FARMINGTON – Come lift your glasses or enjoy some of the live music and field games at the Farmhouse Beer Garden from Oct. 15 to 18 to celebrate Oktoberfest. The festival will be kicking off with a visit from 107.9 The Mix, who will be sending a DJ to the Farmhouse on Friday, Oct. 15. The radio station will be broadcasting on Facebook Live for those who can’t attend.
“They actually approached me about it,” said Farmhouse owner Keeley Valverde. “The idea behind it is to celebrate great craft beer in Maine.” The Farmhouse will be one of three other breweries involved in 107.9’s tour of Oktoberfest, highlighting some of the businesses here in Maine devoted to craft beer.
But the appearance from 107.9 is just the beginning of Oktoberfest at the Farmhouse.
“It all just fell into place,” said Valverde on account of the planning process for the festival. There will be a different local band filling the 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. time slot every night that weekend. On Oct. 16, Juke Joint Devil, an old-school jump and swing band, will be performing, followed by Danny and Darby on Oct. 17. Josiah Chapman, a local singer, will close out the event on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
For Valverde, the real star of the show is the craft beer. Though the Farmhouse menu will not be modified for the event, there will be an extensive craft beer list, including some straight from Germany that are traditionally served for Oktoberfest.
“I’m pretty excited about my beer list,” she said laughing.
To help her share in this passion, Cushnoc Brewing Co. of Augusta will be visiting on Friday, participating in giveaways, promoting their business and enjoying Oktoberfest with fellow craft beer enthusiasts.
Valverde is ensuring that the event is family friendly and that there are activities for those not interested in or able to drink the craft beers. She wants everyone to be able to enjoy themselves. The weekend marks the grand opening of the Farmhouse Bakery, featuring Jessica Clouser’s Cakes N’ Bakes. The bakery had a soft opening at the beginning of October but will be officially open this Friday and will be offering free samples all weekend. If the music, beer and baked goods doesn’t make a festival, then fire pits, cornhole and free t-shirts do.
The Farmhouse is not taking reservations from those wishing to attend the event. It’s first come first serve, and Valverde anticipates having plenty of room to abide by social distancing regulations. For any questions, please call the Farmhouse at 207-578-4353.
