On the road: Celebrate Oktoberfest
Chicago
An Oktoberfest with oomph
Berghoff Oktoberfest 2011, a spirited outdoor celebration, will offer brats, apple strudel and other German dishes, raffles and plenty of Bavarian music by the Johnny Wagner Band, Sixteen Candles and Sorry for Partying. Stop by between 3 and 5 p.m. Thursday when a 45-foot bratwurst will be unveiled. Bites of the brat will be sold as a fundraiser for Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, Sept. 14-16, at Federal Plaza Square, 219 S. Dearborn St., Chicago. Call (312) 427-3170 or visit theberghoff.com.
Big Beethoven bash
The International Beethoven Project is launching its newest project: Beethoven Festival 2011, a five-day, multidisciplinary celebration of the life, works and spirit of Ludwig van Beethoven through music and art. The marathon festival showcases 120 musicians performing more than 80 works of classical music in addition to contemporary visual artists, filmmakers, actors and a poet. There also will be food and drink vendors.
4 p.m. to midnight Wednesday to Thursday, Sept. 14-15; 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16-17; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, at the Chicago Urban Art Society, 2229 S. Halsted St., Chicago. Passes range from $20 to $180. Call (312) 772-5821 or visit internationalbeethovenproject.com/tickets.php.
Moos power
Reminiscent of Chicago's street festivals, FarmFest at Lincoln Park Zoo gives a whole new meaning to “party animals.” The only barnyard in Chicago is the place where you're invited to hoedown at the zoo's Farm-in-the-Zoo listening to live music, sampling raffles and tasty vittles. The festival will feature meet the barn owls and greet the goats activities, cow-milking demonstrations, and performances by the Bon Mots and the Bubbly Creek Bluegrass Band.
5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago. Admission is $15; $5 for kids ages 3-12; free for kids younger than 3. Call (312) 742-2000 or visit www.lpzoo.org/events/calendar/farmfest.
Midwest
Dandy Indy
If you've been thinking about a weekend in Indianapolis, this may be the one. The 16th Annual Indianapolis Irish Fest, Art Squared in the artsy Fountain Square neighborhood and the 31st Fiesta Indianapolis all converge on the Indiana capital bringing live music, visual artists, family activities and delicious food.
Irish Fest will be Friday to Sunday, Sept. 16-18, in Military Park in downtown Indianapolis. Admission is $8-$13. Visit indyirishfest.com. Art Squared will be Saturday, Sept. 17, at Fountain Square. Visit discoverfountainsquare.com/ArtSquared. The 31st Fiesta Indianapolis will be Saturday, Sept. 17, at the American Legion Mall, 700 N. Pennsylvania St. Visit laplaza-indy.org.
Maple goodness
For a genuine weekend in the country, consider visiting the Maple Fall Fest in Marshfield, Wis., about two hours north of Madison. Count on 150 arts and craft vendors, all-you-can-eat regular and potato pancake breakfasts, maple demonstrations and maple products, Amish specialties, a maple dessert contest, a large farmers market, pony rides, a food court and a beer garden.
8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, at Wildwood Park, 1800 S. Roddis Ave., Marshfield, Wis. Call (800) 422-4541 or visit visitmarshfieldwi.com.
Take a Michigander at the bay region
Autumn is a banner time to visit Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay region and the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Perfect for foodies, golfers, girlfriends and families, the area offers seasonal savings on vacation escapes. The Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau presents a “Fab Fall” getaway special available at two dozen participating resorts and hotels. Hotels will include extras like discount offers on shopping, dining, wine purchases, movies, spa services and $10 in casino e-credits.
Valid through Dec. 19. Fab Fall rates start at $45 per night midweek and $60 per night on weekends. Specials must be directly booked through hotels. Call (800) 940-1120 or visit traversecity.com/fab-fall/.
Worth the trip
They say everything's bigger in Texas, so it makes sense that the State Fair of Texas runs more than three weeks. The fair commemorates its 125th birthday with a 1,000-pound slab of butter sculpted into scenes of farm workers and animals. Entertainment includes KC and the Sunshine Band, JB and the Moonshine Band, Jack Ingram, Michael Musso, Pat Benatar, Crystal Bowersox and Randy Travis. There also will be cooking demos and contests. Since this is Texas, the barbecue and chili cook-offs could get heated. Stop by the garden show, agricultural showcase, auto show and museums showcasing everything from nature and science to trains.
Friday, Sept. 30, to Sunday, Oct. 23, at Fair Park in Dallas. General admission is $16; $12 for kids and seniors; free for children 2 and younger. Call (214) 565-9931 or visit bigtex.com.