For the past decade, Schroeder’s on Front Street in San Francisco has been hosting an Oktoberfest celebration, but this year’s party will not only be bigger, it’ll take over the entire block.
“We thought this was a great opportunity to show that downtown is coming back, evolving and changing, and we wanted to give people a reason to come here,” Schroeder’s owner Andy Chun said.
Part of Front Street has been designated as one of the city’s new entertainment districts, allowing the street to be closed to traffic and hosting outdoor drinking events.
It’s part of an effort to bring more people back to the city’s downtown district, and Schroeder’s owner Andy Chun thought there was no better way to kick off the new neighborhood than with Oktoberfest.
“The idea of being able to emulate European cities and make the most of small spaces, we all live in tiny apartments and condos, and take advantage of all that and do it in a fun and responsible way, I think that’s going to be really great,” Chung said.
The festival featured live music, games, food and of course beer.
“I think it’s great that we can have fun here in the Financial District,” said attendee Sasha Hoefler.
“I think there’s a lot of opportunity to host different types of events, with or without alcohol, that could bring different communities together and help revive our downtown,” Theresa Eccleston said.
In total, organizers say over 5,000 people responded to attend, and Andy says the crowds will undoubtedly make a big impact on the area.
“In years past it’s probably been between 600 and 700, so this is really unprecedented,” Chun said.
And they’re not stopping there: Andy and fellow owner Ben Breyman, who owns a business across the street, say they’re already working on a list of ideas and are ready to make these types of events monthly.
“Before, you just went to work, went to happy hour and went home, but now downtown is our canvas and we can have great outdoor events and indoor events and we can make this a success,” said Breyman, owner of Harrington’s Bar & Grill.