Clarktoberfest will be taking to the streets in downtown Clarkdale on Saturday, Oct. 4 from noon to 6 p.m. with free concerts by The Naughty Bits and jazz trio What’s the Big Idea, along with a cornhorn tournament and stein holding contest.
“This is our 11th Clarktoberfest,” Mayor Robyn Prud’homme-Bauer said. The event typically draws out 2,000 to 2,500 attendees. “Clarktoberfest is an event put on by the Clarkdale Downtown Business Alliance, and it’s a celebration of our downtown in Clarkdale and fall. This is all free. It happens on Main Street. We’ll have the food vendors, arts and crafts and information vendors, and beer and wine vendors all on Main Street. And then the cornhole competition is right at the corner of the park.”
According to Prud’homme-Bauer, parking will not be available on Main Street between 9th and 11th Streets during Clarktoberfest.
“[Attendees can] park in the neighborhoods, wherever you can find a space,” Prud’homme-Bauer said. “We have no designated parking. But there’s public parking over at Town Hall, which is less than a block away from the venue.”
What’s the Big Idea will play from noon to 2:30 p.m., followed by the Naughty Bits from 3 to 6 p.m. on the stage at 10th and Main streets.
“We’re a jazz trio with piano, upright bass and drums — strictly instrumental, no vocals or horns,” Pianist Michael Kleinschmidt said. “The best way to describe us is somewhere between what the Dave Brubeck trio and what The Bad Plus might sound like. We do a lot of covers from the ’90s. … [Clarktoberfest] is an awesome event. The beer is good, the music is good, the weather is great.”
The cornhole tournament will be returning for its fourth year however the schedule for this and the beer stein stein holding was not posted before the deadline, last years registration fee for the tournament was $50.
“We’re still looking for more volunteers to help put this event on they can go to our website, [to] sign up to volunteer,” Prud’homme-Bauer said. “We are always looking for volunteers because more hands make our job a little bit lighter for all of us, and we have fun.”
For more information visit clarktoberfestaz.com or email info@clarktoberfestaz.com.
