October is just around the corner, which means the weather will become cooler and you will have convinced yourself to just give pumpkin-flavored ice cream a try. The Benicia Human Services Board will not wait long to ring in the new month. On Oct. 1, the board will be hosting its 3rd annual Oktoberfest at the Clock Tower.

The widely celebrated German festival, which dates back to the 1810 festivities celebrating the marriage of German Crown Prince Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen, has become such a popular tradition in its home country that it has spawned numerous celebrations in other parts of the world. According to Human Services Board member Mike Caplin, the city had done a few Oktoberfest celebrations in the past, but prior to the first event at the Clock Tower in 2014, there had not been one for a while.

For a long time, the Human Services Board has held fundraisers to bring in additional revenue for the city and raise money for specific programs. In the past, it has hosted Benicia Man and Woman of the Year dinners and wine tastings at the now-defunct Winterhawk Winery in Suisun Valley. In 2014, the board decided to do something different that would draw in large crowds.

“We decided that Oktoberfest would be the thing to do,” Caplin said. “To the best of our knowledge, there were no other Oktoberfests going on at the time.”

The first year was a success, and last year drew an attendance of around 200. Caplin says the goal is to get bigger every year by offering new attractions to raise money for the festival’s four beneficiaries: Benicia Community Action Council, Families in Transition, Catholic Social Services and Benicia Unified School District’s Special Friends mentoring program.

For the first time this year, patrons will taste beer provided by Benicia’s very own Bruehol Brewing. The craft beer company was founded by Mark Keller and Jerad Hope in 2010 and specializes in lagers, pilsners, IPAs and German dark ales. It is so named because it was originally brewed in a hole in the wall but has since become popular around town, currently available on tap at Cullen’s Tannery Pub with Keller looking to open a brewpub in the Industrial Park around November.

Caplin, a member of Benicia Main Street’s board of directors, met Keller when he was serving beer at the Depot for Benicia Main Street’s St. Patrick’s Day Beer Crawl in March.

“I was pouring with him, met him and said ‘We need to talk,” Caplin said. “In a short time, we decided he would handle Oktoberfest for us.”

Keller will be serving beers, including a new brew he prepared just for the event.

Also new this year is catering provided by DJ’s Bistro out of Concord. The authentic German restaurant will be serving such dishes as bratwurst, potato salad, sauerkraut, a bread and butter plate, and strudels for dessert.

“(In the past) we’ve done catering in-house, but this was too good to pass up,” Caplin said.

Additionally, attendees can enjoy all the hallmarks of previous years: door prizes, live raffles, silent auctions, live music by jazz/funk band The Beat Meters, an authentic German costume contest and more. There will also be a machine where, for $5, people can create their own soft pretzels.

Caplin said that not only will the food and beverages be authentic but so will the atmosphere.

“For the last two years, the Clock Tower has been converted into an authentic German beer hall,” he said. “We have the blue and white tablecloths, and we get help from the Benicia Historical Museum who has given us a lot of German flags.”

Those wanting to have a fun Saturday evening while still raising money for a good cause will feel right at home, Caplin said.

“They can have a great time while benefiting the needy and special needs in the community,” he said.

Oktoberfest will be held from 6 to 10 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Clock Tower, located at 1189 Washington St. Tickets are $35 for each person or $60 for two people. A meal, glass of beer or wine and all of the events are included in the ticket price, although separate beers, wines and soft drinks are available for purchase. Tickets can be purchased online at EventBrite.com with a convenience fee or in person at Benicia Main Street, located at 90 First St.; Earthly Nutrition, located at 872 Southampton Road; and the City Hall Finance Department, located at 250 East L St. Additionally, tickets can also be purchased at the city’s booth every Thursday at the Benicia Certified Farmers Market prior to the event. Additionally, at the Sept. 29 farmers market, the Human Services Board and Keller will have their own booths. For more information, call 483-5461 or email Caplin at mbcctc@aol.com.