Oktoberfest at the Wharf kicks off a month of fun festivities

Erin Johnston was ready to spend another Saturday at the Wharf raising awareness for the Brandywine Valley SCPA’s Shelter Skip Day, where residents can take dogs out for the day.  

However, Johnston never thought all the group’s kittens would be adopted by midafternoon. The shelter houses both dogs and cats, but chose to bring its kittens to Oktoberfest for attendees to meet.   

“This was an event that focused more on having high hopes and goals for rescue organizations,” said Johnston, who is the organization’s director of marketing and outreach.  

The Wharf Oct. 3 held its 14th Annual Oktoberfest, which included a 500-dashchund dash, a best-dressed costume contest for residents, a stein hosting contest sponsored by Samuel Adams, and other activities—including a chance to adopt kittens.  

The proceeds from the event benefited another rescue group, the Rural Dog Rescue Center, a volunteer-run organization that advocates for saving the lives of high-risk dogs in high-kill shelters through adoption or rescue.  In 2025, the Rural Dog Rescue Center raised $5,000, and this year it raised a little over $6,000. 

In addition to raising money, Savanna Mitchell, the co-director of Rural Dog Rescue, said the group received two applications from residents who met the dogs and wanted to adopt them. It is great when a dog can show up to an event like this and find their forever home, she added.  

The Rural Dog Rescue Center and the Brandywine Valley SCPA were joined by other area rescue organizations that were spreading awareness to residents, giving out pet treats and introducing rescue animals that could be adopted.

Oktoberfest is one of the first featured events designed to bring people to the Wharf in Southwest this October. 

October plans include a fall fest, different markets, another dog themed event and more.

Next up is the Shatterproof Walk on Oct. 17, which will raise awareness and support families and residents impacted by addiction.  Then on Oct. 18, the Wharf will host for the first time Maum Market, an Asian-owned marketplace.

In addition, Dia de Los Metros will return on Nov. 1 from 3-6 pm.

Rich Hemmer, the owner of Cactus Bambina, a restaurant that moved to the Wharf in 2017, said the Wharf gives them ample time to plan their events and the opportunity to pitch an event they can host.

The Wharf chooses the events it hosts unless business owners pitch an alternative idea, Hemmer said. One time, the owners were interested in hosting an event centered around Mardi Gras and thought the street was uniquely positioned for a parade, he added.  

Hemmer is most looking forward to his Halloween Bingo Night on Oct. 25, where he teams up with a local dog adoption group that brings adoptable dogs for residents to meet, and a percentage of the sales will be donated to that group.  

However, some residents in the Southwest community have some concerns about the activities at Wharf. 

One resident, Shamir Eckels, who has lived on the Wharf since 2017, said she doesn’t see a lot of people from elsewhere in the city. She only sees the Southwest community or residents who accidentally stumble upon an event, Eckels added.

Since the Wharf events are already overcrowded, the challenge is how to bring people from other parts of the DMV to participate without oversaturating the area, she said.  

Holiday markets open in Dupont Circle on Nov.12 in downtown D.C. on Nov.13, and Eckels said she wished the Wharf would hold a holiday market for the Southwest community.  

Beth Hall, the president of the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, agreed that events on the Wharf are overcrowded and said the cobblestone streets and scooters in the area create hazards for older residents that dissuade them from attending events.  

When the community made complaints about the cobblestone streets being difficult to walk on, management initially responded by saying they wanted the Wharf to resemble Europe, Hall said.  

The Wharf’s management has recently changed and is now more in tune into the community’s needs, she added. While the Wharf has added bike lanes for scooters to use, riders still choose to use the sidewalk, she said. 

The Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6D held a meeting on Sept. 28 to push the District Department of Transportation to address the concerns with scooters and enforce stronger enforcement, said Hall.