It’ll be pouring in Yachats on Saturday

On the Oregon Coast, fall arrives with the smell of rain and wood smoke. In Yachats, it will also bring the clink of steins, the snap of bratwurst on the grill and neighbors catching up across long tables, when Oktoberfest returns to the Yachats Commons this Saturday, Sept. 27.

The invitation is simple: pull up a chair and be part of it.

The celebration opens with the ceremonial tapping of the keg at 5 pm. From then until 8 pm, guests can order à la carte beer and brats with classic sides and settle in for live music from the Yachats Big Band, the Sauerkraut 7 and Robert Rubin. Expect dance-floor favorites and sing-alongs — the “Chicken Dance” and “Sweet Caroline” among them — because local festivals should be as welcoming for kids as they are for grandparents. Laughter, a simple waltz step or a goofy turn or two, and the feeling that this is a town where people care for one another are all part of the evening.

Regulars note that the event is a casual, family-friendly time at the commons. If you’re new to town, consider Oktoberfest your welcome party.

Oktoberfest isn’t about recreating Bavaria so much as doing what small towns do best — pooling talent, telling stories and taking care of one another over shared food. It’s a moment to pause at summer’s end and say, together, that we belong to this place and to each other.

Proceeds from Oktoberfest support the mission of Yachats Community Presbyterian Church.

Festivities begin at 5 pm at the Yachats Commons, located at 441 Hwy. 101 N. For more information, go to the Yachats Oktoberfest page on Facebook.