Great South Bay Brewery in Bay Shore will host its first Art & Ale Oktoberfest on Saturday, Oct. 4, combining elements of traditional German fall celebrations with live art and local vendors.
The event is scheduled from 4:30 p.m. to just before midnight at the brewery, located at 25 Drexel Drive in Bay Shore.
“This is the first year,” said Joshua Soto, the brewery’s marketing manager. “It’s German inspired. We’re going to have a Bavarian brass band there, traditional German eats paired with the Great South Bay Brewery beers and interactive live art, where attendees can come watch and take part in a live art event right there.”
Vendors affiliated with Merry Market will sell handmade items, and live art demonstrations are planned throughout the evening. Admission is free; food and beer are available for purchase, Soto said.
Additional activities include a stein-hoisting competition with a chance to win a gift card, axe throwing and a Bavarian costume contest.
“We’re going to tell people to wear their best Oktoberfest outfits as well,” Soto said.
Interactive games and other activities are also scheduled.
“It’s going to be a fun event, along with the local vendors and the artists and just having a good time with good Oktoberfest beer,” Soto said. “We hope for this to be a new tradition as well,” he added, describing the event as “Oktoberfest culture with Long Island creativity.”
Seasonal beers featured at the event will include the brewery’s Blood Orange Pale Ale, Jetty Cream Ale and a pumpkin beer.
“We are famous for Blood Orange and Jetty Ale, and we will have our pumpkin beer as well,” Soto said.
He said the bright color of the Blood Orange Pale Ale ties in with the Oktoberfest theme and is available year-round. Jetty Cream Ale is a light ale made with German hops that “blends in with the October sunset,” he said. The pumpkin beer is a top seller during the fall months.
Great South Bay Brewery was founded in 2009 and operates a tasting room at its Bay Shore location. The brewery was established by Rick Sobotka, a fourth-generation brewer, whose family history in alcohol production includes whiskey distillation in Poland and home brewing in New York state.
The brewery is headquartered in a 40,000-square-foot industrial building previously used by the Davis family’s aerospace company. The Davis family remains involved in the brewery’s expansion. According to the company, its mission includes serving as a cultural gathering space and expanding distribution across Long Island and beyond.
More information is available at https://www.greatsouthbaybrewery.com.