Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving Contest in Fremont

If you long for the thrill of being splattered by pumpkin gore, grab your plastic poncho and head to the Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving Contest at Fremont Oktoberfest this weekend. Remember Fremont Bridge construction and give yourself plenty of time to secure a front-row spot at this crowd-pleasing, Fremont-style fall tradition.

Microbrews are another popular Oktoberfest tradition. Admission to the beer garden includes five tastes of the 70 microbrews from 30 breweries, with continuous live music and additional tastes available. Work off some of those brews at the Brew Ha-Ha 3 mile run/walk Sunday with awards for the top three fastest-finishing men and women and the top male and female in the plus-sized Beer Belly Division. New this year, the Brew Ha-Ha Street Scramble tests your knowledge of Fremont, with a competition to visit as many of 30 locations marked on a map as you can on foot in 90 minutes, or at a casual, non-competitive pace.

Also new this year, a 12-foot-tall articulated, papier-mâché troll with moving arms greets visitors at the plaza level of the Fremontopia street festival. Other Fremontopia attractions include entertainment on two stages, root-beer garden, food, arts-and-crafts vendors, bouncy toys and other kids' activities. Sunday is Dog Day Afternoon with Seattle CityDog magazine cover-dog model search and dogs welcome in the beer garden.

Fremont Oktoberfest is a fundraiser for the Fremont Chamber of Commerce and its activities for local art groups, community events and charities. More than 60,000 people are expected to attend, making getting there by bicycle, rollerblade or on foot via the Burke-Gilman Trail good options.

The details

Hours: Beer Garden, 5 p.m.-midnight Friday, 11 a.m.-midnight Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; Fremontopia entertainment, vendors and kids' activities, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving Contest, 1-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Brew Ha-Ha run/walk, 9:30 a.m. Sunday; Brew Ha-Ha Street Scramble, register 9 a.m., start 10:30 a.m. Sunday; dog model contest, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Admission: Fremontopia street fair free. Beer garden, ages 21 and over, ID required, $15/advance, $20/at the door, includes souvenir cup and five tastes, Happy Hour with three extra tokens 5-6 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-noon Saturday, additional tastes $1.25 each; $8 admission for designated drivers and other non-drinkers. Run/walk $20/advance online through Friday, $25/day of event, includes $5 off Microbrew Garden entry. Street Scramble $10/person advance, $15/person event day, $3/ages 6-12, $25/family team of 3-5 people with at least one age 12 or younger.

Location: Fremont Solstice Plaza, the Adobe parking lot under the Aurora Bridge, North 34th Street and Fremont Avenue North, Seattle. Served by bus routes 26 and 28 running on their regular schedule; for information, see transit.metrokc.gov or call 206-553-3000. Street parking and paid parking lots available, see Web site for information and map.

Getting there: From Interstate 5 North or South, take the 45th Street exit and go west to Stone Way North, then south on Stone Way to North 34th Street; turn right to go under the Aurora Bridge. Delays possible if you come via the Fremont Bridge.

More information: 206-633-0422 or www.fremontoktober fest.com