Oh well hey there autumn, my favourite of all the seasons. 

Well we got through the hectic summer and boozy September, so now it’s time for toasty October, where we can start to load up on stodgy food in cosy pubs.

There’s the usual Oktoberfest and Halloween shenanigans going on, as well as plenty of really exciting dinner events and local festivals – so don your Lederhosen and witch’s hat, because here’s what’s in store this month…

Festivals & big deals

First up – it’s already time for Bristol Beer Week! This year’s event is from 14-21 October and will be showcasing all the best beery beverages Bristol has to offer. You can see the full list of events (more are being added as I type) on the website, but some highlights include…

• Sat 14th: Bristol Beer Week opening party at Moor Beer
• Sat 14th-Sat 21st: Best of Bristol and Collabfest at Brewdog
• Mon 16th-Sun 22nd: Bristol Beer Week and Nicci Peet photography exhibition
• Tue 17th-Wed 18th: Think While You Drink at The Eldon House
• Wed 18th: Wiper & True beer dinner at Wellbourne
• Thu 19th: Lost & Grounded 4 course beer dinner at Box-E
• Fri 20th-Sun 22nd: The Beermuda Triangle beer festival
• Fri 20th-Sun 22nd: Local beer festival at The Drapers Arms
• Sat 21st: Bristol Beer Week closing party at New Bristol Brewery

In other festival news, October is Goatober, well according to Bellita and Hamilton House it is anyway, who are each hosting a goat-tastic menu on 9 October and 5 October respectively.

If you prefer your food more of the shellfish variety, Source’s annual Oyster Festival returns from 18-21st October, offering you the chance to try 12 different types of oyster from across the UK.

If you’re in the mood for a proper party, pop along to The Lansdown Ale and Music Festival on the weekend of 6-8th October, or the Sausage & Cider Festival at Southbank Club in Southville on Saturday 21st.

Not quite full yet? Round off the month with a trip to Love Food Fest at Paintworks on 29th Oct, which will have local producer & craft stalls, street food, workshops and other activities for people of all ages.

Oktoberfest

The UK has embraced the German celebration of all things hoppy in much the same way it has St Patrick’s Day – you’d think we look for any excuse to get drunk, but no, we’re just big europhiles at heart.

If you’re in the mood for drinking from a stein while you groove on down to an oompah band, you can head to Steam on Sunday 1st for their celebrations, or the mega festival at The Passenger Shed (6-7th). The Bierkeller are also getting in on the action with a party of their own from 12-13th.

Dining events

Some tasty dinners for you to sink your teeth into this month…

• Future Plates: Seastainable Supper at Yurt Lush (Fri 6th, £52.20)
  Michelin-starred Josh Eggleton teams up with Wildscreen to create a pop-up dining experience.
• Beastie Boys Bottomless Punch Brunch at Bristol Spirit (Sat 14th, £30)
  A selection of New York inspired brunches (vegan and gf versions available) and bottomless punch with a Beastie Boys soundtrack. (As an exciting aside, Bristol Spirit will now let you play Prosecco Pong if you ask nicely!)
• Adventurous Eats: Fowl Fine Dining  at The Bank (Mon 16th & Mon 23rd, £40)
  Another lush 5 course meal in this cosy boozer, celebrating bird-based dishes.
• Vela Pop-up: Indian High Tea at Hart’s Bakery (Sun 22nd, £26)
  Arushi and Ishita bring their love of home cooking to the public with six savoury and six sweet dishes as part of a traditional Indian high tea.
• South American wine dinner at Hotel du Vin (Thu 26th, £65 inc arrival drinks)
  A four course dinner matched with wines in the gorgeous surroundings of Hotel du Vin – expect to learn a lot!

Courses & workshops

Learn something new and impress all your friends with your wordly food knowledge:

• Sat 7th – Champagne tasting at Bordeaux Quay, £35
• Sat 7th – Cocktail Making at Flipside, £25
• Sun 8th – Fermentation Fundamentals at The Forge, £60
• Sat 14th – Martini and oyster pairing at Psychompomp, £30
• Sun 15th – 1 day bread making course at Mark’s Bread, £165

That’s it for this month – come say hello on Twitter or Instagram and tell me what you’re eating, or if you need some more inspiration, how about…

1. Bristol’s Cosiest Pubs
2. 12 Tasty Sunday Roasts in Bristol
3. Bristol’s Bottomless and Boozy Brunches
4. Bristol’s Best Date Locations

Dates for the diary
(or check the Calendar)

• Sun 1st – BS5 Market in St George’s Park
• Sun 1st – Oktoberfest at Steam
• Thu 5th – Goatober hosted by Cabrito at Hamilton House
• Thu 5th – Sunset wine & cheese cruise 
• Thu 5th – Gin tasting at Somerset House
• Thu 5th – Carol’s Cajun Asian Crab Boil at The Old Butcher’s
• Fri 6th – Future Plates: Seastainable Supper at Yurt Lush
• Fri 6th- Sat 7th – Oktoberfest Bristol at The Passenger Shed
• Fri 6th – Murder Mystery Dinner at Bristol Hippodrome Piano Bar
• Fri 6th – The Lansdown Ale and Music Festival 
• Sat 7th – Cocktail Making Course at Flipside Cocktail Co
• Sat 7th – Apple Day at St Werbs City Farm
• Sat 7th – Distillers Table: Orchard at Psychopomp
• Sat 7th – Land and Food Forum
• Sat 7th – Champagne tasting at Bordeaux Quay
• Mon 9th – Goatober dinner at Bellita
• Wed 11th – Italy highlights tasting at Avery’s Wine Merchants
• Wed 11th – Yoga Dinner at CoExist
• Wed 11th – Johnnie & Fanny Cradock Present The Great American Songbook
• Thu 12- Fri 13th – Bristol’s Oktoberfest at Bristol Bierkeller
• Fri 13th – A Tavola Autumn Supper
• Fri 13th – French Dining Experience at Ston Easton Park
• Fri 13th – Murder Mystery Dinner at Brunel’s SS Great Britain
• Sat 14th – Seasonal supper club at The Eating Room
• Sat 14th – Too Drunk to Shuck: Martini & oyster pairing at Psychopomp
• Sat 14th – Beastie Boys bottomless punch pop up brunch
• Sat 14th – Port, Cheese and Chocolate tasting at Bordeaux Quay
• Sun 15th – 1 day bread making course at Mark’s Bread
• Mon 16th – Adventurous Eats at The Bank Tavern: Fowl Fine Dining
• Tue 17th – Pony & Trap guest chef evening: Simon Hulstone 
• Wed 18th – Meet and Bake at Thornbury Castle
• Wed 18- Fri 20th – Source Oyster Festival 
• Thu 19th – New Bristol Brewery beer tasting
• Thu 19th – 4 course Lost & Grounded beer dinner at Box-E
• Thu 19th- Sun 22nd – The Loco Lost Boys at Loco Klub
• Fri 20th – Autumn Beer Festival at The Drapers Arms
• Fri 20th – Wine Dinner at Spike Island
• Sat 21st – Sausage & Cider Festival at Southbank Club
• Sat 21st – Bristol Brewery Tour
• Sat 21st – Pizza & Prosecco Festival at Motion
• Sun 22nd – Vela Indian High Tea at Harts Bakery
• Mon 23rd – Adventurous Eats at The Bank Tavern: Fowl Fine Dining
• Tue 24th – Disney’s Beauty & the Beast afternoon tea at Old Down Estate
• Thu 26th – South American dinner at Hotel du Vin
• Thu 26th – Across India supper club at Zion Bristol
• Fri 27th – Ferment and Feast talk and demo at The Forge
• Fri 27th – The House of Gin at Paintworks
• Fri 27th-Sat 28th – Prohibition at Chance & Counters:  Mystery Game & Beer!
• Sat 28th – FreeFrom Festival
• Sat 28th – Chocolate and Wine tasting at Bordeaux Quay
• Sat 28th – Caribbean Night at Malcolm X Centre
• Sat 28th – Fermentation Fundamentals 
• Sun 29th – Bristol Pudding Society
• Sun 29th – Bristol Hoppers beer tour
• Sun 29th – Bottomless Burgers & Booze at Burger Theory
• Sun 29th – Love Food Festival
• Tue 31st – Bristol Spirit film club What We Do In The Shadows