By Taylor Smith

This year’s Oktoberfest Celebration at Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten  (asburybiergarten.com) will take place on Saturday and Sunday, October 12 and 13. Beginning each day at noon, the tented biergarten celebration offers plenty of food, beer, live polka bands, and Oktoberfest fun.

The German fare at Asbury Festhalle is broad, flavorful, and extensive in scope. The Wursts menu alone includes CurryWurst (Madras curry tomato sauce, french fries), Vegan Bratwurst (served with cucumber salat and fries), Boar Jalapeño Wurst (smoky, spicy, filled with cheese), Elk Sausage (Madiera wine, apple, nutmeg), Smoked Polish Keilbasa (fresh pork sausage with garlic), and Wiesswurst (veal and pork belly sausage seasoned with parsley, garlic, and lemon). All Wurste platters are served with mustard, sauerkraut, potato salat, and bread.

Some unique biergarten offerings include Hungarian Beef Goulash (with carmelized onion, marjoram, and spaetzle), Halle Burger (red onion slaw, muenster cheese, tomato jam, brioche bun, fries), Bier Steamed Mussels (Weiss beer-mustard cream, leeks, fennel, Chile flake, parsley, toasted rustic bread), and Fish & Chips (dark ale-battered Atlantic cod, curry-malt aioli, lemon herb). Great starters are the Potato Pancakes (chives, applesauce, sour cream), Beet Salat (roasted beets, goat cheese mousse, arugula, pretzel croutons), and the famous Bavarian Brezel (mustard, liptauer, gherkin).

Communal tables add to the convivial setting, occupying a 9,000-square-foot outdoor rooftop terrace and a 6,000-square-foot indoor halle. The staff’s bartenders pour 39 premium draft beers, guaranteeing that there’s something for every palate.

Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten is located at 527 Lake Avenue in Asbury Park. For more information, call 732.997.8767.