It’s a busy weekend of food and music events in the Twin Cities.
Even if you don’t have tickets to the biggest show in town, Farm Aid, there are plenty of things to do, some of which are cheap or free!
Viva La Vida: Taco & Tequila Festival
The former site of the Sears building near the Capitol in St. Paul will be turned into a celebration of all things Latino this Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 20-21).
There will be more than 20 food trucks and restaurants at this festival, including El Burrito Mercado and Los Ocampo. And the music selection is top-notch: Saturday’s highlights include state representative and hip-hop powerhouse Maria Isa and Venezuelan disco savants Los Amigos Invisibles. On Sunday, Salsa de la Soul and the International Raggae Allstars will take the stage.
Tickets are $20 for general admission, but you can pay an extra $30 and get a tequila tasting experience. Taste samples from some of Mexico’s most celebrated tequila producers, including G4, Código, Arette, Tapatio and Mijenta.
There will also be lucha libre wrestling, roving mariachi bands, cultural dancers and a market featuring local artisans, handmade goods and gifts.
The fest runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The address is 425 Rice St., St. Paul, and tickets are available at vivalavidamn.com.
Oktoberfest at Waldmann
My favorite local Oktoberfest has to be the one at Waldmann Brewery.
They put up a big tent and host live music, traditional dancing, stein-holding contests and more.
Best of all, the traditional German sausages, pretzels and Oktoberfest beers are top-tier delicious.
It’s not exactly a secret — Waldmann has expanded the fest to include two, three-day weekends (Friday, Sept. 19 through Sunday, Sept. 21, and Friday, Sept. 26 through Sunday, Sept. 28) to help alleviate crowding, and they reserve the right to limit your time to three hours if they reach capacity. It’s $10 to get in, but I’d also budget for public transportation or a rideshare to get there, because parking is pretty much nonexistent.
The brewery is just outside of downtown St. Paul at 445 Smith Ave., St. Paul. The fest runs from noon to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 7 p.m. Sundays.
For more information, go to waldmannbrewery.com/oktoberfest.
Fulton Oktoberfest
Fulton also hosts a giant German beer tent this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 19-20) and next weekend (Sept. 26-7). Admission is free.
Highlights include live polka, Bavarian dancers, stein-holding competitions and a brat toss.
Food includes brats, pretzels and a meterwurst.
The fest takes place at the brewery (not the taproom), which is at 2540 Second St. N.E., Minneapolis. It runs from 4 to 10 p.m. Fridays and noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays.
For more information, go to fultonbeer.com/oktoberfest.
SurlyFest
If a traditional Oktoberfest doesn’t appeal, perhaps SurlyFest is for you!
On Saturday, Sept. 20, Surly will host a full day of (free!) live music in the brewery’s gigantic beer garden. Musical acts are curated by local hip-hop producer Lazerbeak: Shredders, Bad Bad Hats, White Boy Summer, Christy Costello, Sophie Hiroko and a DJ set from Sick Trim (Lazerbeak and Paper Tiger).
There’s a special menu that includes cabbage rolls, sauerbraten, “impossibly large” pierogies and, of course, SurlyFest beer.
Doors are at 11 a.m.; music begins at 2 p.m.
For more information, go to surlybrewing.com/surlyfest-2025.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.twincities.com ’
