The 10 best Oktoberfests in the U.S.

September 18–21; free.

As America’s largest Oktoberfest, the event in Cincinnati (cuckoo) clocks in at more than 808,000 people. Held at Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove on the riverfront, the four-day festival transforms the city into a Bavarian playground with more than 30 live performances across five stages. Playfulness rules with events like zirkus (circus) shows, Gemütlichkeit Games including a stein hoisting competition and pretzel tossing, and the nation’s largest chicken dance. Plus, how can you refuse the chance to sit inside a massive 300-foot tent that holds more than 1,000 people and indulge together?

Time Out tip: There’s a slew of fun activities included with this fest, but we especially love the Running of the Wieners (dogs, that is). Cheer on your favorite German dachshund!

September 19–21 and 26–28; free.

The rise of Oktoberfest in the Mile High City didn’t spring out of any German ancestry. It’s just that Denver boasts a serious beer scene—at least 150 brewpubs, breweries and taprooms… more breweries than any other U.S. city. While there’s lots of stein-raising during the city’s two-weekend event in the Ballpark District, there’s also a costume contest, a “long dog derby” and a serious game of keg bowling, a thing we wish existed all year.

Time Out tip: Grab this year’s adorable branded stein with a wiener dog lifting a foaming brew with a backdrop of the snow-covered mountains—preorder the stein and the first fill is free.

October 10–12; $22 Friday and Saturday; free Sunday. Free for those 20 years and under.

While the desert might not initially sound like a spot to transport yourself to Germany’s Black Forest, Tempe’s Four Peaks Oktoberfest boasts more than a half-century of tradition. There are regular sausages and steins offerings and events like the Running of the Brats, plus a full-on carnival with rides and a midway. Proceeds go to a program to send Tempe kids abroad to its sister cities, including the not-desert town of Regensburg, Germany.

Time Out tip: We know we’re obsessing with the dogs, but we love them so much… and this Oktoberfest permits dogs that are not wieners to participate in the frivolity. Register your low-slung best friend in the “Low Center of Gravity” race for non-weiner dogs measuring 12 inches or shorter from the shoulder.

September 11–14; Tickets ranging from $12 to $23 depending on the day are only needed for access to three entertainment venues; otherwise, free. Free for those 20 years and under.

This tiny Bavarian-themed town south of Portland is downright overrun with what’s billed as the largest folk festival in the northwest, celebrating 60 years in 2025. The town of just 3,300 people swells with a ton of “gartens”: biergarten, weingarten, hopfengarten with rare local craft brews, alpinegarten, prostgarten… you get the idea. Feeling especially German? Each day six contestants are selected to compete in the Oktoberfest Olympics which tests how well you could assimilate into the culture. Fun tidbit: Somehow these folks managed to snag the URL oktoberfest.org. The folks in Germany must be envious.

Time Out tip: Set your watch to catch the town’s beautiful glockenspiel, an enormous clock that chimes four times a day with ringing bells and spinning animated figures that pop out from shuttered doors to perform. Two of them even play on a swing while singing Edelweiss; oh captain von Trapp!

September 18–21; $10 a day, free Sunday. Free for those 15 years and under.

In 1996, a proclamation from Germany made this celebration the first event outside of Munich to be an official Oktoberfest (and Munich’s famous Hofbrauhaus brewery is the official beer sponsor; its beer made from a 400-year-old recipe is on tap, imported directly from Munich). This “Michigan’s Little Bavaria” event has been going strong since, with a four-day event including music, food, dance and wiener dog races.

Time Out tip: If you plan to stay a while, pick up the Bavarian Bargains free coupon book at the Frankenmuth Visitors Center which offers discounts to stores and restaurants.

September 4–November 2; $10–25 depending on the day, free Sunday. Half price for ages 6–12, and free for those 5 and under.

This town at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains looks straight-up transported from Bavaria—or, at the very least, a super nice section of Epcot. The whole look resulted from an entire makeover in 1969 by an artist who returned from World War II with some serious love of German architecture. So, of course, Helen hosts its own Oktoberfest, believed to be the longest-running event of its kind in the country. The celebration happens nightly through the festival stretch, and throughout the day on weekends.

Time Out tip: Visitors can stay in viking heaven, otherwise known as the Valhalla Resort Hotel.

September 20; $80.

The family made famous in the songs-can-beat-Nazis movie The Sound of Music settled at this picturesque Vermont lodge in 1950 that now holds an Oktoberfest every fall. So they’re Austrian, rather than German; that’s still cool. The pricy ticket includes your first beer, a souvenir mug, a German appetizer and entrée, live music, Trachten contests (for traditional Oktoberfest outfits), cask tapping and Steinholding competitions.

Time Out tip: The Von Trapps sing, run a beautiful resort and even brew beer. The onsite Von Trapp Brewing offers brewery tours, and this writer can attest that their pilsner is delicious.

October 3–5; $15

Fredericksburg’s nickname as the Polka Capital of Texas (sorry, Schulenburg) makes this a fine spot for a three-day Oktoberfest with lots of oompah music. In this town founded by German immigrants, the accordions are luring us all to Texas Hill Country.

Time Out tip: Go to the town square—called the Marktplatz—to see the Vereins Kirche, a church that is a replica of the 19th-century German one that was here from 1847 to 1897.

October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18; $15 Fridays, $30 Saturdays

The town of Leavenworth battled back from its Dust Bowl and Great Depression days by remaking itself as an alpine village. But this isn’t just another Oktoberfest in a faux Bavarian town; organizers encourage niceties through its “Give a Schnitzel” program, urging folks to take care of the environment and “be nice, patient and take your time.” Participate in a waltz contest, watch the OkTUBAfest performance, and get low with the Hauptstrasse Chicken Dance.

Time Out tip: Cruise by the tiny Doghaus Brewery with your hund, wiener or otherwise (their website asks whether you like dogs and beer, and the choose-your-own-adventure results are pretty cute).

September 25–28; $25 for the festival, or free on Sunday.

Founded in 1961, the event in La Crosse is one of the nation’s oldest. All that history gave organizers the courage to dub this event Oktoberfest USA. Expect all the regular fall German festival activities, including naming members to the Oktoberfest Royal Family, an honor for those who can chug steins the quickest. Just kidding, you have to be a local and “someone of good character that is well-respected,” so tough luck, beer guzzlers.

Time Out tip: We love a good treasure hunt, and this Oktoberfest has a medallion hunt. Work in teams to untangle a daily clue to locate a hidden medallion to win $500.