🍦Oktoberfest's biggest weekend is here

Good morning, Annapolis. Carl the cow has officially been marked safe from next week’s menu at Lewnes’. The 1,400-pound steer from Kinder Farm Park sold for $25,410 (the biggest bid of the night) at last weekend’s county fair after almost 550 folks chipped in on GoFundMe to outbid the beef buyers. Carl’s headed back to the Pennsylvania farm where he was born. I love the Internet.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Ryan Sneddon

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Visit the Annapolis showroom at 1690 Balt-Annapolis Boulevard or contact Helena and Johanne at 410-757-4684 for more information.

Bring your vision to life with the help of your hometown building partner!

Unlike Cinco de Mayo and Mexico, Oktoberfest is a much bigger deal to Germans than Americans. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t trying our best. Especially our friends in West Annapolis.

🥨 West Annapolis Oktoberfest – The big one. Annapolis Street closes down for RAR Brewing's Chessie's Wharf pouring beer, bites from local restaurants and food trucks, and a long row of local vendors. In our opinion, the only thing that would make this better is a dachshund dash like D.C. does. Free to enter. Sunday, 11 AM to 4 PM.

🍺 Forward Brewing – Forward’s no German restaurant. But they make a mean Märzen-style lager and sweet steins every year. For the first time, this year’s steins are ceramic (and yes, they’re available for purchase). There will also be brats and kraut from New Roots Farm. 418 Fourth Street. Saturday 11 AM to 9:30 PM, Sunday 11 AM to 8 PM.

🎺 Garten – Grown-up Oktoberfest launched last weekend. This Saturday’s for the kids. There will be alpine horn demos and a root beer stein-holding contest at noon. And of course, the Oktoberfest special menu is still in effect (until October 4). Saturday, 11 AM to 3 PM.

🪗 Old Stein Inn – Old Stein is the county’s original German restaurant, opened in 1983 by German immigrants Karl & Ursula Selinger. These days, Karl and Ursula’s son Mike runs the show, but it’s no less authentic. The Oktoberfest menu is in full effect and there’s an accordion in the biergarten Sunday from 2–5 PM.

As always, friends, please drink responsibly. And always have a designated driver.

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Team Naptown Scoop Coast 2 Coast 4 ALS progress: $13,273/$20,000

Eastport's jazz festival turns five this year, and it's still one of the best deals in town. Nine concerts and lectures over two weekends, eight venues, and most of it’s free or damn close.

This year’s theme is "New World Music: Centuries of Sound," which walks the music from Indigenous drumming through colonial fiddle tunes to modern jazz.

Opening night belongs to trumpeter Muneer Nasser at St. Luke's Episcopal in Eastport in honor of three giants born in 1926: John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Randy Weston. Friday, November 6 at 7 PM.

Two more of note:

Drummer Makaya McCraven headlines Maryland Hall on November 8, the Naval Academy Band pays tribute to Miles Davis on November 13, and D.C. vocalist Akua Allrich sings Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba at the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum on November 14.

Reservations are strongly advised for everything, tickets run through instantseats.com (McCraven's go through Maryland Hall), and all but two venues have free parking on site.

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🎈 = family-friendly events

🎶 CP presents Our Town by Thornton Wilder – Colonial Players stages Thornton Wilder's moving portrait of small-town life, asking whether we truly appreciate our lives while we're living them. Thurs, Fri, Sat, and Sun.

🎈🎶 You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown – Compass Rose Theatre's musical adaptation of the beloved Peanuts comic strip, exploring friendship and childhood. Fri, Sat, and Sun.

🎈🐮 Anne Arundel County Farmers Market – Fresh local produce, meats, dairy, baked goods, and more from regional vendors. Sat and Sun.

🌱 Fall Plant Sale – Shop native and exotic trees, shrubs, and perennials at Historic London Town & Gardens, with proceeds supporting garden maintenance. Sat and Sun.

🎨 Annapolis Artisans Market – Two large warehouses filled with art, vintage and handmade goods, and furniture. All made by local artists. Plus the fourth annual fan favorite chili cook-off. Sat and Sun.

🍺 Forward Oktoberfest – Steins of Forward's Märzen-style lager (their first-ever ceramic steins), New Roots Farm brats and kraut, and Ein Prosit on repeat in Eastport. Sat and Sun.

🍽️ Food Truck Fridays – 12+ food trucks serving diverse cuisines at the weekly rally on Harry S. Truman Parkway.

🎈🌕 Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Celebration – Storytime, paper lantern crafts, and mooncake samples celebrating this harvest tradition.

🎥 AND Creative Film Club: A Ghost Story – Screening of David Lowery's meditative ghost story, paired with the Folklore & Folktales gallery exhibit and post-film discussion.

🎈🎨 Kunta Kinte Heritage Festival – 36th annual multicultural festival honoring African heritage with music, food, and community.

📚 Anne Arundel County Literacy Council Annual Book Fair – Thousands of gently used books at bargain prices, with proceeds supporting adult literacy programs.

🌕 Full Moon Paddle – Moonlight paddle on the water with vessel lights provided for a serene nocturnal experience.

🎈🎺 Oktoberfest for Kids at Garten – Alpine horn demo and a kids' root beer stein-holding contest at noon in Severna Park. 11 AM to 3 PM.

🍺 🥨 West Annapolis Oktoberfest – The biggest Oktoberfest around. Free to walk in, with a RAR Brewing beer garden, bites from local restaurants, food trucks, and vendors. 11 AM to 4 PM.

🎈🩰 La Sylphide Storytime at the Paca Garden – Ballet Theatre of Maryland dancers lead an interactive storytime introducing this classic ballet, with crafts and a meet-and-greet in the historic garden.

🎈🐮 Wellsview Weekend Community Markets – Free market blending outdoor artisan vendors with indoor holistic wellness practitioners.

☕ Café Diem: The Annapolis Coffee Crawl – Start of the week-long coffee crawl through local cafes. Coffee cocktails count, too!

🪗 German Music Sunday at Old Stein Inn – Elena plays accordion in the Edgewater biergarten, 2 to 5 PM.

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🥃 Garden Party – Historic Annapolis throws its 13th annual Blazers. Bourbon. Cigars tonight in the William Paca Garden, with whiskey and spirits tastings, premium cigars, and food from the city’s top kitchens. There are still tickets available, but here’s the deal: online sales close at 11 AM. After that, you’ll have to pony up at the door. 21+, rain or shine, 6 to 9 PM at 186 Prince George Street.

🏈 Under the Lights – Navy's at UAB tomorrow night at 7 PM (yes, college ball on Friday). The Mids are 1–1 after scoring the final 23 points at Florida Atlantic but still losing 38–30. QB Braxton Woodson hurt his left ankle in that one and is week-to-week, so JR QB/RB Jackson Gutierrez may get the start. Watch on ESPN or listen on WNAV 1430 AM.

🏖️ Bash Cash – The 21st Boatyard Beach Bash cleared more than $175,000 for the Annapolis Maritime Museum last weekend. That money goes straight into its Bay education programs. The museum also closes out September Sunsets tonight with the Eastport Oyster Boys at the Park Campus on Edgewood Road, 6 to 8 PM. It's free, food trucks are there, and you'll want to bring a chair.

🩸 Good Neighbors – The Luminis Health Bloodmobile parks in Severna Park on Friday for a drive put on by the Good Neighbors Group and the Severna Park Chamber of Commerce. It's in the lot by Rita's and Garry's Grill at 553 Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard, 8 AM to 2 PM. Walk-ins depend on space, so grab a slot first. Questions: 443-481-4215.

🎣 Reel Deal – Fish For A Cure throws its iconic Shore Party at Safe Harbor Annapolis, with food, drinks, dancing, and the winners of the fishing tournament and the Paul C. Dettor Captain's Challenge. Nineteen years in, F4AC has raised more than $7.7 million for the cancer survivorship program at Luminis Health's DeCesaris Cancer Institute. Tickets are $175 and limited. Saturday, November 7, 5 to 9:30 PM.

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68 🌡️ 57 | ⛅ | 0% ☔ | 💨 NE 17 mph (15 knots)

71 🌡️ 60 | 🌤️ | 5% ☔ | 💨 N 16 mph (14 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 71ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

🌳🎵= Outdoor concert

49 West | Spilling Pictures Presents: TBA | 8–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Dan Heely | 7–10 PM
🌳🎵AMM September Sunsets | Eastport Oyster Boys | 6–8 PM
Beacon Waterfront Galley | Ground Rent | 3 PM
Beer Farm | Joey Fitz | 4–7 PM
Brian Boru | Ray Wroten | 6–9 PM
Copper Creek | Open Mic | 7 PM
Dark Horse | TBA | TBA
Killarney House | Aaron Hawkins | 6–9 PM
Pirates Cove | Jason Bishop | 6–9 PM
The Point | Dan Haas | 5–8 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Brett Dennen: Art is Life | 8 PM | Tickets

49 West | Soul Journers Band | 7:30–10:30 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Clint Szafader, Scrumptious | TBA
Annapolis Smokehouse & Tavern | Mac Heat | 8:30 PM
🌳🎵Annapolis Sunset Cruise | Chossen Music Band | 6:30–8 PM | Tickets
Beer Farm | The Wombmates | 5–8 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Dana B | 4 PM
Brian Boru | Mixed Business | 7–10 PM
Captain's Daughter | TBA | 5–7 PM
The Choptank | Justina Beth-El | TBA
Coconut Joe's | Back Burners | 5 PM
Galway Bay | Doug Segree | 7–10 PM
Great Frogs | SVV Duo | 5:30–8:30 PM
Killarney House | O'McPub Band | 7:30–10:30 PM
🌳🎵Market Space | Hurricane Kevin | 6–9 PM
Pirates Cove | Pete Best | 7–10 PM
Rams Head Roadhouse | David Sparrow | 8 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Ray Weaver | 4:30 PM
Stan & Joe's Riverside | Kevin Lee | 4 PM
Stan & Joe's Saloon | Fessup | 9:45 PM

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