Labor Day has come and gone and with it the summer season is almost over. It is time to start thinking about the fall – perhaps by celebrating at Oktoberfest Live, hosted by the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, from 5:30 to 9:30pm on Thursday, October 2, at its new location, Vossler Farms Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze, 26773 S. Mooney Blvd., Visalia.
“New this year, we are bringing farming and agriculture to Oktoberfest,” said Todd Mackey, Oktoberfest Committee chairman. “Having Oktoberfest located at the farm is a great celebration of fall and the harvest.”
Last year, 12 local restaurants and breweries provided food and beer tastings to more than 800 attendees. This year, participating restaurants and breweries include Ryan’s Place, A&W Drive In, Dickey’s Barbeque Pit, Holiday Inn Hotel, Panda Express, Sequoia Beverage and Brewbakers.
Live music is always a big part of the Oktoberfest. This year, three bands will be performing throughout the night.
Das Polka Dots is a combination of session musicians who have come together to perform traditional German music tailored for this specific event. 5Live consists of five talented Valley musicians who collectively perform an eclectic mix of pop music from the ‘80s to present-day favorites, such as Toto, Peter Gabriel, Coldplay, Michael Buble, John Mayer and more.
Event headliner, Leaving Austin, is the new generation of country music. Born and raised in the Central Valley, where they grew up on country, pop and rock n’ roll, they decided it was time to get back to their roots and sing country their way, “Cali Style.” The band was named an “emerging artist” at Nashville’s CMA Festival in summer 2013 and performed on the television series “America’s Got Talent.”
This year, Oktoberfest will be hosted by actor John David Gregory, who has a reoccurring role on “Days of Our Lives,” and a supporting role in the movie “The Prey,” coming out this fall.
General admission tickets are $35 (advance purchase) or $40 the day of the event. Ticket admission includes live entertainment, and a mug for beer and wine tasting. For tickets or more information, call the chamber at 734-5876 or visit www.visaliachamber.org.