Oktoberfest and the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival

Oktoberfest is my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving is too fattening, Christmas has too much family drama, and Easter is too religious. Even Halloween requires too much advance planning (that whole costume thing), and ends up with me eating 753 miniature candy bars. But, Oktoberfest is perfect. It happens right when the seasons change and the weather is crisp, cool, and cozy. We have known about the legendary Pumpkin Festival in Half Moon Bay for years now, but have never taken the plunge. The coastline town is a mere 15 miles from our house but it took 2 and a half (oh, yes) hours to get there. I am not sure anything is worth driving two and a half hours for 15 miles, but it was pretty spectacular. Yards of food, festivities, and giant pumpkins. We missed the pie eating contest (I so would have killed that), but ate plenty of sausage, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin soup to make up for it. All washed down with some pumpkin beer. Good times people. Good times.