Photos left to right: Oktoberfest at Alpine Village in Torrance; Monterey Bay Oktoberfest in Carmel.

The Fall season is upon us and it’s time to celebrate. Oktoberfest events launch this week, which means it is time to get out the Lederhosen and Dirndls and do the Chicken Dance. The longest running events with nearly 2 months of partying mostly exist in Southern California. At Alpine Village in Torrance, Phoenix Club in Anaheim, Old World Village in Huntington Beach, and Oktoberfest in Big Bear Lake you can attend Oktoberfest throughout September and October. The festivities include German bands performing, bratwurst, sauerkraut, strudels, giant pretzels and plenty of beer on tap. Some events include dachshund races, Kinderfest for kids and other special attractions. Highlights such as the famous shot girls and party atmosphere, plus Herbmeister and the dancing chicken can be found annually in Huntington Beach. In Big Bear they saw logs and have beer stein carrying contests. Go check them all out! It’s time for a German style vacation, now that summer’s over. The fun has just begun. Here is the list of Oktoberfests in California!