Oktobercrawl

Celebrate suds, wieners and lederhosen this September.


ILLUSTRATIONS: Adam Krueger

It's September in Portland, and that could mean only one thing: Oktoberfest.

We've decided it's best not to question why there are so many Oktoberfest celebrations in Oregon—or why they all start the second weekend in September—and instead seize the opportunity to drink a shit-ton of beer. You'll have plenty of opportunities to don your lederhosen, scarf a wienerschnitzel and swing that beer stein to polka tunes all the way to October.

Lompoc Oktoberfest
Fifth Quadrant Brewery and Sidebar, 3901 N Williams Ave., 288-3996. Noon-8 pm Saturday, Sept. 11. Free. 21+.
This is local brewer Lompoc's first year throwing a festival, although it's always had a release party for its Oktoberfest lager. Event planners promise a low-key get-together—like a backyard gathering or a tailgate party.
Beer: Lompoc Oktoberfest lager, plus the normal lineup, including bourbon barrel-aged Pagan Porter, C-Note Imperial Pale Ale and Proletariat Red.
Food: A German barbecue with sausages and potato salad.
Music: A traditional accordionist playing polka tunes.
Other offerings: "Open play cornhole."

Widmer Oktoberfest
Widmer Brothers Brewing, 929 N Russell Ave., 281-2437. 3-11:30 pm Saturday, Sept. 11. Free; souvenir mug purchase required for sampling. 21+.
The biggest 21-and-over Oktoberfest in the city—last year 5,000 attended and 100 half-barrels of suds were consumed.
Beer: Widmer Okto, plus Widmer staples like Hefeweizen, Drifter Pale Ale, Drop Top Amber Ale and Broken Halo IPA
Food: German-style brats, chicken schnitzel wraps, kraut and pretzels made by the Widmer Gasthaus.
Music: Accordion rock band Those Darn Accordions, Irish punk band Amadan, junkbox blues duo Hillstomp and more.
Other offerings: Cornhole competition and Hair M chair massages.

Mount Angel Oktoberfest
5 N Garfield St., Mount Angel. 11 am-midnight Thursday-Saturday, 11 am-9 pm Sunday, Sept. 16-19. Free, various cover charges for gartens. Festival passes $4-$25.
Mount Angel hosts the oldest and largest Oktoberfest in Oregon. The town was settled by German pioneers in the 1800s. It has a glockenspiel clock tower—'nuff said.
Beer: German beers from Beck's, Paulaner, Spaten and Franziskaner Weissbier. American micro and macro beers too.
Food: Alpine food booths.
Music: German Bavarian band Original Donaumusikanten, American German band Die Schlauberger, Northwest polka band Polkatones and more. Also, yodeling.
Other offerings: Bavarian folk dancing, a "Cruz-n Car Show," wiener-dog races and a petting zoo.

Oaks Park Oktoberfest
Oaks Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, 233-5777. 3 pm-midnight Friday, 11 am-midnight Saturday, 11 am-7 pm Sunday, Sept. 24-26. $2-$5.
For 20 years, Oaks Park has provided Portlanders with the best (and perhaps only?) place to roller skate and enjoy German culture with the whole family.
Beer: A few varieties from Paulaner Brewery in Germany.
Food: German concessions—sausages, sauerkraut, pretzels, potato salad, chicken schnitzel.
Music: Five oompah bands from the Northwest.
Other offerings: Sausage eating, pretzel toss, condiment art and chicken-dance contests, craft vendors, German dance troupe, wiener-dog races, extreme air dogs competition and a kinderplatz area for kids with "Rocktoberfest" shows from Radio Disney.

Headout Picks

WEDNESDAY SEPT. 8

[MUSIC]

MARK KOZELEK

The former Red House Painters frontman is still as morose as ever, but damned if his latest disc,

Admiral Fell Promises,

isn't beautiful.

Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave., 234-9694. $17. 8 pm. All ages.

FRIDAY SEPT. 10

[STYLE]

FASHION’S NIGHT OUT

Following in NYC's footsteps, Portland's hosting its own Fashion's Night Out, an archipelago of fabulous fashion events headquartered at Director Park.

Director Park, Southwest Yamhill and Park Ave. 4-9 pm Friday, Sept. 10. Free.

[MUSIC] NW HIP-HOP FEST
If MFNW is lacking anything, it's local hip-hop. Anyone seeking a quick getaway from the crazy festival might want to stop in to see Cloudy October or Dark Time Sunshine. Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th Ave., 223-0099. 9 pm. $6. 21+.

[SCREEN] THE TILLMAN STORY
It's not the story the Army told you: In fact, the Army so badly wanted to hide this story that it burned the NFL player-turned-soldier's diary. A profoundly troubling indictment of the patriotism industry. Fox Tower, 846 SW Park Ave., 221-3280. $7.50-$10.50. Multiple showtimes. See review here.

[ECO-CHIC] MUDDY BOOTS ORGANIC FESTIVAL
Learn how to make your own enviro-friendly chicken coop and get an earful from King Corn filmmakers Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis at this kid-friendly green food, music and craft blowout. St. Philip Neri Church, 2408 SE 16th Ave., 764-7525. Keynote 7 pm Friday, festival noon-9 pm Saturday and noon-6 pm Sunday, Sept. 10-12. Festival tickets are $5 per day, kids under 12 free. Keynote tickets are $20 adult, $15 students, at ticketsoregon.com/event.php?event_id=577 or $25 at the door.

MONDAY SEPT. 13

[SCREEN]

FLOODING WITH LOVE FOR THE KID

Zachary Oberzan remade

First Blood

entirely in his hardwood-floor Manhattan apartment, playing every role. He's Vietnam-scarred drifter John Rambo and everybody else, including the bloodhounds.

NW Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium, 1219 SW Park Ave. 8:30 pm Monday-Wednesday, Sept. 13-15. $8-$9. See review here.

TUESDAY SEPT. 14

[MUSIC]

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM

Bummed the Boss isn't coming to town any time soon? You can still rep your inner Jersey Shore by checking out the Gaslight Anthem.

Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., 225-0047. 9 pm. $20, $23 door. All ages.

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