Carlsbad Rotary Oktoberfest Family Fall Festival

Date and Time for this Past Event

Saturday, Oct 1, 2016 12PM - 10PM

Details

Brush up on your Chicken Dance and get ready for some good old-fashioned German music, food, beer and fun! The 34th annual Carlsbad Rotary Oktoberfest, a premier family fall festival of feasting, fun and fundraising, returns to Holiday Park in Carlsbad on Saturday, October 1, 2016, from noon to 10 p.m.

DJ Efraim Nunez will kick off the day’s entertainment by spinning your favorite tunes followed by live bands starting with local favorites Faith Page, Bluebirds, and ending with The Last Call. There will be plenty of good eats. If the traditional German meal of brat and sausage with potato salad and sauerkraut doesn’t appeal to you, then choose the lighter fare of grilled chicken and delicious sides. Tempt your sweet tooth with apple strudel, kettle corn, and cotton candy! Pair your meal with a glass of fine wine or a nice cold beer on tap from our local breweries.

In the Kids Korner, there will be the Pumpkin Patch, where children can decorate pumpkins and compete for prizes, along with inflatable bounce houses, face painting, an obstacle course, assorted arts and crafts, and an antique fire truck, courtesy of the Carlsbad Fire Department. Now in its 34th year, the Carlsbad Rotary Oktoberfest is a unique event with roots that speak to Rotary’s motto of “Service above Self.” It’s fun for the whole family and benefits the community. Every penny raised at the Oktoberfest goes to worthy local organizations.

The Rotary Oktoberfest is a Carlsbad tradition which began in 1982 as a small fundraiser to help the late Glenn McComas, a former Carlsbad City Council member and Rotarian, who became a paraplegic from a fall. Every year since, the two Rotary clubs have joined forces to produce the Oktoberfest event to raise funds for worthwhile causes and celebrate with the entire community. Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall, a Rotarian himself, observed, “Oktoberfest is a Carlsbad tradition and fun for the entire family. Every dime raised goes to support worthy local causes.” Back by popular demand are the costume contests!! A “Festive Family”, “Festive Fraulein”, and “Masculine Mann” will be awarded prizes for participating in their finest Oktoberfest ensembles. Capture the fun moments in one of the photo booths at the event.

The Carlsbad Rotary Oktoberfest is the primary fundraiser for the two Rotary clubs in Carlsbad. To date the Carlsbad Rotary Clubs have raised more than $1 million to support local charitable organizations, educational scholarships and community projects. Beneficiaries have included the Carlsbad Boys and Girls Club, Solutions for Change, Carlsbad Music Festival, Carlsbad Women's Shelter, and many more. Dinner tickets are only $15 in advance or $20 at the door; the price includes admission. They may be purchased online at http://www.rotaryoktoberfest.org/, from any Carlsbad Rotarian, or Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant at 2968 State Street. Tickets also will be available onsite the day of the event. A free shuttle bus is available from the southwest corner (corner of Marron at Monroe) at The Shoppes at Carlsbad on El Camino Real at 20-minute intervals from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.