CARLSBAD — Join in the Chicken Dance at the Carlsbad Rotary Oktoberfest Oct. 5, from noon to 10 p.m. at Holiday Park, on Pio Pico Drive between Tamarack Avenue and Carlsbad Village Drive.
Make parking easy by taking the free shuttle service to and from Westfield Plaza Camino Real.
A family event, Oktoberfest admission is free. Tickets for the traditional German feast catered by Tip Top Meats are $10 in advance at rotaryoktoberfest.org and $12 on-site.
In addition to the dinner, family-friendly Oktoberfest offers live music and entertainment, a pumpkin patch, a pumpkin-decorating contest, an antique fire engine and a beer garden. Other special Oktoberfest touches include a yodeling contest at 7 p.m. and the Bluebirds German band and The Last Call rock band alternating on stage from 5:15 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Co-chair Phil Urbina of the Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary explains, “It began in 1982 as a small fundraiser to help the late Glenn McComas, a former Carlsbad City Councilmember and Rotarian who became paralyzed from the neck down after falling off a ladder. Our two clubs came together to raise funds to renovate Glenn’s house to accommodate his disability so he could return home from the V.A Hospital. Rotarians not only raised the money, but accomplished all of the remodeling.”
Every year since then, the two Rotary clubs have happily joined forces to present Oktoberfest for the benefit of worthwhile nonprofits and betterment of the entire community.
Co-chairman John Thill of the Carlsbad Rotary Club said this year’s beneficiaries are Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center, Carlsbad Fire Explorers and Carlsbad Police Explorers, all of which are sending volunteers to work at the event.
Discovery Center Executive Director and Rotarian Lisa Rodman said the Center will use the funds to expand the Environmental Stewardship Field Trip Program currently educating more than 8,000 North County third-grade students.
