OKTOBERFEST #1

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Downtown Palm Harbor’s Rocktoberfest

As the name suggests, Rocktoberfest 2015 was all about the music, inviting three of the most popular local bands to the stage:  The Black Honkeys, Jeriko Turnpike, and Stormbringer, in that order. We arrived in the middle of the Black Honkey’s set as the sun was going down over Palm Harbor.  Florida Ave was blocked, as people in lawn chairs took the place of cars on this busy downtown street.  The food and drink were secondary to the music, and the closest thing I could find to German food was the sausage and peppers being sold at the Island Grille tent.  Although not German, the food coming out of the Boss Ross BBQ tent also looked good.  Alcohol was served from a tent outside Peggy O’Neill’s by bartenders in Oktoberfest garb, but the drinks themselves were more of the usual.

As a fall festival, I really enjoyed Rocktoberfest, but I was hoping to find more German food and drink there.

OKTOBERFEST #2

Friday, October 23rd – Sunday, October 25th, 2015

Oldsmar’s Top of the Bay Oktoberfest

Things were winding down at Oldsmar’s Oktoberfest by the time I arrived late Sunday afternoon.  Compared to Palm Harbor’s Rock and Roll Oktoberfest, this Oktoberfest was more traditional, offering more German food and drink selections as well as German bands.  I’ve been to this Oktoberfest before, so I knew what to expect:  A big tent filled with German music, dancing, food, and drink (Warsteiner), surrounded by smaller beer tents and carnival rides.  This year I was able to catch the Stein-holding contest, music by the Oktoberfest Express, and a special Oktoberfest program from the Tampa Bay ballet group.