Fairfax’s new Oktoberfest-inspired festival has a backstage lounge & a cause 🍻🎶

Last drizzly Wednesday, I headed over to the secret lair of Tommy Breeze HQ, and left with yet another reason to love Fairfax. Just wait till you see what Tommy Breeze has up his sleeve.

But first — it’s time to get your pumpkin fix. There’s a Floating Pumpkin Patch happening Friday in Novato (yes, pumpkins floating in the pool), Marinwood’s Harvest Fest on Saturday, and right in the heart of Fairfax: Fall in Love with Fairfax, a BBQ & Roller Disco Party, closed-street style.

Enjoy!

Kim Neumann

Tucked behind FOG Campers in Fairfax is the soon to be not-so-secret studio of Tommy Breeze — the guy behind those Marin-inspired patches you’ve spotted on caps everywhere. (and yes, even on Lady Gaga, KTVU, and in the Marin IJ).

Open a drawer in his beautifully organized studio and you’ll find stacks of patches tied to local life: Fairfax Brewing Company, Splitrock, Spark Foundation, and schools, businesses and nonprofits all over Marin. It’s a small but mighty team — five employees — running an operation that’s “about 50% apparel, 50% concert production,” as Tommy puts it.

Which explains what’s coming up just around the corner: Breezetoberfest.

Since 2005, Biketoberfest has set the bar for Fairfax fall fun: beer, music, food, and that unmistakable community magic. Breezetoberfest picks up where it left off, this time with a Studio Breeze spin: it’s all happening onsite at Breeze HQ — and flowing next door to Splitrock — with a brand-new stage, a backstage lounge, a dozen-plus breweries, food trucks, chill-out zones, valet bike parking, and what the invite calls “immaculate vibes.” 

“The whole event is a fundraiser for Access4Bikes,” says Tommy. “They’re really an amazing steward of the trails here, not just for mountain bikers, but hikers, and horses too.”

The lineup includes Milk For The Angry, Color Study, and Swiss on the main stage, with a vinyl DJ afterparty from Lead Teddy spinning backstage until 10PM.

General admission is free (yes, free — but RSVP highly encouraged), and if you want to support and sip, a $40 tasting wristband gets you a glass plus access to more than a dozen breweries. Or go big with the $50 All-Access VIP wristband, which includes a backstage lounge, afterparty entry, and complimentary cocktails from Sausalito Liquor Company.

Tommy’s path to this moment wasn’t carved through business school, but through art and curiosity — fitting for someone whose work now bridges creativity, community, and commerce. “I was an Art History and Visual Culture Studies major,” he says. “Looking back, I sort of wish I’d taken some business classes, but they just didn’t interest me as much as history or art.” 

His outlook is equal parts human and practical — an openness to what success can look like. “I also know there are many paths to success,” he says, “whether it’s college or just being an engaged and thoughtful person.”

It’s a reminder that sometimes the simplest approach — showing up, caring about your work, staying curious — is what builds the strongest connections.

That spirit of creativity and collaboration runs through Breezetoberfest itself — from the breweries pouring the pints to the teams who built the space. Produced by Tommy Breeze, presented by Think Slower (making their debut at the event), and co-sponsored by Splitrock Tap & Wheel and Subtle Cabinets (the new venture from Marques Bernales of FOG Campers and Evan Goldstein), it’s Fairfax craftsmanship on full display.

If you’re a local business, they’re still welcoming new sponsors — a great way to connect with Fairfax’s most fun-loving crowd while supporting trail stewardship.

And whether you’re there for the bands, the beer, the fundraising, or just to see Fairfax fully unfurl its fall festivities, Breezetoberfest is shaping up to be the party worth circling on your calendar. 

📍 October 25, 2–8PM (Afterparty until 10PM)
🎟️ Free general admission (RSVP encouraged) | $40 tasting wristband | $50 VIP All-Access

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Check out the fabulous new Marin clothing brand, Golden Hour Marin: celebrating the beauty of Marin with built-in giving (% of proceeds donated to Bay Area teachers). Pre-launch popup happening THIS SATURDAY!!

Thanks for reading,
Kim

Kim Neumann, Publisher