Oktoberfest is just around the corner: San Francisco prepares for California’s first Entertainment Zone event

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — On Friday morning, emergency crews in San Francisco cleaned sidewalks with water, repainted street signs and erected barriers in preparation for the state's first entertainment zone event.

The Downtown SF Partnership, along with Shroeder's Restaurant and other sponsors, is organizing “Oktoberfest on Front,” which will take place Friday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Front Street between Sacramento and California Streets.

The organizers hope that the event will attract many people and bring a lot of money into the city.

“You will actually buy your alcoholic beverages at our local stores, so Harrington's (Bar & Grill), The Royal Exchange, they will all benefit from this event instead of us having to hire outside vendors or food trucks,” said Melissa Buckminster, spokeswoman for the Downtown SF Partnership.

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And you can stroll down Front Street between Sacramento and California with your drink in hand.

San Francisco is authorized to create these zones under SB 76, a law authored by Senator Scott Wiener that allows outdoor drinking and is intended to help revitalize the downtown area.

Shroeder's, a German beer bar, doubles the number of kegs it keeps in stock from 35 to 70.

“They can stay close to the street and kind of do the Bourbon Street concept where you can take your drink outside, socialize and have a conversation,” said Che Walton, assistant manager of Shroeder's Restaurant.

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Walton said there were nearly 4,000 RSVPs for the event, compared to about 800 last year.

“This is a great opportunity, not just for us, but for the entire city, because I firmly believe that in San Francisco, we have to rely on the Bay Area until most people come back,” Walton said. “We have to reach out to everyone and show everyone what we have to offer and make San Francisco a destination for people in the area, not just the people who come to work, but those who come back to play, have a good time and enjoy the amenities that the city has to offer.”

In previous years, the city would fence off the event and people could drink in a designated area. Now, businesses no longer have to bear the cost of fencing.

Those involved hope that this will lead to an expansion of the Entertainment Zone event.

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“This is the very first, but there are definitely more in the pipeline,” Buckminster said. “I know there are plans for other locations in the city and downtown.”

“Oktoberfest at the Front” takes place from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Admission is free, but you can RSVP online.

In a separate event, Grammy-winning band Portugal: The Man will take the stage with American soul and funk group Snacktime at San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza on Friday night at 7 p.m.

This is an event hosted by Another Planet Entertainment. You are asked to RSVP online.