Last October, Condé Nast Traveler included Oktoberfest at the Kentlands in its “10 Oktoberfests to Visit If You Can’t Make It to Munich.” This September, in the updated and reprinted article, Kentlands’ Oktoberfest is highlighted for how it “stretches across the picturesque Kentlands Village Green, Kentlands Mansion, Main Street, and Market Square.”

CNTraveler picked up on the breadth and beauty of Kentlands’ Oktoberfest. As much as it is about the advent of fall and celebrating this in Germanic fashion with a Beer Garden, horse-drawn wagon rides and traditional performers like the Alte Kameraden German Band and Alt-Washingtonia Bavarian, it is also about what makes the new urbanist community great year-round.

Here are a few community highlights of the Oct. 11, noon to 5 p.m. festival.

The Arts Barn plans community art projects where festival-goers can add their own creative touches to a work in progress. Jaree and Jack Donnelly, Arts Barn resident artists in the Arts Entwine Studio, will be working in metal, including soldering and chasing, and also painting in acrylics. Visitors are invited to join them in their studio. The Donnellys also organize this year’s community painting project, “Home Is Where the Heart Is … .” Visitors can add fingerprint hearts to this fun, annual community painting that will be displayed after the festival in the city’s gallery.

In addition, Tony Glander, Arts Barn resident artist who also maintains a glass studio there, will offer “a cool community project that involves big doors,” shared Ian Brown-Gorrell, class and camp coordinator who leads the Arts Barn Oktoberfest efforts.

“The Arts Barn wants to promote the experience of art to the community,” Brown-Gorrell said. Kids’ projects will be offered indoors, and exhibiting artists like Shelley Sims will be on hand to speak about their work.

The Arts Barn also invites festival-goers to have a bit of fun. Head to the indoor selfie station and take your picture with the Arts Barn ghost, Charlie. Brown-Gorrell declined to elaborate on the form Charlie will take, and instead encouraged people to come and discover Charlie for themselves. Selfies with Charlie can be posted to the Arts Barn Facebook page.

Grown-ups (just to get the creativity flowing) can stop by the wine tasting at Kentlands Mansion. Local Maryland wineries Linganore Winecellars and The Winery at Olney, along with wine retailers Pinky & Pepe’s Grape Escape and The Wine Harvest, will pour a selection of 16 wines. Tasting packages are available for $10 (10 taste tickets) or $15 (16 taste tickets); both options come with a commemorative glass. Local restaurants The Melting Pot, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Whole Foods Kentlands and Boulevard Tavern will offer free food tastings on the Wine Terrace. Of course, there’s a traditional Beer Garden at Oktoberfest, too.

This Old Farm area, consisting of the grounds of the Arts Barn and Kentlands Mansion, supports live entertainment on two stages, food, artists and crafters, free horse-drawn wagon rides, apple cider pressing, Oktoberfest crafts for kids, nonprofit vendors and more.

In the commercial area of Kentlands, along Main Street, festival-goers will find four more stages of live entertainment—don’t miss the Singer Songwriter Concert Series performance by Birds of Chicago on the Main Street Stage at noon—a business expo, restaurants and shops to explore, as well as strolling entertainers, inflatables and kids’ activities.

Oktoberfest admission and parking are free. Free wheelchair accessible shuttle service will run regularly during festival hours to and from satellite parking at 200 Orchard Ridge Drive, just off of Quince Orchard Road.

Oktoberfest at the Kentlands is hosted in partnership with Dogfish Head Ale House and the Kentlands Community Foundation. It is sponsored in part by Kentlands Square by Saul, Kentlands Citizens Assembly, Pinky & Pepe’s Grape Escape, Rosenthal Acura, Elaine Koch, iHeart Media, Mike Aubrey, Washington Parent, Whole Foods Kentlands, The Winery at Olney, The Wine Harvest, Linganore Winecellars, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, The Melting Pot and the Maryland State Arts Council.