Toss on your dirndl, crank up that Schlager and Prost — it’s Oktoberfest!

Although the traditional celebration of Oktoberfest (or “die Wies’n,” to the European originators) ended with the first weekend of October, San Diego is keeping the beer flowing and the party going with another weekend of the annual celebration. Ocean Beach will hold its two-day celebration on Friday, Oct. 11 from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Located right beside the coast and along the pier, the festival will feature cash prize-based events like a battle of the bands ($3,000) and the even bigger Sausage Toss ($10,000), where you really just throw a sausage in a tub. Ocean Beach will also hold its second annual Brat Trot Beach Run — the proceeds will go toward funding local sports programs.

Coinciding with the Ocean Beach event is St. Elizabeth’s Annual Oktoberfest in Julian on Saturday, Oct. 12 and Sunday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (2033 Main St., Julian). If the long drive doesn’t scare away visitors, all who attend will enjoy the quaintness of Julian itself. And while you’re there, check out its annual Apple Celebration (Sept. 1 to Oct. 15), which is a town-wide event of all things apple related.

As fall quarter picks up, take your chance now and go out one last time for a weekend before real school commitments kick in. And if you’re a real beer connoisseur, think of these as pregames to the much bigger San Diego-centric event — San Diego Beer Week (Nov. 1 to Nov. 10). So grab a friend and a pint, and get yourselves in gear for the best autumn of your college career.