PierogiPalooza, other tasty events returning to ArtsQuest’s Oktoberfest

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A delectable assortment of unique pierogies, including Cubano, broccoli cheddar and pumpkin cream cheese and cinnamon sugar varieties, is returning to a popular festival in south Bethlehem.

PierogiPalooza, a “celebration of your favorite filled dumplings,” will be held 2-6 p.m. Oct. 7 and 14 at the SteelStacks campus, 101 Founders Way.

ArtsQuest’s 13th annual Oktoberfest celebration will be held 5-10 p.m. Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 6-8 and Oct. 13-15 at the SteelStacks campus, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. 

Ryan Kneller

The third annual event, part of ArtsQuest’s 13th annual Oktoberfest celebration, will allow PierogiPalooza passport holders to enjoy six pierogies of their choosing.

Individuals can mix and match their selections, meaning they have the freedom to enjoy one of each flavor or multiple of their favorite flavor.

This year’s featured flavors include:

• Jerk Pierogi topped with jerk chicken

• Pumpkin cream cheese & cinnamon sugar

• Broccoli cheddar

• Cubano

• Holiday Pierogi: Stuffing, mac and cheese, topped with turkey and gravy

• Sautéed onion, sour cream, and scallions

The pierogies will be served at various locations throughout the SteelStacks campus, and passport holders receive a map when they arrive.

ArtsQuest’s 13th annual Oktoberfest celebration will be held 5-10 p.m. Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 6-8 and Oct. 13-15 at the SteelStacks campus, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. 

Ryan Kneller

Individuals are welcome to come in and out of Oktoberfest between 2 and 6 p.m. on their respective day to eat the pierogies when they want while also enjoying other Oktoberfest festivities, including live music, weiner dog races, an Oktoberfest Fashion Contest and the Pennsylvania State Steinholding Competition.

PierogiPalooza passports are $24, advance; $29, day of event. Info: steelstacks.org/?s=pierogi.

If pierogies aren’t your preference, ArtsQuest’s Oktoberfest features several other tasty events:

A Taste of Austria: A Wine, Liquor, and Food Pairing

A Taste of Austria: A Wine, Liquor, and Food Pairing, scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 14, will include a four-course culinary experience, featuring food and drink pairings such as Edelweiss Alpine Vodka paired with beef tenderloin goulash (served over grilled baguette and micro celery) and Gewürztraminer White Wine paired with jägerschnitzel (served with side of house-made spaetzle, cranberry citrus chutney and lemon zest).

ArtsQuest has partnered with food partner Levy Restaurants and Easton-based Imported Enrichment to center the culinary experience around liquor and wine imported directly from Austria.

Imported Enrichment owner and operator Eric Jacobs will be on hand to talk about his first-hand experience living in Austria and the stories behind the drinks and cuisine you’ll be tasting.

The 21-and-over event will be held in SteelStack’s’ Fowler Blast Furnace Room. Tickets are $79 and include server gratuity. Info: steelstacks.org/event/14966/a-taste-of-austria-a-wine-liquor-and-food-pairing/.

Oktoberfest Riesling Tasting

ArtsQuest, Levy Restaurants, and Jay Nee of Juniper and Grain invite you to help celebrate Germany’s leading grape variety during an Oktoberfest Riesling Tasting, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 6.

Individuals will enjoy four different Rieslings from various German wine-growing regions paired with light bites that also pay homage to the home of Oktoberfest.

Each patron will get to taste the following wines: Weingut Schlossmühlenhof, Riesling Trocken (Rheinhessen region); Fritz Fisk, Mosel Riesling (Mosel region); Lucashof, Riesling (Pfalz region); and Nik Weis, Single Post Riesling Qualitätswein (Mosel region).

The following light bites will be offered: grilled brat bites (mustard aioli, braised red cabbage, fried parsley); chicken schnitzel slider (mushroom sauce, lemon); house-made spaetzle (demi-glace); and potato pancake (horseradish cream, fresh herbs).

The 21-and-over event will be held in SteelStack’s’ Fowler Blast Furnace Room. Tickets are $45 and include server gratuity. Info: steelstacks.org/event/15120/the-oktoberfest-riesling-tasting/.

Brewers Village

Pennsylvania’s award-winning craft breweries take center stage as the Oktoberfest Brewers’ Village, presented by the Lehigh Valley Brewers’ Guild, returns for its seventh year on Oct. 14.

Guests enjoy a wide array of Oktoberfests and limited-edition and seasonal offerings – from German-style marzens to autumn-inspired pumpkin ales.

Attendees receive a commemorative sampling mug and have the opportunity to meet the breweries’ staff and brewers.

Several participating local breweries include Birthright Brewing Company, Boser Geist Brewing Co., Bru Daddy’s Brewing Co., Country Club Brewing, Fegley’s Brew Works, Funk Brewing Co., Hawk Mountain Brewery, HiJinx Brewing Company, Hop Hill Brewing Company, Lost Tavern Brewing, McCall Collective Brewing Co., Retriever Brewing Company, Richmond Farm Brewery, Rising River Brewing Co., Sage Alley Brewery & Grille, Seven Sirens Brewing Co., Sherman Street Beer Co., Taylor House Brewing Co., Two Rivers Brewing Co., Weyerbacher Brewing Co. and Yergey Brewing Co.

Tickets for the two-hour tasting sessions, where attendees can sample over 80 different beers from more than 35 craft breweries, are $30 for ArtsQuest members and $35 for the public.

VIP tickets, $50 for ArtsQuest members and $55 for the public, include one-hour early access and access to limited edition Yuengling Cask. Designated driver tickets are also available for $10.

The 21-and-over event will be held in SteelStacks’ Musikfest Cafe and will feature two sessions: 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Individuals purchasing VIP tickets can enter at 1 or 5 p.m. Info: steelstacks.org/festivals/oktoberfest/oktoberfest-brewers-village/.

Other Oktoberfest eats and drinks

Oktoberfest, which features free admission, also will have a wide variety of refreshments available for purchase at beer tents and food stands.

The festival runs 5-10 p.m. Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 6-8 and Oct. 13-15.

Beers of Oktoberfest include:

Hofbräu Biergarten

Hofbräu Oktoberfest – 6.3% ABV | Rich, full-bodied beer

Hofbräu Original – 5.1% ABV | Refreshing, bitter flavor

Hofbräu Dunkel – 5.5% ABV | Dark beer with spicy taste

Hofbräu Hefe – 5.4% ABV | Bavarian-style wheat beer

Schofferhofer – 2.5% ABV | Combination of Hefeweizen beer and grapefruit juice

Bru Daddy’s Vaterfest – 6.0% ABV | A Marzen style lager with malty goodness reminiscent of freshly baked bread with toffee.

Well Crafted Cirrocumulus – 5.8% ABV | Pale ale brewed with oats and wheat malt and heavy hopped with Galaxy, Citra, and Cascade.  Notes of pineapple creamsicles, piña coladas, and candied grapefruit clouds.

Well Crafted Gourdo – 6.8% ABV | An Extra Special Pumpkin Ale with pleasant notes of cinnamon, clove, caramel, and rum.

Logyard Brewing – Polka Polka Polka – 5.5% ABV | An easy drinking Marzen-style Oktoberfest. Brewed with Vienna & Munich Malts to create flavors and aromas of toasted bread and biscuits. Lightly hopped with Hallertau Tradition hops to balance and add a light touch of earthiness.

Logyard Brewing – Lumberjack-O-Lantern – 8.3% ABV | This Imperial Pumpkin Ale has notes of Pumpkin, Spices, and Vanilla. A perfect blend of Sweet and Spice.

Deschutes Fresh – Squeezed IPA – 6.4% ABV | This IPA is a juicy blend of citrusy hops balanced by a lively malt body.

ArtsQuest’s 13th annual Oktoberfest celebration will be held 5-10 p.m. Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 6-8 and Oct. 13-15 at the SteelStacks campus, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. 

Ryan Kneller

Spaten Biergarten

Spaten Oktoberfest – 5.9% ABV | Medium bodied beer with roasted malt flavor with just the right amount of hops. It has a typical Oktoberfest taste profile, but unlike most US-style Oktoberfest brews, Spaten’s has a slightly dry finish which makes it very pleasant and easy to drink.

Spaten – 5.2% ABV | A classic German premium lager, bottom fermented with a supremely well-balanced hop flavor.

Franziskaner – 5% ABV | The original fresh wheat beer taste. Franziskaner is natural and elegant Weissbier from Bavaria with a lush white foam. The copper golden wheat beer unfolds with an aromatic fragrance and harmonious banana and citrus fruits.

Goose Island Oktoberfest – 5.7% ABV | Notes of toasted malt and freshly baked rye bread. This light bodied German Lager is clean and crisp with a fine noble hop character and mild earthly bitterness that is the hallmark of Hallertau hops.

Workhorse Oktoberfest – 5.8% ABV | This Marzen is full of toasted bread and biscuit-like aromas with a touch of caramel sweetness.

Troegs Oktoberfest – 6.1% ABV | Troeg’s take on a timeless German style starts with a traditional brewing technique called decoction, creating a bright, dry maltiness. A kettle addition of Hallertau Tradition hops adds subtle floral and herbal undercurrents to this toasty sweet fest lager.

Iron Hill Oktoberfest – 6% ABV | Traditional German-style festival beer, a medium-bodied lager with a wonderfully sweet, malt-y and bread-y aroma and a firm malt flavor, balanced with mild bitterness and a clean, dry finish.

Downeast – Original – 5.7% ABV | Juicy and sweet, tastes and smells just like farm fresh cider you drank as a kid. Intensely flavorful, remarkably drinkable.

New Belgium – Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze | 7.5% ABV | Vibrant lemon, orange, guava, and pineapple notes are balanced with a light grassy and caramel-like malt aroma giving the beer a sweet start that transitions into a smooth, bitter flavor.

Victory Brotherly Love – 6% ABV | See through the haze and celebrate what unites us all: Brotherly Love. Packed with a tropical medley of Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, and El Dorado hops. It’s smooth, balanced, and citrusy.

Lancaster Brewing Co. – Baked Pumpkin Ale – 7.5% ABV | Why not have your pie and drink it too? The big, bold flavors and deep amber color is sure to remind you of freshly baked pumpkin pie.

ArtsQuest’s 13th annual Oktoberfest celebration will be held 5-10 p.m. Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 6-8 and Oct. 13-15 at the SteelStacks campus, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. 

Ryan Kneller

Sam Adams Biergarten

Sam Adams Oktoberfest – 5.3% ABV | Rich malts with notes of caramel.

Sam Adams Boston Lager – 5% ABV | Beer with slightly sweet roasted malts, notes of caramel, toffee, and a hop character with subtle piney citrus.

Sam Adams Wicked Hazy – 6.8% ABV | Beer with tropical fruit.

Angry Orchard Crisp Apple – 5% ABV | Cider with ripe apple flavor.

Dogfish Head Biergarten

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA – 6% ABV | Citrusy hop character.

Dogfish Head Citrus Squall – 8% ABV | Double golden ale. A paloma cocktail brewed with grapefruit juice, blue agave nectar, lime peels, and a touch of sea salt.

Dogfish Head Hazy Squall – 6.5% ABV | Hazy IPA with tropical flavors of orange creamsicle and pineapple.

Dogfish Head Punkin – 7% ABV | Full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar.

ArtsQuest’s 13th annual Oktoberfest celebration will be held 5-10 p.m. Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 6-8 and Oct. 13-15 at the SteelStacks campus, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. 

Ryan Kneller

Yuengling Biergarten

Yuengling Lager – 4.5% ABV | Rich amber color and medium-bodied flavor with roasted caramel malt and a combination of cluster and cascade hops 

Yuengling Light Lager – 4% ABV | Caramel malt flavor and mild hop character, rich-colored beer with deep amber highlights that is only 99 calories

Yuengling Golden Pilsner – 4.7% ABV | Pilsner crafted with the perfect balance of hop and malt character

Yuengling Oktoberfest – 5.4% ABV | Copper in color, this medium bodied beer is a blend of roasted malts with hops 

Yuengling Black & Tan – 4.6% ABV | Combines 60% of Dark Brewed Porter and 40% of Premium Beer with hints of caramel and coffee from the dark roasted malts 

Yuengling Lord Chesterfield – 5.4% ABV | Combination of sweet maltiness and lingering herbal bitterness 

Yuengling Bongo Fizz – 4.5% ABV | Yuengling beer with Natural Mango Flavor 

Yuengling Flight – 4.2% ABV | Clean, crisp, and refreshing. Only 95 calories and 2.6 carbs 

Food vendors will include: 

Karl Ehmer Quality Meats

Bratwurst, krainerwurst, knockwurst, bockwurst, cury wurst bowl, hunter’s bowl, Vienna hot dog, potato salad, weinkraut pierogies, apple pierogies, pretzels;

MMG Concessions

Gyros, pulled pork, chicken sandwich, turkey leg, mac & cheese, tater tots, loaded tater tots, apple cider;

Heaven on a Bun

Cheeseburger, Bavarian burger, cheesesteaks, Italian sausage, hot dog, chicken fingers, chicken fingers & fries, French fries, cheese/taco/crabby fries, pierogies, pierogies w/ onions, mozzarella sticks;

Food Stuff

Potato pancakes, halupki, haluski, bierocks, chicken paprikash, weiner schnitzel, beef goulash, sauerbraten, meat loaf, soup, bread bowl soups, coffee, milk;

Heidi’s Strudel

Whole strudel, half strudel, glazed nuts, pretzels, pierogies;

Bacon on a Stick

Bacon skewers;

Dinky’s Ice Cream

Milkshake, Freezies, soda floats, gelatis, chipwiches, single scoop ice cream, double scoop ice cream, single scoop Italian ice, double scoop Italian ice, Jammin’ Balls, corn dogs, chili;

The Taste Smokers

Mini smoke samplers: 2 meats w/ 1 side or 3 meats w/ 2 sides Mini Q’s Gourmaq & Cheese: Plain or with meat topping;

Take a Taco – 10/7 & 10/8

Tacos, taco salad bowls, pierogi fries, rice & beans; and

Cubano X-Press – 10/14 & 10/15

Cubano sandwich, Cuban currywurst, Cuban nachos, chickano sandwich, ham croquettes, yuca fries w/ mojo sauce, German potato salad w/ chicharron.