Grub Guide

Celebrate Fall With These Six Food and Drink Festivals

Brauhuas Schmitz gears up for Oktoberfest
Brauhuas Schmitz gears up for Oktoberfest Photo: Brauhaus Schmitz

Just as sure as leaves on trees grow from green to gold, orange, red and ultimately brown, the fall gives rise to a short and spectacular season of eating and drinking festivals. In the days and weeks ahead, the city will play host to festive affairs celebrating gluten-free foods, sausgaes, smoked beers and more. Below, we present a short list of the season’s essential festivals.

Smoke ‘Em If Yous Got ‘Em
Yards Brewing Company, 901 North Delaware Avenue, (215) 634-2600

Sunday sees the return of Yards wildly popular smoked beer fest, and amateur barbecue competition. Breweries including Brooklyn Brewery, Dogfish Head, Allagash, Founders, and dozens more are sending in some of their best rauchbiers and other smoky suds, while Percy Street Barbecue, and the Vernalicious food truck pair them with smoky barbecue goodness. Outside dozens of ‘cue enthusiasts will duke it out for bragging rights and prizes.

Pumpkin Fest
Hop Angel Brauhaus, 7980 Oxford Avenue, (215) 437-1939

The Fox Chase offshoot of Grey Lodge Pub celebrates the cult of the orange gourd on Saturday and Sunday, September 22 and 23, with a bunch of pumpkin beers, including Philly Brewing Company’s Kenz O’ Lantern, and special brunch and dinner menus. On Saturday, there will be Jack O’ Lantern contests, pumpkin bowling, and a big party outside under a tent.

Appetite for Awareness Gluten-Free Food Festival
Historic Strawbridge Building, Eight and Market Streets

To help raise awareness and funds for autoimmune digestive disorders like celiac disease, the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness is holding its 8th Annual Appetite for Awareness on Sunday, September 23. The festival, which pairs physicians and chefs to serve gluten-free dishes from the region’s top restaurants, includes gluten-free creations from Melograno, Alma de Cuba, El Rey, Rouge and Spiga, and gluten-free libations in a beer garden.

PHS Fall Garden Festival
Parade Grounds at the Navy Yard

Saturday’s festivities at the Navy Yard will have an emphasis on gardening, but with a Biergarten pouring craft beers, and vendors serving local foods, eating and drinking opportunities will abound. Carla Hall and Daphne Oz from ABC daytime talk show “The Chew” will also be in attendance, talking about the relationships between gardening, cooking and home entertaining.

Sausage Fest
Standard Tap, 901 North Second Street, (215) 238-0630

Friday kicks off Standard tap’s week-long celebration of sausage. It runs from September 21 through 27, and will feature venison bratwurst, Chinese sausages, Lamb Kofta, Scotch eggs, Linguisa and tons more of tubed meats that will be paired with Oktoberfest beers.

Brauhuas Schmitz Oktoberfest
718 South Street, (267) 909-8814

As expected, South Street’s Brauhuas Schmitz is pulling out all the stops for celebrating Oktoberfest. On Monday Chef Jeremy Nolan is teaming up with chefs Scott Schroeder from South Philadelphia Tap Room, Ben Puchowitz from Matyson, and Joe Cicala from Le Virtu for a festive evening of Germanic revelry that will feature Bavarian-inspired dishes and beer pairings. The dinner runs $65 per person. Then on Saturday, September 29, they are shutting down the street, rolling out the barrels, and throwing it down with live music, a pig roast, and an endless supply of German beers.

Celebrate Fall With These Six Food and Drink Festivals