Oktoberfest by the Bay 2012 Beer Festival Sep 28–30, 2012

A three-day event held at the end of September, Oktoberfest by the Bay is San Francisco’s own little version of this famed Bavarian celebration of beer, taking place on Pier 48 just across from the AT&T baseball park.

Visitors to Oktoberfest by the Bay will find all the Oktoberfest staples at hand, from lots of golden ale to platters of sausages to dirndl-clad dancing ladies clogging away to a traditional Bavarian brass band.

Tickets to Oktoberfest by the Bay can be purchased for any of the days that the event is held, and cover a session that normally lasts between six and seven hours. There is one nighttime session on the Friday kick-off and two sessions (one day, one night) on Saturday and Sunday.

Oktoberfest by the Bay tickets are $25 per session, which provides access to the event but does not include any beer or food. Food and dessert prices vary from $3–$12 (from pretzels to dinner plates), while beer and wine typically cost $6.

You must purchase tokens onsite to get food and drink at Oktoberfest by the Bay, and tokens cannot be resold so it’s wise to figure out how much you want to drink in advance, especially since the lines to buy tokens can get quite lengthy.

Oktoberfest by the Bay VIP tickets can also be purchased for $75, which includes a commemorative 1-liter mug, one beer, access to a private bar, guaranteed seating, and private bathrooms.

Non-VIP ticket holders are relegated to the port-a-potties.

Hand sanitizer wouldn’t be the worst idea.