Oktoberfest Season is On Tap 🍺

Slightly cooler afternoons, freshly tapped kegs, and zero excuses to stay indoors. Oktoberfest celebrations are breaking out across the area, and Twin Oaks is pouring the goods this Saturday in Benicia. Here is your ultimate fall weekend cheat sheet—starting with where to get your first pint.

Scroll for full details 👇

WE’RE POURING THE BEERS! Come raise a glass with the Twin Oaks team at the beer stand all afternoon! 🍻

Giant soft pretzels, live Oompah bands, cold craft brews, and picture-perfect waterfront views. Whether you're testing your strength in the stein-holding contest or letting the kids burn off energy in the huge (and totally free!) Kid Zone, downtown Benicia turns into one big, festive waterfront block party for the whole family. Grab a blanket for the grass, bring the family, and stop by our tent to say hi!👋🥨

💡Insider Tip: First Street parking fills up fast, but street parking anywhere along the residential side streets (like B, C, or D Street) is completely free and only a quick two-block walk to the lawn. Alternatively, SolTrans is running a free shuttle straight to Military & First Street all day!

Located in the heart of historic downtown Martinez, Del Cielo Brewing Co. is a vibrant, family- and dog-friendly craft brewery known for its welcoming "Mi casa es tu casa" neighborhood vibe. Housed in a sprawling, open-concept taproom with high ceilings, warm woods, and an inviting outdoor patio, it serves as a central hub for the local community.

They pour a rotating list of award-winning craft beers—ranging from crisp lagers and juicy IPAs to rich stouts and fruit sour ales—alongside local wines, ciders, and a full kitchen serving up burgers, empanadas, and shareable bites. On Friday nights, the space turns into a lively block-party gathering spot, filling up with locals, families, and friends taking in live local music, cold pints, and high-energy community vibes. 🍺

💡 Insider Tip: Street parking on Escobar St fills fast, but there’s plenty of free public parking just a block over near the Martinez Amtrak station!

Walk It. Shop It. is a monthly sidewalk pop-up market and shop-hop that turns Crockett’s historic waterfront downtown into an open-air community block party. Local store owners, guest vintage curators, independent artists, and makers line the streets with pop-up booths showcasing handmade goods, art, jewelry, fashion, and collectibles. It’s an easygoing, family- and dog-friendly event designed to showcase Crockett’s small-town creative charm and support local small businesses.

💡 Insider Tip: Grab a map at your first stop and get a quick signature from vendors as you browse. Collecting signatures enters you into a massive town-wide raffle for a gift basket packed with merchandise from participating shops, and your odds of winning are much higher than standard raffles.

Step into the ultimate open-air treasure hunt! The Rockridge BART parking lot transforms into a buzzing, high-energy vintage and makers market packed with local Bay Area curators. Racks are loaded with curated '90s, Y2K, and true retro fashion, alongside handmade jewelry, unique home decor, and sustainable goods. If you love thrifting, hunting for one-of-a-kind wardrobe statement pieces, or just soaking up good local vibes, this is the place to be.

💡Insider Tip: Come early around 10 AM to get first dibs on the rarest vintage finds before the afternoon crowds arrive! Afterwards, cross College Avenue to grab a coffee from Bette's To Go or a slice from Zachary's Chicago Pizza to round out your Rockridge morning.

Block after block of downtown transforms into the ultimate street party! There are over 300 artisan booths, multiple live music stages pumping out Bay Area cover bands, gourmet food bites, and pouring stations stocked with regional craft beers and high-end Napa/Sonoma wines.

Whether you're hunting for handmade jewelry, catching up with neighbors over a cold IPA, or just soaking up the sunny September air, it's easily the biggest and best outdoor social of the season in Lamorinda.

💡Insider Tip: Skip the nightmare of downtown parking entirely—take BART directly to the Lafayette station and walk three short blocks to the entrance! Also, hit the ticket booths right when you arrive to grab a drink-ticket combo pack to skip the afternoon lines when the crowds peak.

Newark Days is a massive four-day city birthday bash and carnival held every September to commemorate Newark’s incorporation. Drawing over 100,000 visitors, the festival takes over Newark Community Center and the surrounding MacGregor Playfields with a classic hometown county-fair atmosphere.

Highlights include full carnival rides, a food vendor row, live music stages, a car show, an arts & crafts fair, and the iconic Saturday morning parade along "The Newark Mile."

Thursday & Friday: Opening night discounted carnival rides ($2 ride night), food festival, and stage shows starting at 5:00 PM.

Saturday: The Newark Mile 4K Race (9:00 AM), Parade (10:00 AM), Classic Car Show, and full Arts & Crafts Fair.

Sunday: Community Info Faire, Live Stage Shows, and the official City Birthday Bash celebration.

💡 Insider Tip: Hit $2 Ride Night on Thursday: If you have kids or want to ride the carnival attractions without the massive lines or high price tags, come on Opening Night (Thursday). Rides drop to $2 each, and crowds are a fraction of what they are on Saturday.

Trade the high seas for the high notes! Warm up those vocal cords, grab your wayfinders, and warm up your best “How Far I’ll Go” belting voice. This interactive, big-screen movie experience brings the Pacific island magic straight to downtown Walnut Creek.

On-screen lyrics mean nobody misses a beat, and cozy theatre seating makes it the ultimate Sunday afternoon outing for toddlers, teens, and closet-Maui super-fans alike. (Grass skirts and Demigod hooks optional, but highly encouraged!)

💡Insider Tip: Grab an early lunch on the patio at Tender Greens or an iced ube latte at Lottie’s Creamery right across the plaza before taking your seats.

Known for micro-roasting their own beans on a zero-emissions roaster, Tellus just dropped their autumn drink menu across both East Bay locations. Skip the standard pumpkin spice—their fall lineup leans into rich, cozy spices with handcrafted options like a Maple Spice Latte, a Brown Sugar Cardamom Latte, and fresh seasonal baked pumpkin bread.

💡Insider Tip: Order the Brown Sugar Cardamom Latte paired with an extra shot of espresso, and grab a slice of the pumpkin bread warmed up. If you're heading to the Walnut Creek location, the outdoor patio on Locust Street is one of the best morning people-watching spots in town!✨🍴😋

5173 Kiowa Ct. Antioch, CA 94531
3 BEDS | 3 BATHS | 1,382 SQFT
Welcome to Williamson Ranch! Tucked away in a desirable court location, this beautifully presented 3-bedroom, 2.5 bath split-level home offers a distinctive floor plan with 1382 sq. ft., of versatile living space. From the inviting covered front porch, step inside to a home that shows beautifully and has been exceptionally cared for. The upper level features a spacious kitchen and dining area, along with a warm and inviting living room highlighted by a fireplace. The roomy primary suite and private bath complete the upper level. Downstairs, discover two additional bedrooms, a full bathroom and a versatile bonus living area – ideal as a family room, home office, exercise space or whatever fits your lifestyle. A two-car garage provides additional convenience. Refrigerator, washer and dryer are included, along with a beautiful decorative floor mirror. Location is another standout – just a short stroll from a neighborhood park, and a nearby walking trail, with convenient access to shopping, schools, medical facilities, BART and freeways. With its unique split-level design, court location and beautifully maintained interior, this Williamson Ranch home offers a perfect combination of style, flexibility and convenience.

422 Monterey St. Vallejo, CA 94590
3 BEDS | 1 BATHS | 973 SQFT
Built in 1927 on a street that predates it by seventy-five years, and rebuilt top to bottom for the way people live now. This three-bedroom, one-bath home sits in Vallejo's original townsite, the grid laid out by city founder John B. Frisbie, whose surveyor named the north-south streets for California counties and the east-west streets for states. Monterey has been on the map since the 1850s. The house itself belongs to the Mare Island era, when World War I tripled shipyard employment from roughly 3,000 to 10,000 and the city filled in block by block for the families who worked the yard. What's new is nearly everything. New roof. Fresh interior and exterior paint. New luxury vinyl plank flooring throughout. A new kitchen and a new bathroom. New doors, new door hardware, new windows, and all new light fixtures. Mechanically, a new furnace and a new HVAC cooling system. The front yard has been landscaped for low maintenance and fitted with drip irrigation, ready for planting. Below the main level, a full unfinished basement runs the length of the house, offering an owner room to expand or to explore a separate rental unit down the road. Adjacent to the Architectural Heritage District, a designated historic district since 1973, and walkable to downtown, the waterfront, and the ferry. Period character, current systems, and room left to grow.

335 Pepper Dr. Vallejo, CA 94589
3 BEDS | 3 BATHS | 1,885 SQFT
Looking to spice up your next move? Welcome to 335 Pepper Drive. This home brings something extra to the table with an updated main level and a versatile, private lower-level bonus space featuring its own full bathroom, separate entrance, French doors, and direct access to the sunroom and backyard. This flexible setup offers a variety of possibilities, including extended household living, guest accommodations, a home office, or potential rental income for a buyer who wants to live upstairs and rent the lower level, or vice versa. Upstairs, the main level features three bedrooms and two bathrooms, along with a refreshed kitchen complete with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a newer refrigerator. The family room flows into the dining area, where a cozy fireplace creates an inviting setting for everyday living and entertaining. Newer flooring and windows add to the home's fresh, move-in-ready feel. Additional improvements include a newer roof, tankless water heater, solar system, updated plumbing, and sewer lateral work. The spacious garage provides plenty of room for parking and storage, while the low-maintenance front yard helps keep upkeep simple. Conveniently located near Six Flags, hospitals, shopping, dining, and major commute routes, with Napa and Sonoma wine country within easy reach.

Start your personalized home search with just one click.

Curious about your home’s value? Get a quick estimate right here.

Enjoying The East Bay Insider? Forward this issue to a friend or neighbor looking for weekend plans. ✨

Come say “hi” while we’re behind the taps, grab a cold one, and let's toast to the start of sweater season. Cheers to a great weekend!

Ryan DeAmaral

Co-Writer, Twin Oaks Insider

[email protected]