Brew, brats and a bit of Bavaria meet rough-and-tumble, gunslinging buckaroos Friday evening at Trail Dust Town, 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road.

Trail Dust Town, a Western-themed shopping and entertainment center, will add some oompah to its cowboy milieu with:

• Polka music from The Bouncing Czechs. There will be dancing
• A beer tasting with Tucson breweries Borderlands, Nimbus and Ten-Fifty-Five.
• Brats, grilled outside, accompanied by German potato salad and braised red cabbage.

Pinnacle Peak, the steakhouse that’s been around for more than 50 years, is the centerpiece of Trail Dust Town. It serves mesquite-grilled steaks — including its huge Cowboy steak — ribs, chicken and fish.

When Pinnacle Peak opened in 1962, it established a “No Ties Allowed” policy. Remember, that was in 1962 when wearing a necktie when going out to dinner was the norm. The restaurant has quite a collection of ties trimmed from patrons’ necks hanging from its rafters.

Tucsonans of a certain age will remember when the Trail Dust Town adjacent to Pinnacle Peak was handful of ramshackle buildings and a corral and small stable with — drumroll, please — horses. When I was a kid the Pinnacle Peak menu was simple — steak, steak or steak with beans, salad, bread. Nothing fancy-schmacy like chicken or fish or potatoes. I would gulp down my meal (a hamburger, to my father’s chagrin) and head out to pet the horses.

Not going to happen these days, though some events at Trail Dust Town include a petting zoo.

The steakhouse and the adjoining Silver Dollar Saloon burned down in 1971. The rebuilding included a new vision and Trail Dust Town ramped up its destination appeal for families and tourists.

Trail Dust Town, with wooden-plank sidewalks and Western facades and signage, is also home to Dakota Café Bar and Grill, which has a dog-friendly patio, a candy store, galleries, knickknack shops and a day spa. The Museum of the Horse Soldier has a collection of original U.S. Cavalry artifacts from the Civil War through the end of the mounted cavalry in 1942. The Savoy Opera House and the gazebo in the courtyard are popular spots for weddings and receptions.

Families and kiddos can ride the C.P. Huntington Train that chugs around town, the vintage, fully restored 1954 Allan Herschell carousel and the stagecoach-themed Ferris wheel or test their cowpoke skills at the shooting gallery or at panning for gold.

What would a Western town be without fiery explosions and gunfire? A 30-minute Wild West stunt, packed with comedy and high-impact stunts, is set for 7 at 8 a p.m. Friday. 

The attractions and stunt shows will be open during Oktoberfest and there will be carnival games. A $12 wristband will get Oktoberfest patrons six beer tastings and access to the amusements and stunt shows.

No word if wearing lederhosen and cowboy boots is a fashion faux pas. Oompah!