The third and final edition of my study, is on the biggest and loudest event of the three.
In fact, Oktoberfest-By-the-Bay, the annual festival at San Francisco's Fort Mason Center that attracts tens of thousands revelers over it's four-day stretch, boasts itself as the largest festival of its kind in California.
I've attended this event over the last four years in various business-liaison capacities for GABA, but this year, as a guest of Spaten at their VIP party on Gemuetlichkeit Night.
People are right to rate this event poorly for the annoyances of its high prices, limited beer and food selections, and long lines of drunkards obviously there for one thing. BUT, isn't that exactly what makes it worth attending? Or else, why go out! It was, however nice to be above the fray in the completely catered VIP area, with other, more refined, revelers.
Too bad the lights have to be so bright.
Oktoberfest is the reasons I found myself out last night (and a weeknight at that) at
Toronado Pub's Oktoberfest kick-off, celebrating with
Spaten Oktoberfest beer on tap, live performances by The Internationals, and catering by Rosamunde Sausage shop.
Because I happen to be a proud German, and in the spirit of curiosity and social experiment, this will be the first of three installments of a study of Oktoberfest.
The best thing about Oktoberfest is that warm and fuzzy friendliness that comes with the gathering of random stein-wielding revelers, who dabble with a little German garb, drink a little more than usual, come up with each necessary move of the revoltingly-silly 'chicken dance,' and find themselves sharing stories with strangers about a shared favorite subject: BEER.
My first time at Toronado was just as great as I'd heard; cozy, plenty of table seating, vintage wall hangings... just enough to hold interest till the booze kicks in. My table neighbor told me all about GOOD magazine, I met a Rick who didn't realize he was wearing a cap emblazoned with an "R" (for Rutgers), and after a few bottomless pints of Spaten, it was time to push off.
Overall: excellent atmosphere, despite a little rough around the edges.
Labels: German, Rosamunde Sausage, Spaten, The Internationals, Toronado
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October is one of my favorite times of year, when the weather grows colder (or, just as cold but sunnier than a San Francisco summer), and city dwellers seek the comfort of beer and bar, meat and potatoes, and OKTOBERFEST, that warm, uber-euro holiday for everybody, like St. Paddys and Cinco de Drinko. A little more reason than usual to populate your favorite watering hole.