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Where To Celebrate Oktoberfest Around Minnesota
Events are happening for weeks, including big parties like New Ulm Oktoberfest and Twin Cities Oktoberfest.
Oktoberfest has arrived. There are festbiers, accordions, stein holding contests, and lederhosen around the state every weekend for the next month.
With all those pretzels, sausages, and malty beers on tap, here are a few of the state's most beloved and exciting Oktoberfest celebrations to hit this year.
Waldmann Brewery Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 20–22, 27–29
Where: Waldmann Brewery in St. Paul
What it is: Over the course of six days, Waldmann hosts live music, traditional dance, a beer garden, German food, and more. The party costs $7.50 for adults and $3.50 for kids 12 and younger. However, Sundays are free for kids 5 and under. The brewery also notes that, should it reach capacity, a three-hour limit will in place on revelers.
Fulton Oktoberfest
When: September 20–21, 27–28
Where: Fulton Brewing in Minneapolis
What it is: The brewery promises “the largest selection of authentic German beer you can find at a local Twin Cities Oktoberfest,” which is alluring. It’ll also have Kinderhaus for kids with free tabletop activities and a tent for families. There will be live music, a sausage toss, a stein-holding contest, a sing-along with the Twin Cities beer choir, and a Krampus, because why not?
Utepils Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 20–22
Where: Utepils Brewing in Minneapolis
What it is: Loads of food, live music, food trucks, and activities such as a meat raffle, vow renewals, German trivia, and stein holding contests for adults and kids are all on tap. Plus, there's something called Polkarobics on Saturday, which I'm sure is just what it sounds like, but it makes you a little curious, right? Friday is free all night, and Saturday is free before 2 p.m. It'll cost $8 after that unless you're either a child under 5 or wearing traditional attire. If you're in those latter categories, entry is on the house.
PryesFest
When: Sept. 20–22, 27–29, and Oct. 4–6
Where: Pryes Brewing in Minneapolis
What it is: For three weekends and a total of nine days, Pryes will celebrate Oktoberfest with roaming musicians, a goat-petting pen, wood-fired pizzas, and more. The deal of the weekend will be at the Beer Garden Stein Bar, where a commemorative stein costs $20 and comes with a fill of Pragmatic Pilsner or PryesFest Märzen. Refills are just $5.
Forgotten Star Brewing Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 20–22
Where: Forgotten Star Brewing in Fridley
What it is: Forgotten Star's festival feels more like a music fest than a traditional Oktoberfest. There will be vintage and vendor markets, live music (Mae Simpson and Kiss the Tiger on Friday; Bluehound Band and Johnny Holm Band on Saturday), stein holding competitions, an adults only wiener toss (ahem), face painting, a magic show, meat raffle, and a whole lot more. Plus, couples can renew their vows during the party on at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday.
Fair State Co-Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 20–21
Where: Fair State Brewing Co-Op in Minneapolis
What it is: This one is getting rolled into the brewery’s 10-year anniversary party. On Friday, it’ll have live music from The Hilltop Pines, The Right Here, Lutheran Heat, and Night Jobs. There will also be flash tattoos from Citadel Tattoo and food from the Sweet Lou’s food truck. Saturday will feature steins of its Festbier, food from Aki’s Breadhaus, and more.
When: Sept. 21
Where: Schram Haus Brewing in Chaska
What it is: The 6th annual event that takes place across the brewery's sprawling three-acre lot is quickly becoming a staple in Chaska. Tickets can be snagged for $5 in advance, offering access to new beers, live music, a bounce house, and food from Lilybean Bakery, Sweet Winks, Tomatillo, and Unbakeable. It'll also hold contests for the most authentic German outfit (there's a kids division!), stein holding, sausage tossing, and keg tossing.
CLOCKtoberfest
When: Sept. 21
Where: Broken Clock Brewing in Minneapolis
What it is: Look, there's a lot going on at this celebration, but what makes Broken Clock's event look like a lot of fun (besides access to pinball machines) are the events it has that you don't find elsewhere. There will be axe throwing, adoptable dogs, and a "who can polka the longest" competition. If you go in for more traditional fare, there's also a stein holding competition, live music (The 4onthefloor, Kingsview, and more), and plenty of German style beer.
Wandering Leaf Brewing Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 21
Where: Wandering Leaf Brewing in St. Paul
What it is: The annual Oktoberfest and Fall Equinox Party has activities, live music, on-site screen printing, a pair of specialty beers (a festbier and a dobbelbock), and live music from accordionist Mark Stillman and the Bad Habits Brass Band. You'll also find the Underdog, Cuchillo, and All Square food trucks hanging out.
SurlyFest
When: Sept. 21
Where: Surly Brewing in St. Paul
What it is: While the brewery will have Oktoberfest beers and German fare in its beer hall for two weeks leading up to SurlyFest, the real celebration comes at the end. There will be live music (with a promise of no accordions), a stein-holding competition, lederhosen and dirndl crafting, and plenty of beer.
Luce Line Brewing Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 27–29
Where: Luce Line Brewing in Plymouth
What it is: The brewery's three-day event raises money for its Luce Line Foundation, which aims to help redevelop the railroad sput and build better access to Luce Line trail. For revelers, there are new beers, food from loads of food trucks, polka, Oktoberfest contests, a set from Pleezer (Weezer cover band) on Saturday, and a pancake breakfast and Vikings watch party on Sunday.
Black Forest Inn Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 27–Oct. 6
Where: Black Forest Inn in Minneapolis
What it is: You're getting 10 straight days of revelry at the German restaurant on Eat Street. It'll start with Bring Me The News' Sven Sundgaard leading the ceremonial keg tapping on Sept. 27. Each subsequent night has a different theme with plenty of German cuisine and live music. It'll wrap up with the Drain the Keg Night on Oct. 6. The price of beer drops every hour with no new kegs tapped. Prizes will be doled out each time a keg blows.
Grand Casino Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 28–29
Where:Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley
What it is: Tickets here get you unlimited beer samples, live music (including the Gear Daddies), and camping. There’s also an Oktoberfest buffet breakfast on Sunday morning and they’ll be playing the Vikings vs. Packers game on TVs.
Minnesota Renaissance Festival Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 28–29
Where: The Minnesota Renaissance Festival in Shakopee
What it is: If you can take a couple of huzzahs with your stein, the Renaissance Festival has all the expected Oktoberfest activities, including a Lederhosen and Dirndl contest, yodeling, a stein holding competition, sauerkraut eating competition, and pickle jousting. (Ok, that last one may not qualify as expected.)
New Ulm Oktoberfest
When: Oct. 4–5 and Oct. 11–12
Where: Various locations around New Ulm
What it is: New Ulm’s festival is one of the most celebrated in the state — it was just named among the 10 best celebrations in the country by USA Today 10 Best — with events happening across the city over two weekends. The main events take place at The Best Western Plus (all four days), Downtown New Ulm (Oct. 5), Morgan Creek Vineyards (Oct. 5), and Schell’s Brewery (Oct. 12).
When: Oct. 4–5
Where: Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in Falcon Heights
What it is: This is a nationally heralded Oktoberfest that leans into a traditional experience. It'll have beer from a handful of local breweries, lots of live music, German dance group SG Edelweiss, German food, and a stein holding competition.
Giesenbräu Bier Co
When: Oct. 4–5
Where: Giesenbräu Bier Co. in New Prague
What it is: The 7th annual event touts live polka on both days, as well as food from Prachal's and Bavarian pretzels from Edelweiss Bakery. There will also be commemorative steins and a huge selection of Oktoberfest-appropriate beers, including its traditional Festbier. Entry is $5 for everyone 13 and older.
Feilfest at Nouvelle
When: Oct. 7
Where: Nouvelle Brewing in Robbinsdale
What it is: With the $79 entry fee, attendees get unlimited German food and beer. Other cocktails and drinks are available for purchase. Additionally, the brewery's party features a sauerkraut eating contest, a stein hoist, an egg time challenge, and live music from Dr. Keilbasa.
Other Oktoberfest events to check out
- Through Sept. 30: Yoerg Beer in St. Paul
- Sept. 20–21: Minnesota Oktoberfest at Central Park in Delano
- Sept. 21: Schwandtoberfest at Bauhaus Brew Labs in Minneapolis
- Sept. 27–28: 3BC Oktoberfest at Bobbing Bobber Brewing in Hutchinson
- Sept. 27–29: Oktimberfestat Big Wood Brewery in Vadnais Heights
- Sept. 27: Badtoberfest at Bad Habit Brewing in St. Joseph
- Sept. 28: Oktoberfest 2024 at Goat Ridge Brewing in New London
- Sept. 28: Lake Minnetonka Oktoberfest at the Excelsior American Legion in Shorewood
- Sept. 28: Oktoberfest Charity Games at The Rusty Bee Taphouse in Blaine
- Sept. 28: Alloy Oktoberfest at Alloy Brewing in Coon Rapids
- Sept. 28: Oktoberfest at Spilled Grain Brewhouse in Annandale
- Oct. 18–19: Oktoberfest at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort in Brainerd
- Oct. 19: Oktoberfest at 22 Northmen Brewery in Alexandria
SOURCE: Bring Me The News
