Oak Park's Party of the Season is Here: Oaktoberfest 2013

Downtown Oak Park is having a big, free party for Oak Parkers and all others who love a good party this weekend.

Oaktoberfest starts Friday, Sept. 20 and runs through Saturday night. We've pulled the Oaktoberfest site into one post to load you up with information on the event. 

The Beer

Craft beer will be offered as well as a selection of fine wines. One drink ticket is $7; Three drink tickets, plus a 22-ounce souvenir mug: $20.

The Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association (Friday night) and the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce (Saturday) will provide volunteer pourers and collect tips to support their non-profits.

Craft beers include:

• Revolution Anti-Hero IPA
• Argus Ironhouse
• Hopothesis Drafty Window
• Leinenkugel Original
• Lakefront Fixed Gear
• New Holland the Poet
• Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat
• Samuel Adams Octoberfest
• New Belgium Pumpkick
• Firestone Walker Octoberv

Parking

The Music

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Honey Honey, 4-6 p.m., Americana — Los Angeles, CA

"Burlap and opals. Moonshine and macrobiotics. Shaken and soothed. How Suzanne Santo (vocals/banjo/violin) and Ben Jaffe (vocals/guitar) managed to reconcile not just polemics, but seemingly opposed realities for their sexually tinged, bruised knee honeysuckle take on roots music has to be heard to be understood." honeyhoneyband.com

"Known for its high-energy, positive sound, Acoustic Syndicate delivers a genre-defying performance, masterfully blending its eclectic influences with trademark finesse that only 17 years of cohesive teamwork can bring." acousticsyndicate.com

Let it snap, let it roll, hand claps, drums crash, tele-tones and solos. Somewhere between a bar and the recording studio, Miles Nielsen's stirs up his own pop rock brand of Beatles-eque Cosmic Americana. milesnielsen.com

"The Dreamtree Shakers are a Chicago-based band making very cool indie pop music that they hope parents and kids will enjoy together!" www.dreamtreeshakers.com

"A lively & hard-working band formed in 2007 by front man Ron Gallo, started out as just a duo, fluctuated between a cast of upwards of 12 players, then eventually settled into a solid 5-piece who love a good song and dance with no pretense or wall between the band and audience (as members often times ending up in the crowd)." ohnotoysoldiers.com

"The Howlin’ Brothers are a three-piece string band that brings heart and passion into every performance. Their upbeat shows are heavy with original and traditional music, featuring the sounds of slide banjo, harmonica and old-time fiddle." thehowlinbrothers.com

"Think Motown meets Muscle Shoals, stoppin' by Stax on the way up to Levon's. Chicago’s Great Divide is a rock ‘n ’soul band full of passion, spontaneity and groove." greatdivideband.com

"The New Orleans native is a pioneer of the new breed of young, roots-based musicians who have embraced both the traditional sounds of Louisiana and the pop sounds of the mainstream — the petite fiddler commands the attention of the audience with a poignant and rhythmic sound that only a Louisiana prodigy could deliver." www.amandashaw.com

The Food

• Aripo's Venezuelen Arepa House 
• Kinderhook Tap
  
• Luo's Peking House
• Mancini's
• Puree's Pizza & Pasta
• Sugar Fixe Patisserie
• Wells Street Popcorn

For the Kids

• Kids’ musical show with The Dreamtree Shakers performing on stage Saturday from 12:30–1:30pm.
• Zucchini Races — For $3 kids can create and race their own zucchini cars!
• A Root Beer Garden sponsored by Cold Stone Creamery will be serving root beer floats.
• Be a star! Kids can sing karaoke from a great selection of pop songs!
• Wonder Works Children’s Museum will be out with games and activities.
• Oak Park Public Library will be out with their traveling Idea Box.
• Lake Theatre will be out with their prize wheel for a chance to win a free movie pass!
• Lil’Kickers, a child development program teaching kids life skills through fun and creative soccer games, will be out doing demos and activities.
• Identity Irish Dance Company will be out to perform a classic Irish dance at 2pm under the arch on Marion St.
• Unleash your inner ninja with Urban Ninja Project's obstacle course & skill workshops! (Ages 5–14) — $3 ($3.50 if payment is made on a credit card)
• Kids can learn how to make cool upcycled projects with The Little Bits Workshop!
• Constructive Chaos & Oak Park School of Rock will also be out with kids’ activities!

I want more! 

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