Feeling down that Oktoberfest 2016 in Munich is over? Don’t worry, there are still plenty of opportunities to celebrate in the US! Check out our list and find the Oktoberfest nearest you!
ARIZONA
Tempe Town Lake
Four Peaks Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake
Oct 7 – 9, 2016
Offering an unusual blend of Bavarian and Southwest USA cultures, the Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake offers a mixture of polka, German bratwurst, strudel and beer with salsa and Southwest foods, along with 4 stages of live music and 6 beer gardens, which also offer wines and spirits. There will also be a college garage band competition, a John Madden football tournament, lots of video games and arts & crafts for the kids.
http://www.tempeoktoberfest.com/
CALIFORNIA
Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest
Sept 10 – Oct 29
You can’t help but participate in the fun at the Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest. Put on your dancing shoes, because you’ll definitely want to do the Chicken Dance or Circle Dance. Grab one of the Gaudi’s (hostesses/hosts) and dance. Saw a log, hold a stein, or slam an O’Doul’s. After a few rounds of polkas, Macarena’s, Chicken dances, etc., step outside and take a big breath of fresh mountain air. The outside vendor and game area features everything from homemade soaps, jewelry, and candies to sports memorabilia.
Location: 42900 Big Bear Blvd., Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
http://bigbearevents.com/contact-us/
Los Angeles
The Third Annual Vegan Oktoberfest
Oct 15
Vegan Oktoberfest, the world’s first event to combine a traditional Oktoberfest celebration with an all-vegan menu, returns for the third straight year on October 15th. Over 3,000 food and beer lovers will gather in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles at LA Center Studios from 12:00pm-5:30pm to imbibe over 50 varieties of beers and ciders while enjoying traditional Oktoberfest cuisine with a vegan twist.
Location: LA Center Studios, 450 S. Bixel Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017
www.veganoktoberfest.com
Huntington Beach
The Old World Oktoberfest
Sept 11 – Oct 30
Old World Huntington Beach has been host of Orange County’s Biggest Party since 1977! This year’s Oktoberfest promises to be the best celebration yet, offering authentic German Food (voted “Best Bratwurst” in California), imported German Beers, German Bands straight from Germany, an army of Beautiful Shot Girls, and other festivities, competitions, games & more. So come on down and experience the best Oktoberfest celebration in the World – Old World Huntington Beach.
Location: Old World German Village, 7561 Center Ave., Huntington Beach, CA 92647
http://www.oldworld.ws/oktoberfest-orange-county.html
Torrance
Alpine Village Oktoberfest
Sept 9 – Oct 9
Chosen by USA Today as “one of the best Oktoberfests in the world”! The wide variety of “Bavarian” entertainments include Oom Pah Pah big bands from Germany, sing-a-longs, a yodeling competition and even fun contests like pretzel-eating and beer stein-holding.
Location: 833 W Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA 90502
GEORGIA
Helen
46th Annual Oktoberfest
Sept 8 – Oct 30
One of Helen’s biggest events for more than 40 years, Georgia’s famous Oktoberfest, one of the main Oktoberfest Celebrations in the US, transforms tranquil Helen into the ultimate north Georgia party town featuring all sorts of fun from authentic German bands and polka performances with dancers in native costume, to traditional Bavarian food and beer.
Location: Helen Festhalle, 1074 Edelweiss Strasse, Helen, GA 30545
http://www.exploregeorgia.org/listing/6841-46th-annual-oktoberfest
ILLINOIS
Chicago
Chicago Brauhaus Oktoberfest
Sept 28 – Oct 30
Non-stop entertainment featuring the Chicago Brauhaus Oktoberfest Band! Compete in their yodeling contests and win prizes!
Location: Chicago Brauhaus, 4732 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
http://chicagobrauhaus.com/index.php
Maeystown
Oktoberfest
Oct 9
You are cordially invited to enjoy the quiet beauty and German flavor of Maeystown, Illinois, a 19th century village nestled in the Mississippi bluffs just eight miles southwest of Waterloo. More than 60 artisans, crafters, dealers, and food stands will be featured at the Maeystown Oktoberfest! Arts and crafts will include rug weaving, felting, blacksmithing, photography, and woodworking. Food will include turtle soup, potato pancakes, and popcorn cooked in old-fashioned kettles. Bratwurst, funnel cake, apple butter, and pies will also be available.
Location: St. John’s Church, Maeystown, IL 62256 United States
River Forest
Grace Church Oktoberfest
Oct 2
Grace Church will host its annual Oktoberfest on Sunday, October 2. All are welcome: children and adults, Grace members, and guests from the community. Come and enjoy the authentic German, gemütlich atmosphere that one would find at Oktoberfest in Munich. The menu includes grilled sausages, sauerkraut, red cabbage, green beans, German potato salad and apple cake, as well as warm German-style pretzels, wine, and beer from Oak Park’s Kinslagher Brewery.
Location: Grace Lutheran Church, 7300 Division St., River Forest, IL 60305
http://www.graceriverforest.org/pages/Grace_Resources_News_Oktoberfest_2016
MINNESOTA
New Ulm
New Ulm Oktoberfest
Oct 7 – 8, Oct 14 – 15
New Ulm’s 35th Annual Oktoberfest is a traditional festival modeled after one of the world’s largest celebrations, held each year for several centuries in Munich, Germany. New Ulm’s version takes place during the first two full weekends in October, with festivities happening all over town! The main locations for Oktoberfest 2016 are Historic Downtown, Best Western Plus, and Schell’s Brewery. Ranked among the Best Oktoberfest Celebrations in the Nation by USA TODAY 10Best (2015), Tripping.com (2015), Fox News (2015), Fodor’s Travel (2014), and voted Best Oktoberfest in MN by WCCO (2014).
www.newulm.com
MISSOURI
Hermann
Hermann Oktoberfest
Sept 30 – Oct 30
Tucked away in the Missouri River Valley, Hermann is a picturesque village where 19th century brick buildings hug the sidewalks, just as they do in Germany. A wide variety of activities take place among the more than 150 historic buildings in the downtown area that include more than a dozen antique shops, specialty stores, museums, and art galleries. There are also seven wineries and plenty of music, special food booths, and crafts demonstrations.
NEVADA
Las Vegas
Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas Oktoberfest
Sept 16 – Oct 31
Taking place in an exact replica of Munich’s famous Hofbrauhaus complete with a beer hall and beer garden, the Las Vegas Oktoberfest is as authentic and unforgettable as the original complete with nightly live music entertainment every night, appropriate foods such as sausages and pork shanks, and an abundance of German beer imported directly from a brewery in Munich!
Location: Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas, 4510 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas, Nevada 89169
http://www.hofbrauhauslasvegas.com/
NEW YORK
New York
Munich on the East River Oktoberfest
Sept 23 – Oct 2
Zum Schneider, the original Bavarian Bierhaus in NYC, once again presents Munich on the East River! Don’t miss DJ Volka Racho spinning traditionals and Oktoberfest hits on Sept 17!
Location: Zum Schneider Oktoberfest Tent, 24-20 FDR Drive Service Road East, New York, NY, 10010 United States
http://nyc.zumschneider.com/upcoming-events-shows/2016/oktoberfest-tent-munich-on-the-east-river-in-nyc
Rochester
Oktoberfest NY
Sept 9-10 & 16-17
Authentic German cuisine, live German entertainment, a master yodeler, children’s activities and more!
Location: Camp Eastman Way, Rochester, NY 14617, USA
http://www.irondequoit.org/irondequoit-events
OKLAHOMA
Tulsa
Linde Oktoberfest
Oct 20 – 23
Named one of the top German food festivals in the USA by Bon Appetit magazine and saluted by USA Today as one of the Top 10 places in the world to celebrate this popular event, the Oktoberfest in Tulsa is one of the largest German celebrations in the United States. This version of the generally popular German folk heritage festival is, as expected, filled with beer pong and sausage-eating competitions, wiener dog races, polka lessons and sessions, a rip-roaring beer keg race, popular German foods such as bratwurst with sauerkraut or smoked turkey legs, an on-site German marketplace, and chances to sample authentic German beer, to enjoy dance troupe performances and to spoil the children with a variety of carnival rides.
Location: River West Festival park, 2100 S. Jackson Ave., Tulsa, OK 74107
OHIO
Dayton
Dayton Liederkranz Oktoberfest
Oct 8
Join the Dayton Liederkranz for a celebration of authentic German food, music and beverages! There will be live German party music by the Festmeisters. Admission is $3 and FREE for college students, military, and club members.
Location: 1400 East Fifth St., Dayton, OH 45402
http://www.daytongermanclub.org/?q=node/692
Cincinnati
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
Sept. 16-18
The second-largest Oktoberfest celebration in the world, the first being the original in Munich, Germany!
Location: Second and Third Streets, between Walnut and Elm Streets, Downtown Cincinnati
http://www.oktoberfestzinzinnati.com/
TENNESSEE
Nashville
Nashville Oktoberfest
Oct 7 – 9
Attracting thousands of people for more than 32 years, the family oriented event of Oktoberfest in Nashville features everything from 4 stages presenting live German music, authentic German food and beverages, Polka dancing, arts and crafts including antique booths, as well as street performers and fun events for children. Make sure to ride the world’s first and longest beer slide! Ride for fun or compete in the competition to be the Oktoberfest Beer Slide Champion!
TEXAS
Austin
Austoberfest in Austin, Texas
Oct 22
Come enjoy German-style sausage, lots of bier, contest stage, bowling & live music. Tickets include unlimited German-style sausage and sides from some of Central Texas’ best meat purveyors!
Location: 1607 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701
http://www.austoberfest.com/
New Braunfels
Wurstfest
Nov 4 – 13
Wurstfest: the best ten days in sausage history! Come enjoy good food, music, dancing, exciting carnival rides and games, German, Texan and domestic beer, special events and the finest in Alpine and Bavarian Style entertainment!
Location: 120 Landa Street, New Braunfels, TX 78130
http://wurstfest.com/
VERMONT
Windsor
2016 Harpoon Oktoberfest Vermont
Oct 8 – 9
The Harpoon Oktoberfest Vermont has nonstop live oompah music, chicken dancing, cake eating, bratwurst, and of course, barrels upon barrels of freshly brewed Harpoon beer. You’ve also got Vermont’s beautiful upper valley in the peak of foliage season as the backdrop to the festival. Fresh beer, radiant fall foliage, and live oompah music…awesome.
Location: Harpoon Brewery – Riverbend Taps & Beer Garden, 336 Ruth Carney Drive, Windosr, VT 05089
http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/festivals/2588/2016-harpoon-octoberfest-vermont
VIRGINIA
Richmond
Richmond Oktoberfest
Oct 21 & 22
The Annual Richmond Oktoberfest is the largest German / American Oktoberfest festival in the state of Virginia! Don’t miss the featured band, “Die Lustigen Almdudler” from Rochester, New York!
Location: Old Dominion Building, Richmond International Raceway, 600 E Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA 23222
http://www.richmondoktoberfestinc.com/ricoktober.shtml
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