Oktoberfest season is almost upon us, and Boston’s many breweries and taprooms are rising to the occasion. Enjoy a pint, a pretzel, and perhaps even a live music performance at any of these festive events.
Dorchester Brewing Co.
Sample four new German-style brews at this two-day Oktoberfest event. Friday night, DJ Roza will be playing a set featuring German haus and techno music, while Saturday will feature a stein-holding competition and a lederhosen and dirndl contest, with live music from the Cosmo Legion Band of Brockton. Dorchester Brewing Co., 1250 Massachusetts Ave., Boston. Sept. 16 from 4-11 p.m., Sept. 17 from 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Free. dorchesterbrewing.com
Advertisement
Lamplighter Brewing Co.
Head to Lamplighter’s Broadway brewery for an assortment of German-style beers, including Marzens, Weissbiers, Goses, and lagers. A $10 cover charge includes a ½-liter stein that attendees can drink from throughout the event and take home as a souvenir. Swiss Bäkers and Brato Brewhouse + Kitchen will serve soft pretzels, bratwurst, and strudel, and free beer will be awarded to those with the best lederhosen and dirndl. Lamplighter Brewing Co., 284 Broadway, Cambridge. Sept. 16 from 5 p.m.-midnight, Sept. 17 from noon-midnight. $10. lamplighterbrewing.com
Casa Myrna’s Oktoberfest
Celebrate this German tradition while raising money for a good cause with Casa Myrna, an organization that provides shelter and other support services to survivors of domestic violence. Enter a raffle, sample bites from M&M BBQ, and drink some craft brews while enjoying the views from Dorchester Brewing’s rooftop terrace. Dorchester Brewing Co., 1250 Massachusetts Ave., Boston. Sept. 19 from 6-8:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25. casamyrna.org
Samuel Adams Boston
Head to one of Samuel Adams’s two locations to celebrate Oktoberfest’s festive spirit. The Jamaica Plain-based brewery will feature live music from performers like Kaylee Federmann and the Lighthouse Route, with bites from food trucks and BBQ pop-ups. The Downtown Taproom will host a variety of performers in both the beer hall and the rooftop, with stein hoisting contests and pretzel and bratwurst plates. Samuel Adams Boston Brewery, 30 Germania St., Boston; and Sam Adams Boston Taproom, 60 State St., Boston. Sept. 23-25, hours vary, $10. samadamsbostontaproom.com
Advertisement
Night Shift Brewing
Drink in the coastal views at Lovejoy Wharf while sampling a Helles, Vienna, or unfiltered Munich lager. The Hofbräu Spieler Band will be playing live oompah music, and the first 50 attendees to arrive will receive a limited-edition Night Shift Brewing stein. Night Shift Brewing, 1 Lovejoy Wharf, Boston. Sept. 25, 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Free. eventbrite.com
Harpoon Brewery
Head to the Seaport for a two-day, open-air Oktoberfest experience, with live oompah music performances, contests and competitions, and chicken dances at the brewery’s 32nd annual event. For those with furry friends, be sure to swing by on Oct. 2 for Dogtoberfest, complete with a 3-mile walk, dog show, and adoption fair. Oktoberfest: Harpoon Brewery, 306 Northern Ave., Boston. Sept. 30 from 6-11 p.m., Oct. 1, noon-7 p.m. Dogtoberfest: Harpoon Brewery, 306 Northern Ave., Boston. Oct. 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. harpoonbrewery.com
Maya Homan can be reached at maya.homan@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @MayaHoman.