Raise A Glass At These 5 Oktoberfests

Gather your crew to enjoy festive food, seasonal suds (soft drinks for the kids!) and fun for everyone.

Pumpkin spice and apple cinnamon may be fall’s unofficial flavors, but it’s also the time of year to embrace the rich, malt taste of a refreshing brew. It’s Oktoberfest season across the globe, when revelers celebrate the German festival that originally commemorated the marriage of King Louis I to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. Today, festivities include plenty of cold beer, delicious fare like sausages and pretzels and garb such as lederhosen and dirndl.

Bergenites who want to get in on the fun need not look far, as there are several Oktoberfest celebrations in our area. Below is a sampling of events that you can check out:

Oct. 5. The Demarest Nature Center hosts the annual Oktoberfest & Craft Fair at the Demarest Duck Pond. The program runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and features German music, dancing, food, a beer garden, nature demonstrations, kids’ activities, canoeing, exhibits and vendors. Admission is free.

Oct. 5. The annual Hackensacktoberfest returns to Atlantic Street Park in Hackensack. From 1 to 8 p.m., visitors can enjoy food trucks, live music and entertainment, children’s games, local vendors and breweries (for the 21-and-over crowd) and more! Admission is free, but bring your own lawn chairs as seating is limited.

Oct. 5. The Friends of the Midland Park Memorial Library are hosting a beer garden Oktoberfest fundraiser at Midland Park Community Day. For $25 ($20 in advance), guests will receive a wristband for three cans of beer, hard tea, cider or rosé (21+ and older). Community Day also includes food, kids’ activities, games, touch-a-truck, bounce houses, and the fun takes place from noon to 4 p.m. at VanderMeer Field.

Oct. 6. Bergen Town Center will hold its second annual Fall Festival from noon to 5 p.m. Adults can stop by for Oktoberfest brews in the beer garden, while families and kids can enjoy food trucks, face painting, pumpkin painting, live music, mini golf and more. Tickets are $5, or $18 in advance for a family (two adults with up to three kids).

Oct. 12. Raise a glass (stein, preferrably) at Five Dimes Brewery’s Oktoberfest in Westwood. The afternoon festivities include live music, a stein-holding competition, commemorative steins and refill specials.

How do you celebrate Oktoberfest? Tell us about it and tag us in your photos @bergenmagnj.