A pair of junge frau were enjoying a previous Oktoberfest. Photo by Neil Farrell.
Oh, mein gott! Baywood Park’s biggest party of the year is coming up soon.
The Los Osos/Baywood Park Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Annual Oktoberfest set for all day Sunday, Oct. 25 on 2nd Street in Baywood Park.
Coordinator Gary Freiberg said they plan to get the party started early this year with the Annual Oktoberfest Fun Run that steps off at 9 a.m. by the Pier. The run is a fundraiser for the Morro Bay High School Cross Country Program and men and women, boys and girls of all ages are all invited to participate.
The 19th Annual Oktoberfest Car Show returns from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration for the cars starting at 7 a.m. Estero Bay News’ Publisher Dean Sullivan is the Car Show coordinator, contact him via email at: dean@esterobaynews.com or call 805-528-6011 to pre-register. Proceeds benefit the Chamber of Commerce.
Freiberg said they’ve added something new this year — a Morning Biergarten Party with the eclectic local favorite band Funk Junket. Starting at 9 a.m. this is a non-alcohol-focused event, Freiberg said. “The first 100 people will receive half a dozen mini donuts from Sweet Lips Donuts, and a cup of SLO Roast coffee.”
The music will be awesome. “They’re a great group to dance or listen to,” Freiberg said, “or to hear as a person walks along 2nd Street checking out the vendors with their coffee and donuts.” There is no admission charge for the morning party.
The Morro Bay High Cheerleaders will get everyone in the spirit with a cheer demonstration. It’s the fifth year they will perform. Cheering is a competitive sport at the high school.
At 11 a.m., Freiberg added, they’ll be doing something else new. “Oktobertaste,” Freiberg said, “a panel of five Oktobertasters will be served a flight with a taste from all eight brewers in the Biergarten.
“The tasters will be decided by raffle. A hundred tickets will be available at $5 each for the opportunity to be a judge and give your opinion of which brew you like best.”
He added that the tastings amount to about a full pint of beer drunk over about an hour’s time. Raffle tickets will be available at the gate and from assistants in the crowd. Proceeds benefit the Chamber.
Second Street will be lined with various vendors selling craft items and food stuffs along with local non-profits manning information booths.
Freiberg, who also emcees the Saturday Concerts on the Green at Sea Pines, said he gets to see and hear a lot of different bands and has chosen some of the better ones to play Oktoberfest.
From noon-2 p.m. is B & The Hive. They’ve headlined shows at Mission Plaza in SLO, he said. The group is great and lead singer Briana “is dynamite,” he said, adding she is among the best female vocalists around.
“B & The Hive do originals and covers,” Freiberg said, “and again are good enough other musicians attend their gigs. That truly is a comment on their talent.”
From 2-3 p.m. there’s a costume contest that Freiberg said, “Is a combination of cuteness and hilarity. Categories are Kids, Pets and Adults. Winners are chosen by crowd applause.” The event is an Oktoberfest, German festival so lederhosen for die Männer and dirndl dresses with bodices, skirts and aprons for die junge frau.
At 3:30 the Santa Cruz Family Band, featuring papa Bobby Santa Cruz and daughter Rachel Santa Cruz, will perform. Freiberg noted that all three bands on the main stage — located in the Biergarten at 2nd Street and Santa Maria Avenue — are from Los Osos.
They’re also having a second stage set up down by the 2nd Street Pier and coordinated by Billy Burke. There will be an assortment of entertaining activities including a jiu jitsu demonstration and dance demos.
Freiberg added they would also have a photo op booth set up with a harvest theme and a kid’s play zone.
Admission to Oktoberfest is free but unlike Germany, where the legal age to drink beer and wine is 16, you must be at least 21-years old to imbibe at Oktoberfest in Baywood Park.
