Tampa Mom

Celebrate Oktoberfest all month long in Tampa! Each weekend, checkout a different festival, and if you are longing for a mid-week bit of Bavaria, have lunch at the Schnitzelhaus! All of these events have family-friendly components to them, so bring the kids! The highlight of the month will be the big Oktoberfest in Oldsmar at Tampa Bay Downs during the last weekend. Attendance was 25,000+ last year.

If you have other events to add, please leave a comment and link at the end of this post! Enjoy!

• Tampa Bay’s Best O’Fest, Most Authentic Bavarian Festival, in its 60th year!
• Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 30-Oct. 1, Oct. 7-8, Oct. 14-15, doors open at 4pm
• Lots of dancing, music, great food, and BEER!
• Visit their website for complete information and a coupon for $2 off admission! Admission $6, kids 12 & under are free!

• Schnitzelhaus German Restaurant
• Their website declares this to be their LAST Oktoberfest!
• Live Music with Inga
  Fri and Sat 5pm – 9pm and Sun 4pm – 8pm
• Fri and Sat Special, Four Course Dinner
  $21.95 – $25.50, reservations required
• Open Wednesday-Saturday, 11am-9pm and Sunday, noon-8pm
• Closed Monday and Tuesday

• Dunedin Brewery OktoBEERfest 2011
• October 6-8, starts at 4pm daily
• On Thursday, October 6th, we will only fill Literstein mugs. Bring yours or purchase this year’s edition for $30*. (*Note: There is no cover-charge for this event, however no pints of beer will be sold. You must have a Literstein in order to have a beer for just this one night.)
• First Friday Street Party, street opens at 5pm, music by The Fritz from 7-11pm under the tent, Bird Street Players from 11pm-1am inside
• Saturday Street Gathering, music by Tribal Style from 7-11pm under the tent, Funky Seeds from 11pm-1am inside

• Oktoberfest Tampa
• This year we bring you the extremely limited Konig Ludwig Oktoberfest Spezial. We’ll be celebrating with German cheer, dancing and singing to cooler weather and colder beer along the Hillsborough river downtown at the heights this Oktober 14th, 15th, and 16th. Oktoberfest Tampa 2011 is a time to unwind and make new friends. Learn new customs and sing a few songs. Help us tap the inaugural keg Friday, Oktober 14th, as we open the doors to Tampa’s largest Oktoberfest. Acres of courtesy parking.
• Friday, October 13, 3pm-midnight
• Saturday, October 14, 11am-midnight
• Sunday, October 15, 11am-9pm
• Pre-sale ends Oct. 13th. Admission is $8/day, $15/weekend pass. Das Boot admission is $30/day, or $45/weekend pass.
• Crazy games
• VIP Access – it’s worth it! Starts at $75/person. Best feature? VIP parking, tables, servers, and bathrooms!!!

• Oktoberfest on the Beach - 10th Annual Celebration Activity Schedule
• October 15, 11am-7pm, Kinderfest 11am-2:30pm
• Held at Kolb Park, Indian Rocks Beach
• Live music, German Band “Lorelei” performs at 1pm until 7pm
• Adult activities include: Food Court, Beer Wagon, Vendors, Art Exhibit, Antique Show, Boat Show, Silent Auction
• Championship Competitions include: Stein-carrying, Wife-carrying, Keg-throwing, and Polka-dancing!
• “Kinderfest” (11am-2:30pm) activities include: Dodgeball, Children’s Dunk Tank, Shuttle Race, Capture the Flag, Spider Web, Red Light—Green Light, Hula Hoop Contest, Water Balloon Contest, Jelly Bean Relay, Inflatable Experiences, Tattoo Booth, Balloon Artist & Magician, Kiddie Olympics, Children’s Arts & Crafts Booth

• Top O’ the Bay Oktoberfest, Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar
  • October 28-30
  • Traditionally held the last weekend of October, Oktoberfest brings the best of Old Bavaria and New Florida together for three full days of authentic German food, drink, music and dancing… along with a spectacular carnival & Midway, a great arts & crafts show, and the wildest array of audience participation contests that the Tampa Bay area has ever seen!
  • Oldsmar’s version of the 200+ year-old German tradition is both the largest and longest-running  Oktoberfest in West Central Florida, attracting over 25,000 attendees.