BERLIN/OCEAN PINES — Although the
regularly held Oktoberfest at Ocean City’s R.E. Powell Convention Center will
not be held this year, there will be plenty of activities going on throughout
the weekend on the other side of the Assawoman Bay in celebration of German
tradition, food and of course, beer.

FRIDAY, Oct. 12

RockTober

North Main Street, Berlin

Time: 5:30-9:15 p.m.

Admission: Free

Under 21 Allowed: Yes

In an extension of Berlin’s normally
one-day German-inspired extravaganza, the inaugural RockTober will feature four
area rock bands to kick the weekend off with a more Americanized influence.

“The whole weekend is all about bands,
beer, food and fun,” said Michael Day, economic and community development
director of Berlin.

North Main Street will be closed to
traffic from Jefferson to West Street and numerous tables and chairs will be
set up in the center of downtown Berlin. This setting will give visitors the
opportunity to walk around the downtown area and to visit vendors on the
streets as well as the shops that expand their hours for the event. There is no
admission charge.

Each band will play a 45-minute set on a
stage at the intersection of North Main and Broad Street. The opening act,
Parental Guidance, will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Consisting of three students from Sussex
Technical High School — Zoe Collins, Garrett LaCurts and Justin Fisher — the
band plays classic covers from bands such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The
Who. The group also plays hits from modern bands such as the White Stripes and
some of its own material.

Parental Guidance is no stranger to
Berlin’s main events, as it performed at the town’s Mayday Playday event
earlier this year.

At 6:30 p.m., Ocean City mainstay, The
Galaxy Collective, will play its funk and blues-inspired tunes. Local musicians
Phil Knight, Otto Grundman, Sage Kane and Matt “Smitty” Smith play original
songs along with covers of jam bands such as The Grateful Dead.

Monkee Paw from Bethany Beach, Del. will
then take the stage at 7:30 p.m.

Mike Givens, Adam Ask, Rick Smith and
Scott Bloodsworth play a variety of covers featuring artists of entirely
different genres, from rocker Tom Petty to the alternative music of Citizen
Cope and on to the rapping of Biggie Smalls.

Finishing the night will be an acoustic
solo performance of musician Aaron Howell at 8:30 p.m. Hailing from the Eastern
Shore, Howell wields his acoustic guitar with authority through a large
repertoire of songs.

Area businesses and organizations such as
Buxy’s Salty Dog Saloon and Abundant Life Apostolic Church will sell
Oktoberfest-inspired foods on the street, but there will be plenty of beer
available, as well.

The Berlin Chamber of Commerce has called
on Burley Oak Brewing Company to distribute its Oktoberfest beer on Main
Street.

“It’s a traditional German-style beer that
has a slight toasty flavor and a clean, dry finish. The beer is great to have
on a nice fall night and it’s only a 5 percent alcohol content,” said Sean
Sasscer, a brewmaster at Burley Oak Brewing Company.

Oktoberfest from Burley Oak will cost $5 a
beer. The chamber will be selling cups inked with “Berlin, MD” text on the
front for $5, as well. Using that cup, beers from that stand will be $1 off.

The Atlantic Hotel will also sell beer in
front and in a beer garden area on the side of the building will give
Oktoberfest fans an additional area in town to sit and relax.

The Globe will not serve beer, as it
normally does during town events, but there will be another area in front of
the restaurant providing more seating.

SATURDAY, Oct. 13

OctoberFest

North Main Street, Berlin

Time: Noon-6 p.m.

Admission: Free

Under 21 Allowed: Yes

Emcees Brendan Kashuba, also known as DJ
BK and Alphonse Renuccaridi, better known as DJ Big Al Reno of Irie Radio 98.1
will take the stage for the second annual Octoberfest.

This is also the day when many people just
might take to the streets dressed in traditional German garb while two polka
bands take the stage throughout the day.

The Continentals from Washington D.C. will
play two two-hour sets starting at noon and 4 p.m.

In between those sets will be a two-hour
performance from local musician Frank Nanna’s band, Frank Nanna and the Cow
Polkas at 2 p.m.

Although entertainment will differ from
the previous day’s event, food and drink options will remain the same.

SUNDAY, Oct. 14

Oktoberfest

Ocean Pines Yacht Club (1 Mumfords Landing
Road), Ocean Pines

Time: 5-7 p.m.

Admission: $40 per person

Under 21 Allowed: No

In conclusion of the weekend full of
German-inspired festivities, the Ocean Pines Yacht Club will set up a buffet of
custom holiday cuisine and feature an appearance from the owner of Burley Oak
Brewing Company, Bryan Brushmiller from 5-7 p.m.

Taking place on the club’s second floor,
the event has been planned as something of a beer and food pairing.

“It’s going to be an educational event to
give Bryan [Brushmiller] the opportunity to talk about his craft and meet the
locals,” said David McLaughlin, general manager of the Ocean Pines Yacht Club.

Brushmiller will discuss how brewmasters
develop their beers, while new executive head chef of the Yacht Club, Chett
Bland, will discuss how he created his menu around the flavor of Burley Oak’s
brews.

The brewery’s seasonal Oktoberfest beer
will be available, along with three of its other brews, Just the Tip, Rude Boy
and Bunker C varieties.

At the end of the night, members of the
audience will be able to vote on which of the three non-seasonal beers they
would like on tap at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club. Once the vote is calculated, a
new tap featuring the highest-voted beer will be installed in the facility’s
bar.

Advanced reservations are recommended, but
the $40 admission can be paid at the door. Including food and three Burley Oak
beers, only those 21 years old and older may purchase a ticket.

For more information, or to reserve a spot
for the event, call 410-641-7501 or send an email to dining@oceanpines.org.