberfest, and there’s a ton of German fun in store at Irish-leaning, Polish Town-located brewery. Lots of German-centric food and more contests than you can shake a sausage at: an eating contest, beard contest, lederhosen and dirndled contest and, of course, stein holding. And once you’re good and tired from all that competition, you can chill out and watch a screening of the movie, BeerFest.
True, this is more of a grape-focused harvest event, which of course makes sense for the Hamptons winery. But lest we forget: co-owner (and for the day, lederhosen-wearing) Roman Roth is German-born and bred, and will be bringing his brand of Oktoberfest to this fun day of barrel-rolling, hayrides, traditional music and more. Bonus: Wölffer just released their very first beer collaborative project with Three’s Brewing — a saison rosé-style beer brewed with Wölffer grapes and aged for six months in used wine barrels from the renowned producer.
