Places to celebrate Oktoberfest in Southern California and beyond

Can’t make it to Germany for this year’s Oktoberfest? California has you covered. Here are seven places celebrating up and down the Golden State.

Torrance

The Alpine Village festival has more than half a century of Oktoberfest tradition, which celebrates the October 1810 marriage of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. This year’s festivities will take place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Oct. 4-27. (Fridays and Saturdays are for ages 21 and older, but all ages are welcome on Sundays.)

This year’s event will feature beer imported from Munich, the birthplace of Oktoberfest, as well as giant Bavarian pretzels, sausage sandwiches and German chocolate cake. A 10-piece band from Germany will perform.

Cost, info: Tickets cost $10-$22; admission is free on Sundays for those 12 and younger, seniors older than 65 and those dressed in German costumes. 833 W. Torrance Blvd., Torrance; bit.ly/alpineoktoberfest

Pomona

Pomona’s Fairplex, home of the Los Angeles County Fair, continues the Oktoberfest festivities Oct. 4-19 (6 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays). Expect plenty of beer, Bavarian music and German food, including potato salad and grilled bratwurst.

Cost, info: Tickets cost $6-10 (ages 21 and older); 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona; bit.ly/fairplexoktoberfest

La Mesa

La Mesa, about 12 miles northeast of San Diego, will host a three-day, family-friendly Oktoberfest festival Oct. 4-6 (open 4-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday).

This 46th event will have a German Kinder Karneval with a Ferris wheel, rock climbing wall, inflatable slides, interactive art, scavenger hunts and more. Music will include German polka bands and beer served at the Palm Avenue Bier Hall.

Cost, info: Free; lamesaoktoberfest.org

San Bernardino Mountains

Oktoberfest is celebrated on weekends through Oct. 27 at Lake Arrowhead Village, a waterfront alpine village with shops and restaurants. Admission to the 38th event is free; tables can be reserved for a fee.

Big Bear Lake, about 25 miles east of Lake Arrowhead, also hosts an Oktoberfest bash on weekends through Nov. 2. This event, now in its 49th year, has live music, dance groups, a variety of contests and children’s activities.

Info: Lake Arrowhead event is free; lakearrowheadoktoberfest.com. Check Big Bear website for ticket cost and information; bigbearevents.com/oktoberfest/

Sacramento

The capital will celebrate Oktoberfest Oct. 11 and 12. That’s when Sacramento Turn Verein, a club that describes itself as the “center for German traditions in Sacramento,” hosts its Oktoberfest, patterned after Munich’s festival.

This 52nd event features traditional German music and dancers as well as Oktoberfest beer shipped from Germany. Organizers say the event is “like a piece of Munich, right in Sacramento.”

Cost, info: $20 adults, $5 kids 6-12 and free for ages 5 and younger; bit.ly/sacramentooktoberfest

Placerville

Placerville will observe Oktoberfest 3-9 p.m. Oct. 19 on the town’s historic Main Street, about 45 miles northeast of Sacramento.

The city’s ninth Oktoberfest, which it labels as a “taste of Bavaria in the Sierra foothills,” includes local craft beer, dance demos and wiener-dog races.

Cost, info: Free; placervilleoktoberfest.com