OKTOBERFEST AT OLD WORLD VILLAGE
7561 Center Ave., Huntington Beach. (714) 895-8020, www.oldworld.ws, through Oct. 29, Free/$10 . For information: (714) 895-8020, or www.oldworld.ws.
Tucked away between the Huntington Beach shopping mall and the 405 freeway, you can escape to Europe and partake in the revelry of Oktoberfest without ever leaving OC. The fall festival actually celebrates a German royal wedding,always a great excuse for lifting a stein or two. In reminiscence of this landmark event, Josef and Delores Bischof built their own Bavarian village here in Orange County in 1978. The setting includes winding cobblestone lanes, imported lanterns and lederhosen-clad men as well as various shops, a small inn and church; like its Old World counterparts, the proprietors live above their shops. For the next month, Old World Village will be bustling with activity as folk dancers, bands from Germany and racing dachshunds vie for the public’s attention. Apart from the entertainment, the village boasts a variety of German and Austrian cuisine in its restaurant and deli, including several types of sausages, fresh-baked bread and, of course, beer. All of this makes it a fun and inexpensive way to while away a family evening or weekend afternoon.
