Oktoberfest on Cape Cod: 6 events starting Sept. 21: Beer, pig roast, oysters and yodeling

On Oct. 12, 1810, the crown prince of Bavaria married Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen in a spectacle that stretched on for five days and, Encyclopedia Britannica reports, ended with a horse race.

Who knew the party would go on for 214 years and counting?

The late September-early October festival that their wedding inspired ― Oktoberfest ― is alive and well on both sides of the Atlantic.

Kicking off Cape Cod’s Oktoberfest season is a Sept. 21 celebration at Cape Cod Beer in Hyannis, followed by an Oct. 5 bash at Mashpee Commons, an Oct. 19 gathering in Chatham’s Kate Gould Park and on the same day a celebration at Cape Cod Music of Art in Dennis. On Oct. 27, Oktoberfest is at Pelham House Resort in Dennis.

Chatham Bars Inn hosts a Pig and Oyster Roast family-style dinner, starting on the beach, Sept. 28.

We know many pubs and breweries host their own Cape Cod Oktoberfests. Please list yours for free at capecodtimes.com/calendar and the details will appear on the Cape Cod Times “Things to Do” list.

Let’s unpack details of these Cape festivals so you can choose the date, place and ticket price that works best for you.

Sept. 21 Cape Cod Beer Oktoberfest in Hyannis

Cape Cod Beer will celebrate from noon to 7 p.m. Sept. 21 in the biergarten at 1336 Phinney’s Lane in Hyannis. There will be German-style Cape Cod Beer on tap, German-inspired food from Red River BBQ and live music all day: Cape band Flydown at noon; Tom Leidenfrost on the accordion at 2 p.m. and again at 4, Dirty Water Dance Band performing at 3 and 5 p.m.

So bust out your dirndls and lederhosen for this under-the-tent event. Tickets are available through the Eventbrite link – and at the brewery at the door, if there are tickets left – and are non-transferable and non-refundable. Cape Cod Beer staff warns of scammers pretending to sell Oktoberfest tickets. General admission is $10 and a package with a giant Bavarian pretzel and souvenir stein with one free fill are $42. The 20-ounce stein is refillable at the 16-ounce price.

Sept. 28 Oktoberfest beers, pig, oyster roast at Chatham Bars Inn

This $150 family-style dinner, with each course paired with traditional Oktoberfest beers, starts with a reception on the beach while oysters and pig are roasted over a beach fire pit. The raw bar features five local oyster farms across the Cape, pairing everything with traditional Oktoberfest beers. Wine will be offered as a substitute.

Passed appetizers include: hong shao rou steam buns, pork rillette stuffed apricots, oyster “po-boy,” grilled marigold butter oysters and oysters Rockefeller. Beers paired with oysters and pork include: Reissdorf Kolsch, Paulaner Hefeweizen, Weihenstephaner Helles Lager, Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest and Warsteiner Dunkel.

The dinner is 5:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 28 at Chatham Bars Inn, 297 Shore Road. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

Oct. 5 Oktoberfest on Mashpee Village Green

This family-friendly event put on by the town’s special events committee features more than 50 unique arts and crafts booths, food trucks, live entertainment and a biergarten.

Oktoberfest is free, with beer and food for purchase. It is held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4 Jobs Fishing Road on the green across from the Mashpee Public Library. Rain date is Sunday, Oct. 6, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There will be live music all day.

Be sure to check out the booths as there is a decorating contest in which vendors are encouraged to use pumpkins, cornstalks and other autumn decorations for a chance at bragging rights.

Oct. 19 Oktoberfest in Chatham includes a yodeling contest

A highlight of Chatham Oktoberfest is the yodeling contest at the event which runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 19 in Kate Gould Park, 115 Chatham Bars Ave. Admission is $5 plus a $2.18 Eventbrite fee. Parking is free.

“Join us at Kate Gould Park for a day filled with traditional food, music, vendors, kids’ activities brought to you by The Chatham Orpheum and of course, beer!” says the Chatham Oktoberfest’s social media, which hashtags the event #bratwurst.

Bring your dancing shoes for a lineup that includes live music from Unkle Jake and the 18 Wheel Gang, Forest Station, The Chatham Band, Jacob Green with White Wolf, SoulJah, Nikki and the Barn Boys and Brad Stebet.

Oct. 19 food and beer tastings at Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis

Cape Cod Museum of Art’s Fourth Annual Oktoberfest is for those over 21, with IDs checked at the door. A $55 ticket ($50 for museum members) buys you six beer tasting tickets, six food tasting tickets, a commemorative pint beer glass, a full pint of the beer you vote as winner, bratwurst bites and ice cream.

The Signature Brass Band will provide live Bavarian music. There will also be games and a raffle.

The event is from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 19, rain or shine. The museum is located at 60 Hope Lane, Dennis. Parking is free.

Tickets are available at the museum’s website, ccmoa.org/.

Pelham House Resort hosts fourth annual Oktoberfest on Oct. 27

The Pelham House Resort is cooking up house-made giant pretzels and apple cider doughnuts for Oktoberfest. The family-friendly event takes place from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27. The Pelham House, on the shore of Nantucket Bay, will have lawn games, fall activities and live entertainment. Tickets for the family-friendly day are $35 for adults, $20 for kids.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod Oktoberfest: Celebrate German food and beer Sept. 21-Oct. 27