Plan For October Special Events: Oktoberfest This Week, Brite Nites Next

It's easy to find German names and a German flavor around Warren Township and now comes to big event of the year to celebrate everything German at OKTOBERFEST2013, planned for next Saturday at Forest Lodge off Reinman Road.

This will be the fourth annual Oktoberfest at Forest Lodge, following three successful years. The celebration is set for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., outdoors at the forested property for this coming Saturday, with a rain date of Sat., Oct. 19.

The Food & Beverage pavilion opens at noon, with a menu full of authentic German-American foods available for purchase, according to the Forest Lodge. 

Entertainment, a vendor fair and, for kids, amusement rides, carnival booths, pony rides, face painting, inflatable fun floats and more are scheduled as part of the day.

Admission is $7 per person and children under 10 are free. The admission fee to Oktoberfest includes access to the vendor fair, and live music and dancing in the main pavilion, according to information from Forest Lodge. 

Buy tickets, volunteer for Brite Nites

And although the annual Brite Nites carved pumpkin celebration — complete with scary features and lots to eat and do — won't begin until the following week, now is the time to buy tickets or volunteer to be part of the annual event at the non-profit Wagner Farm Arboretum.

Schools are scheduled to visit Brite Nites on Oct. 16.  General public dates for the event are Oct. 18, 19, 20 and Oct. 25, 26, 27. To purchase tickets via credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover), click here. 

Volunteers are needed to set-up props, or to be part of the fun and action on event nights! To view volunteer opportunities and to sign-up for specific dates, click on http://wfafnj.ivolunteer.com/britenites. Those with questions about ivolunteer.com or on Brite Nites volunteering, please email volunteer@wfafnj.org.

Before all that fun arrives, you might have time to slip in the Watchung Hills Regional High School Board of Education at 7 p.m. on Monday. Later in the week, watch the Watchung Hills Warriors football team (now 3-1 following last week's big win over Immaculata) take on Plainfield at 7 p.m. at home on Friday.