Oktoberfests barrel into the suburbs, Chicago over the next few weeks

Oktoberfest season is upon us. So get out your beer steins, don your dirndls or lederhosen and bring a hearty appetite for German food to celebrations both big and small around the suburbs and Chicago.

This global celebration of Bavarian culture is traced back to Oct. 12, 1810. That was the wedding day of Bavaria's Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Rather than just keeping it a royal affair, the newlyweds invited Munich's common folk to be a part of the celebrations.

Oktoberfest then became an annual Munich celebration (save for wars and cholera outbreaks). Many other cities and communities around the world also created their own Oktoberfests to celebrate all things from southern Germany.

Here's a list of some local Oktoberfest celebrations where you can raise a glass:

Schnitzel Platz Oktoberfest: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday (closed Tuesday) and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, from Friday, Sept. 7, to Sunday, Oct. 28, at 729 North Ave., Glendale Heights. The longtime German restaurant offers a special seasonal Oktoberfest menu, plus evening entertainment Thursday through Sunday. (630) 942-9900 or schnitzelplatz.com.

Hoffman Estates Platzkonzert Germanfest 2018: 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7; 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, at Village Green, north of the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. German music, food, beer, dances, a keg-tapping ceremony and more. Free admission. hoffmanestates.org.

Itasca's Oktoberfest: 5 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, and noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, on Orchard Street, in front of the Metra station, Itasca. Fest includes German food and bands. Purchase German hats to benefit Itasca charities for $2. Free admission. itasca.com.

Glendale Heights Oktoberfest: 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, noon to midnight Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13-23, at Camera Park, 101 E. Fullerton Ave., Glendale Heights. German food and beer, music, a pumpkin patch, a plant sale and vendors selling German products. Free; $5 for adults after 4 p.m. and free for kids 16 or younger. Free parking. glendaleheightsoktoberfest.com.

Rotary Club of Palatine Oktoberfest: 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, Sept. 14; noon to midnight Saturday, Sept. 15; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, at Smith and Slade streets, Palatine. The 11th annual Oktoberfest is a tented event featuring German music, food, beverages and activities for all ages. Free admission. palatinerotary.com/Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest at Hofbrauhaus: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, from Friday, Sept. 14, through Friday, Oct. 28, at Hofbrauhaus Chicago, 5500 Park Place, Rosemont. The 45-day Oktoberfest celebration features food, beer, bands from Austria and Germany, keg-tapping ceremonies, stein-holding contests and kids' activities. (847) 671-2739 or hbchicago.com.

Rauetoberfest: 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, and 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at Beyond Stable Farm, 11129 Illinois Route 176, Woodstock. The fifth annual celebration sponsored by Crystal Lake's Raue Center for the Arts features the bands Alpine Thunder, Modern Day Romeos and The Bratwurst Brothers, plus lots of German food and beer. $5; free for kids 10 and younger. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org.

Legions of Craft Beer Fest: 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, in the Gurnee Mills Parking Lot E, 6170 W. Grand Ave., Gurnee. Enjoy the start of Oktoberfest with beer from 50-plus breweries, including hard-to-find favorites, live music and food trucks. All proceeds benefit local veterans at the Gurnee American Legion and Lake County Honor Flight. $40-$50. gurneelegionsofbeer.com.

Two Brothers Oktoberfest: Noon to 11 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, at Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N. Broadway, Aurora. Live German music, German food, stein-holding and lederhosen/dirndl contests and lots of Two Brothers beer. (630) 264-2739 or twobrothersbrewing.com/restaurants/roundhouse.

Oktoberfest: 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake. Enjoy music, beer, wine, food, hayrides and family fun. $10 (free with paid admission to Harvest Fest). lcfair.com/-harvest-fest.

Bethany Lutheran Oktoberfest: Noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, at Bethany Lutheran Church, 1550 S. Modaff Road, Naperville. Fourth annual fest offering beer and brats, children's games, bouncy houses, face painting and live music. Presale tickets cost $10 or $12 at the door. Free for kids 12 and younger. bethanylcs.org/octoberfest.

Vernon Hills Oktoberfest: 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, at the Vernon Hills Metra Station, on Route 45, Vernon Hills. Entertainment, free kids' crafts and pumpkins to paint (while supplies last). A free hay ride is sponsored by the Vernon Hills Park District. The Cook Memorial Library District's Book Mobile will be available on site and the Lincolnshire/Riverwoods Fire Protection District will have fire trucks on display. Free admission. vernonhills.org/101/Oktoberfest.

Cartoberfest: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, at Iron Gate Motor Condos, 2212 Ferry Road, Naperville. Traditional Oktoberfest with German cars, food and music. Free. irongatemotorcondos.com/event/cartoberfest-3.

Oktoberfest Chicago presented by Paulaner: 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at St. Alphonsus, 1429 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. This popular Bavarian party in West Lakeview welcomes fall with brats, two music stages, Friday and Saturday night craft beer tastings, a weekend Kinderfest and more. $50 admission includes 20 samples, a souvenir glass and a pretzel necklace. oktoberfestchicago.org.

Oktoberfest: 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at the Performance Pavilion at Heritage Park, 201 Community Blvd., Wheeling. Wheeling Park District's Oktoberfest features food, beer, music and merriment. Enjoy German and domestic beer and bratwursts along with entertainment by IPA (International Polka Association) Tribute Band and 7th heaven. Free admission. wheelingparkdistrict.com.

Oktoberfest, Grape Stomp & Pig Roast: 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at Lynfred Winery, 15 S. Roselle Road, Roselle. Two days of German sing-a-longs, grape spitting, grape stomping and cork tossing. $10; free for kids 13 and younger. (630) 529-9463 or lynfredwinery.com.

Marmion Academy Oktoberfest: 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Marmion Academy, 1000 Butterfield Road, Aurora. Featuring German food from 7 to 8:30 p.m., specialty Oktoberfest-style beer and wine, a silent auction and live music. $50. Register at marmion.org.

Oktoberfest: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, at the Prisco Community Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora. Features German food, music and a “Mums” raffle. Deadline to register is Tuesday, Oct. 2. No reserved seating. $9, $12 for nonresidents. Register at foxvalleyparkdistrict.org.

Batavia MainStreet Oktoberfest: 4:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6; and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, on North River Street, between Spring and Wilson streets, Batavia. German food, music, German spelling bees, entertainment and beer. Official Sam Adams stein-hoisting contests on Friday and Saturday nights. New this year is a Family Day on Sunday featuring games and an Xfinity Sports Zone viewing area for football fans. Free admission. downtownbatavia.com/oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest 2018: 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Features a heated tent with live music, German beer and cuisine, and tours of historic buildings. $15, $10 for kids 4-12, and free for members and kids younger than 4. napersettlement.com.

Oktoberfest on the Beach: 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Shore Club, 1603 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. Sample a variety of beers at North Avenue Beach and get in on a number of gift giveaways. $50. (708) 613-7132 or chilifeevents.com.

Smoketoberfest: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Rack House Kitchen & Tavern, 222 E. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights. The restaurant's Oktoberfest celebration features a whole smoked hickory pig roast, Kasekrainer and Knackwurst sausage, pulled pork sandwiches, giant pretzels, and $5 drafts of Sam Adams Octoberfest, Hofbrau, Two Brother's Atom Smasher and Main Street Brewing Off Duty. Don't miss the live polka music, a stein-hoisting competition at 4 p.m. and Touch a Truck vehicles from the U.S. Army. Free admission. (847) 640-7225 or rackhousetavern.com

54th Annual German Society of Rockford Oktoberfest: 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, Oct. 5, and 3 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Oct. 6, at Loves Park City Hall, 100 Heart Blvd., Loves Park. German folk and polka music, folk dance performances, lots of German food and beer, plus activities for the kids. $7-$10 one-day pass; $30 VIP party package. (815) 222-9937 or rockfordoktoberfest.org

Fall Festival/Oktoberfest: 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, and 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at Emerson Street and Busse Avenue, Mount Prospect. Oktoberfest kicks off with food and music. A Fall Fest for kids runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and includes pumpkin decorating, a trick-or-treat candy line, hay rides and more. Free. mpdowntown.com.

Octoberfest: 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at Memorial Park, 208 W. Union Ave., Wheaton. Music, beer garden and food vendors. $5 donation accepted to benefit the DuPage County Historical Museum Foundation. wheatonparkdistrict.com/events/octoberfest.

Oktoberfest: 4 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at St. Peter Lutheran Church and School, 111 W. Olive St., Arlington Heights. Festival with brats, beer, polka, and games for kids and adults. Live German music by the Johnny Wagner band. Evening music by the band Jhali Llama. Free admission. Purchase food, drink and games tickets at the event. oktoberfestspah.weebly.com.

Evanston Oktoberfest: 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14, at University Place at Oak Avenue, in the lot behind the Hilton Garden Inn, Evanston. Sample from Chicago-area craft breweries and distilleries. Other activities include music, games and more. cityofevanston.org.