The best Oktoberfest events in NYC this year

Both of Black Forest’s Brooklyn locations are hosting Oktoberfest fêtes on weekends from September 19 through October 24.

Head to the backyard in Cobble Hill or the sidewalk seats in Fort Greene for beer, oompah bands, costume contests, food and feats of strength. The kick-off parties on Saturday, September 19 will also feature a traditional keg tapping ceremony so you can fill your steins with super-fresh suds. Tickets start at $35, and include guaranteed reserved seating, your first full 1-liter stein of Hofbräu Oktoberfest beer and gratuity. Upgrade to premium for $83 and get a $40 food and beverage credit to boot.

Get autumnal near the water with skyline views at Watermark on Pier 15. Watermark’s OktoberFest features steins of German beer (expect traditional Hofbräu as well as Weihenstephan and Radeberger brews), with mini kegs available for order. 

Don't miss the brats and supersized pretzels synonymous with the season in NYC. Enjoy it all in the open air from September 10 through October 31. Lederhosen are encouraged and reservations are recommended. You can RSVP for free, or opt for one of two $33 tickets: VIP or Fast Pass.

What’s better than drinking a pumpkin beer at a biergarten modeled after a classic German pub? Using that beer to wash down soft pretzels and sausages galore.

Loreley Beer Garden’s Oktoberfest season celebration gets underway from September 19 through October 31 with beer keg tappings and pig roast tastings every weekend. Plus, you can expect pretzel, sausage and beer specials every day. There's even seasonal ciders (craft and warm) and sangria to be had.

With communal wooden benches, vibrant décor and an impressive beer menu, Reichenbach Hall offers a slice of Munich in Midtown. The Oktoberfest festivities will kick off on Friday, September 18, at 7pm and run through the month of October with polka music, games, savory sausages and mouthwatering schnitzels.

The sprawling beer garden is led by Willy and Keith Reichenbach (also of Hop Devil Grill and David Copperfield's) honoring the beer-loving siblings’ German heritage.

While every day feels like Oktoberfest with Zum Schneider, this party takes the celebration to the next level. The festival, spanning two weekends from September 26 through October 4, has been known to draw more than 7,000 people in past years with its imported beer, traditional Bavarian food, and an oompah band featuring festival founder Sylvester Schneider himself. 

This year's event will be held in Greenpoint, Brooklyn in a decked out tent at 12 Franklin Street. There are a bunch of different ticket options ranging from rooftop biergarten access ($15) to VIP seating ($110), and all-inclusive packages ($2,250) and more ($25 and $35).

One of Brooklyn’s favorite beer halls since 2007, Radegast Hall has also become a top destination for Oktoberfest fêtes in Williamsburg. This year’s celebration will include brass bands, mug holding competitions, ceremonial keg tappings and a DJ-led dance party—in that order, from 3 to 9pm on September 19 and 26, and October 3. Of course, the best wursts in the area are on the menu, all hot off the grill.

If you've got a large group of 25 or more, you can make a reservation—just be sure everyone shows up on time, otherwise you'll forefit the table and the $250 fee. Otherwise, it's walk-ins only.

All Clinton Hall Manhattan locations (FiDi, 36th St., 51st St.) are raising a stein for Oktoberfest. Starting on September 19 and going until the end of October, you can celebrate with themed games and contests like pretzel toss, beer pong with steins and an ice cold grab bag with hidden prizes. Clinton Hall's annual Stein-Hoisting Contest will take place weekly on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays beginning at 7pm, and there's a $50 gift card up for grabs with each round.

The playlist? Oktoberfest-themed, of course. And the same goes for the special menu, which will be full of sausages, jumbo pretzels, 'wurst' tots, the Wurst Oktoberfest Platter and more.

Oktoberfest may be a German tradition, but this festival is all about beers brewed in New York City. Sample beers from local breweries at this block party bash at Culture Lab LIC
in Queens on Sunday, September 26, from one to 5pm. In addition to the brews, there will be live music, local food vendors. General admission tickets start at $64 for entry and unlimited beer samples, but designated drivers (or folks who won't be imbibing) can get in for $16.

The event has an age restriction of 21+.

Give your Oktoberfest celebrations an upgrade at this lobster-focused fête at Top Chef honcho Tom Colicchio’s New American restaurant. On Friday, September 18 from 4 to 8pm, head to the waterfront eatery's spacious outdoor terrace overlooking the East River for traditional German music, festive Oktoberfest fare (brats and sauerkraut, pretzels and beer cheese), select draught beer, lawn games and a bounty of fresh lobster.

A $71 ticket gets you a plate loaded with a lobster roll, buttered lobster claw and lobster mac and cheese. It also includes unlimited helpings of pretzels and beer cheese, cinnamon sugar pretzel bites, german potato salad, Old Bay corn on the cob and draft Festbier (or a choice of soda or juice for those seeking a non-alcoholic option). If you're hoping to snag one of the complementary beer mugs, you'll have to be one of the first to arrive.

To kick off Oktoberfest, the Standard Biergarten will be hosting its festivities from Saturday, September 19 to Saturday, October 3. You can expect the classics—pretzels, sausages, Oompa bands and beer—along with stein-holding contests, DIY flower crowns and several other games. All table reservations from September 24 through the celebration's end come with a complimentary ceremonial keg pint.

Buy tickets in bulk for special table perks, or try walking in to attend solo.

Just being in NYC in the fall is an experience in itself—for a few brief months, we all channel Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail and breathe in the crisp air filled with the smell of leaves and pretend we're in the middle of a love story for the ages (maybe we are). It's true that NYC is one of the most sought out places to experience the best that fall offers, from delightfully spooky Halloween events and festivals to gorgeous leaf-peeping opportunities and some of the best festivals.

Autumn in NYC is tough to match! Keep scrolling to find out how to make this the best one yet.

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