Oktoberfest, Pirates in California, Beer Festivals in Baltimore and LA Plus Fantasy Fest, The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party and Halloween
October is more like Rocktober with all the party events happening in the month.
It starts out with four big events and finishes with three more. What could be better, and what other month is this jam-packed with parties!?
Here’s what Roctober has to offer, each and every year. So let’s party!
• Oktoberfest. It actually starts in September and the original in Munich festival concludes the first of the month. But why nit-pick, this is a great event which should be on every beer drinker’s Bucket List. For those who can’t make it to the original, there are Oktoberfest celebrations in cities around the globe with replica beer gardens and oompha bands. But nothing – and I mean nothing – compares to the real deal in Munich.
Event Dates: Sept. 17-Oct. 2, 2011. Sept. 22-Oct. 7, 2012.
Link: Okotberfest Party Guide.
• Buccaneer Days. Arrgggg! Pirates and wenches from Southern California jump on boats (which are more like pirate ships on this weekend) for the annual event on Catalina Island off the Southern California coast. Some arrive at the remote outpost of Two Harbors on Wednesday in order to get a mooring ball and party for several days and nights. Hundreds more arrive on the actual day – Saturday – on ferries from Los Angeles. The party goes from noon until well past midnight; there’s dancing and drinking under the sun and the stars. Some people take it really serious with their pirate and wench costumes. After all, this is L.A.
Event Date: First Saturday in October.
Link: Buccaneer Days Party Guide.
• Hometown Fair. One of the most lively and fun places to party in Southern California is Manhattan Beach. It’s right on the beach (pretty obvious from its name) and is comprised of surfers, volleyball players, probably the world’s largest collection of entrepreneurs, as well as real estate sales people, doctors, attorneys and other fun and financially successful individuals. And on the first weekend of October, they all converge by a baseball field at Valley/Ardmore streets for a beer garden. This is just not any beer garden, it’s as much a part of the culture of Manhattan Beach as the Manhattan Open, the Wimbledon of beach volleyball. Everyone who lives here and lots of people who used to live here go to the beer garden. In the morning there is a 10K, after which many runners celebrate at Shellback Tavern by the finish line. This is a HUGE weekend.
• Event Date: First weekend of October
• Links: Hometown Fair Beer Garden. Hometown Fair 10K Run.
• Fell’s Point Festival. Every city need a signature party event and in Baltimore’s Fell’s Point area, this is it. It’s a huge festival that’s such tradition that the really fun people warm up to it with kegs and eggs at home before it even starts.
Event Dates: First weekend of October.
• Fantasy Fest. Some time ago, a few Conchs were sitting around Key West – most likely a bar, and most likely Captain Tony’s Saloon or Sloppy Joe’s – and lamented that the tourist season at this tourist destination in the fall was like an empty conch shell. So they said, “well, let’s have a Halloween party!” And not only did they have a Halloween party, they created Fantasy Fest, a week-long event with a parade, costume contests and all with typical Key West twist. The best time to be there is the parade on the last Saturday. This, too, is a Bucket List item for party people.
• Event Dates: October 20-31, 2011
• Links: Fantasy Fest Party Guide. Key West Bars & Nightlife.
• World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. This is the annual Georgia-Florida game held in Jacksonville, FL. It’s centrally located for fans and alumni of each school, and they descend on the Jacksonville Landing and downtown area for a day of huge partying. About three times as many people show up as the stadium can hold, prompting a sportswriter from years ago to give it its legendary nickname. These teams hate each other and it’s one of the greatest rivalries – and party scenes – in all of college football.
• Event Date: Last Saturday of October (Oct. 29 in 2011).
• Link: Jacksonville Bars & Nightlife.
• Halloween. Who doesn’t know about Halloween, right!? It’s when adults act like kids and dress up in costumes. Except kids can’t go to parties like this and drink!
• Event Date: Last day of October. In 2011, Oct. 31 is on a Monday.
• Links: Halloween Top Party Places. Hot Halloween Party in LA, the Sunset Strip Block Party. Halloween Top College Party Towns.
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