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Fall is upon us in all its Oktoberfest, Halloween and harvest glory. Clearly it’s time to indulge in some serious fun, from drinkable Fleet Week flights to a Halloween tiki fest and an immersive coffee bash. Here are 18 awesome wine, beer and cocktail events to check out in October and beyond.
1 Fleet Week Flights: 12-5 p.m. Oct. 6-7. Winemaker Studios, 448 Clipper Cove Way, Treasure Island. Watch the Blue Angels’ air show, take in the city skyline views and sip wine from Treasure Island wineries, including The Winery SF and Winemaker Studios. A Fleet Week Wine Passport ($10 to $15), gives you Fleet Week discounts on tastings and bottles. http://winemakerstudios.com, http://www.winery-sf.com
2 Wente Harvest Tour & Tasting: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 9, 11, 16 and 18, Wente Vineyards Estate Winery & Tasting Room, 5565 Tesla Road, Livermore. Bring your camera and questions, as Wente guides walk you through the winery to view the winemaking process and sample sips. $45. https://wentevineyards.com/
3 Wine & Spirits Magazine Top 100 Tasting: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 9, City View at Metreon, 135 Fourth St., San Francisco. Taste some of the world’s most sought-after wines at Wine & Spirits Magazine’s 15th annual salute to the top 100 wineries of the year. $125. https://wineandspiritsmagazine.com/top100
4 Brews on the Bay: 1-5 p.m. Oct. 13. S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien, Pier 45. Enjoy sunshine and bay views, while sipping IPAs, farmhouse ales, session beers and other local craft beer on a World War II ship at this memorable festival produced by the San Francisco Brewers Guild. $49.50-$95. sfbrewersguild.org/events
5 Peninsula Oktoberfest: 6-11 p.m.Oct. 13. Hiller Aviation Museum, 601 Skyway Road, San Carlos. Live music (Bayern Maiden, Rockin’ Oktoberfest Band, San Mateo Elks Oktoberfest Band), German beers plus local microbrews and German food to purchase. $20 includes admission, a souvenir glass and a beer; $11 for kids and seniors. www.hiller.org.
6 Trader Vic’s Hulaween Cocktail Workshop: 7-10 p.m. Oct. 19, Trader Vic’s, 9 Anchor Drive, Emeryville. Unleash your inner zombie, vampire or ghost mixologist at this spooky cocktail workshop that includes drinks and devilish treats. Ages 21 and up only. $85. https://bit.ly/2QSPLx3
7 Harvest Weekend: Oct. 19-21, various Paso Robles locations. Try your hand at harvest (including stomping a few grapes), take in the fall foliage and enjoy live music, barbeques, barrel samples and more. http://bit.ly/2oFcGP4
8 Campbell Oktoberfest: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 20, until 5 p.m. Oct. 21, Campbell Avenue in downtown Campbell. This 24th annual event combines the German food, beer and music of an Oktoberfest with the arts and crafts of a traditional street festival. Local brew legend Dan Gordon will judge the beer stein-holding contest in the Biersch Garden. Admission, parking free. www.campbelloktoberfest.com
9 San Ramon Oktoberfest: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 20, Forest Home Farms Historic Park, San Ramon. Sponsored by the San Ramon Historic Foundation, this fest features the Olympia Fields Brass Band, Golden Gate Bavarian Dancers — and dachshund races. Plus, beer and German-themed lunch. $25 adults, $10-$15 with root beer for kids and teens. www.srhf.org
10 Walnut Creek Oktoberfest: Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 20. Civic Park, Walnut Creek. Check out the biergarten, food booths, harvest-themed arts and crafts, plus Kinder Platz with pumpkin patch, rides and activities for children. Free admission. www.walnutcreekdowntown.com
11 Coastside Brewfest: 1-5 p.m. Oct. 20, 390 Capistrano Rd, Half Moon Bay. Enjoy unlimited tastes of your favorite brews from vendors such as Alpha Acid Brewing Company, Altamont Beer Works, Barebottle Brewery, Deschutes Brewery and more. The fifth annual brewfest benefits Mavericks Coastside Foundation and Coastside Hope. $10-$40. www.coastsidebrewfest.com
12 Epicurean Tasting: 3 p.m. Oct. 21, The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse, 4269 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. The wineries and restaurants involved in this splashy wine-pairing event include The Sea, Alexander’s Steakhouse, Loma Brewing, Kneaded Bread, Solis Winery and Guglielmo Winery. Proceeds help support El Cajon Project, which provides culinary arts, life skills and on-the-job training for at-risk Bay Area students. $75. https://squareup.com/store/el-cajon-project-inc-2
13 Yoga & Wine: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Oct. 27, McGrail Vineyards and Winery, 5600 Greenville Road, Livermore. Enjoy yoga in the barrel room, followed by wine tasting and small bites. $30. https://www.mcgrailvineyards.com/
14 Castello di Amorosa’s Pagan Ball: 8 p.m.-midnight Oct. 26, Castello di Amorosa, 4045 N. Saint Helena Highway, Calistoga. Haunted chambers, bone-shaking music and decadent food and wine stations highlight the Castello di Amorosa winery’s 10th annual costume ball. $170. https://castellodiamorosa.com/pagan_ball/
15 San Francisco Coffee Festival: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Nov. 3. Dogpatch Studios, 991 Tennessee St., San Francisco. Taste coffees from 20 craft roasters and coffee shops during the third annual festival devoted to all things java. $35-$45. www.sfcoffeefest.com
16 Malbec & Mushroom Feast: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 3-4, Yorkville Cellars, 25701 Highway 128, Yorkville. Sip Mendocino malbec as you enjoy a weekend of fungi fare, including a pork, porcini and pumpkin cassoulet. $10. https://www.yorkvillecellars.com/Visit-Us/Winery-Events
17 Wine & Food Affair: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 3-4, participating Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River wineries. Enjoy wine and food pairings at Sonoma Wine Road wineries, and download recipes from each winery online. $30-$80. There will be a winemaker breakfast and Q&A, 9-10:30 a.m. Nov. 3, Balletto Vineyards, 5700 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa. $20. http://bit.ly/2Q5wqsa
18 Beaujolais Nouveau Harvest Fête: 5:30-9 p.m. Nov. 15, Left Bank Brasserie, 377 Santana Row, San Jose, as well as the Menlo Park and Larkspur locations. Enjoy a reception with small bites, live music and a sampling of Beaujolais, both Cru and the just released Nouveau vintage, followed by a three-course prix fixe dinner. www.leftbank.com/events-calendar/