Thanks a lot, City of Santa Monica. Yeah, I'm talking to you, permit-poopers. After a planned Oktoberfest at Barker Hangar was scrapped at the last minute — well, the last minute when it comes to print deadlines for certain weekly newspapers — many people were left crying in their empty beer steins. Luckily, we can trek a bit farther south to that land of bountiful food-and-music festivals for the annual Long Beach Oktoberfest. El Dorado Park becomes a Bavarian wonderland with men in lederhosen, all things sausage-y, biergartens, pretzels, gingerbread necklaces, the chicken dance, carnival rides and games. You'll be squawking ch-ch-chicken way home after a day of traditional oompah-pah and polka music churned out by the Frank Rote Orchestra, the Bluebirds, Roger & the Villagers and Fred Mlakar & His Oberkrainer Band.

Fri., Oct. 22, 5-11 p.m.; Oct. 23-24, noon; Thu., Oct. 28, 5-10 p.m.; Fri., Oct. 29, 5-11 p.m.; Oct. 30-31, noon, 2010

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