Beer, brats and shops are everything Oktoberfest represents. I recently attended the Liberty Station and La Mesa Oktoberfest– both with their own vibe and theme, but there is no question La Mesa puts out one of the best experiences anyone can ask for. While there are tons of Oktoberfest events all over San Diego, La Mesa has been a go-to for locals for over a decade.

Liberty Station was much different from the hustle and bustle I am used to with La Mesa. It is a much more chill environment, and I was surprised they did not utilize more of the space the location offers. It was mostly confined to the indoor area, and it just seemed like they threw up some themed decorations, had some live music and some German-inspired beer on tap and called it Oktoberfest. After leaving the event, I did not feel like I had done anything different than any other time I had been to Liberty Station. It is a great place to enjoy the themes and beers Oktoberfest offers, but without the hustle and bustle La Mesa offers.

And La Mesa’s event did not disappoint. After attending it the year before, this was a much bigger crowd, and almost looked as if ever

yone in East County was there to celebrate and indulge in the festivities. 

The beer garden is always the staple of Oktoberfest for the adults, holding plenty of live performances throughout the day into the late night. The garden was packed beyond belief, but I could still manage to navigate through the crowds without spilling my beer, and I had a great time meeting new people. 

With such a massive crowd milling about, the beer ran out rather quickly. I was there for about an hour and a half before almost nine of the beers were sold-out, leaving just two choices. One of the great parts of the event was the amount of food available, which, of course, means many bratwursts, and they hit the nail on the head when they came bacon-wrapped. 

The most enjoyable part about Oktoberfest here is there is plenty to do for everyone, whether you want to drink, dance, shop, or play some games and win prizes like at a carnival. I enjoyed every minute. If you did not get to attend this year, I highly recommend you mark your calendars and make sure to catch this lively event next October.