'Oktober-Feast' Month In Carlsbad: Canceled Oktoberfest Revamp

CARLSBAD, CA — The Carlsbad Rotary clubs' Oktoberfest, a popular North County event typically drawing annual crowds of 4,500, is canceled for 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Taking its place: "Oktober-Feast" — a month of dining deals, including Bavarian-inspired meals from Tip Top Meats.

Local restaurants and businesses are welcome to join in or sponsor the newly revamped effort, running Oct. 1-31, according to event collaborators, the Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary and the Rotary Club of Carlsbad.

This year was to mark the 38th anniversary for the fest, usually held on a Sunday in October at Chestnut Avenue's Holiday Park, with such German fun and fare as schnitzel, sauerkraut, strudel, beer and over-the-top, oom-pah-pah.

Year after year, the much-anticipated event proved a key fundraiser for the groups' charity endeavors, raising more than $1.5 million over the past 37 years, said the Rotary clubs' Oktoberfest chairs, Vince Ponce and Bill Baer.

A full-out Oktoberfest cancellation was never an option, they said. And officials began mulling alternatives months ago as the ever-changing, coronavirus-related restrictions emerged. With a triple-aim of supporting community causes and local restaurants hit hard during the pandemic, along with keeping alive the fest tradition, organizers hope the new Oktober-Feast format proves a "win-win-win."

During the month-long promo, diners can obtain free tickets here that can be used to score 15 percent off around a dozen or so city restaurants throughout October. Establishments included, so far: The Landings; Vigilucci's Seafood & Steakhouse; Vigilucci's Cucina Italiana; Tin Leaf Kitchen; Gregorio’s Italian Restaurant; Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant; and Señor Grubby’s.

And in keeping with the German theme, Carlsbad's Tip Top Meats, on Paseo del Norte, will be prepping and boxing up specially curated, Bavarian meals for $10 apiece, available to-go or for on-site dining.

This year’s modified Oktober-Feast will be dedicated to the memory of David Kulchin, who passed away in July and served as the clubs' Oktoberfest sponsorship director for the past 25 years. "Dave’s commitment to this event helped raise over $675,000 over that period of time," organizers said.

Proceeds raised from past Oktoberfests were shared by the Rotary groups to fund Carlsbad charities and community projects. Restaurants and businesses interested in sponsoring or participating in the Oktober-Feast are encouraged to contact rotary officials.

The Carlsbad Rotary clubs' scrapping of their 2020 extravaganza follows similar calls from Oktoberfest organizers throughout San Diego County and California.

Among cancellations announced, to date:

• Carlsbad's St. Patrick Catholic Church's 8th Annual Oktoberfest planned for late September.
• The 25th Annual Oktoberfest set previously for Oct. 4 in Encinitas.
• The German American Societies of San Diego's popular El Cajon festival, that was to run two weekends in September and October.
• Riverside County's 31st Annual King Ludwig's Oktoberfest in Beaumont.
• Lake Arrowhead Village's massive Oktoberfest, planned to span four weekends in October.
• And in San Francisco's Bay Area, Clayton dropped its 2020 Oktoberfest, a three-day, Munich-style festival that included carnival rides.

Statewide organizers are not alone in deciding to nix a Bavarian festival this year, as German officials cited COVID-19 in April when pulling the plug on Munich's 220-year, legendary Oktoberfest, the world's largest such event annually drawing 6 million visitors.

Carlsbad's traditional, in-person Oktoberfest plans a return in 2021, organizers said. Until then, keep up with the latest Oktober-Feast updates at this link.

"We keep the history and tradition of an important community event alive," Rotary organizers added. "Different, but still part of our tradition."

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