You’d likely have to buy a plane ticket to Munich to find an Oktoberfest more traditional than the party thrown every year at the Bavarian Bierhaus (700 W. Lexington Blvd.). Think rows of communal picnic tables, rotisserie chicken, a pig roast, bratwursts, German music, and plenty of hoisted märzen and festbier steins. The celebration has been going on for more than 60 years at Heidelberg Park and has its roots in Milwaukee Oktoberfest celebrations dating back nearly a century.
“It’s Milwaukee’s original Oktoberfest,” said Josh Neureuther, general manager of the Bavarian Bierhaus. “It’s the most traditional, and what makes it that way is the the beer, traditional Oktoberfest beer. That’s obviously the first thing. Second is the food. Traditional Oktoberfest food is rotisserie chicken and pork. We’re still doing pig roasts. And we also serve a fish fry and Usinger’s bratwurst. There’s live music every weekend. The music is traditional Oktoberfest-style music. We have a band this year actually from Germany.”
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
The Bavarian Bierhaus Oktoberfest begins on Friday, Sept. 6. It takes place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday for five weeks. During that time, more than 300 picnic tables get their share of use. Neureuther estimates that approximately 50,000 revelers celebrate during the month-long event.
“We have the space so it’s never overwhelming,” he explained. “Most of our business is done during these five weeks. Sheerly because the event itself, the tradition. it’s amazing that it still happens year after year and there isn’t any drop off. It’s always busy and always a lot of fun.”
Details: Begins at 4 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Weekends Friday, Sept. 6 to Sunday, Oct. 6. Admission: Friday, $5 or free with Bavarian Bierhaus mobile app; Saturday, $10 or $5 with the app; Sunday, free.
The Milwaukee area isn’t short on Oktoberfest celebrations of all sizes. Here’s a list of two dozen more to keep you full of gemütlichkeit throughout September.
Friday, Sept. 6
Oktoberfest at Eagle Park Brewing (15506 Commerce Center Pkwy., Muskego) runs Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Stein hoisting, beer chugging, shotskis and beer releases are on the schedule.
Saturday, Sept. 7
This is the 14th year of Erv-toberfest at Erv’s Mug (180 W. Ryan Rd.). Come hungry and thirsty to the fest which includes a buffet of German food and unlimited tasting of a massive amount of seasonal fall beers. You get all this for just $50. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m., which is plenty of time to indulge.
Tuesday, Sept. 10
Old German Beer Hall (1009 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.) is tapping a keg of Hofbräu Munich Oktoberfest at 6 p.m. and beer is free while the keg lasts. Liters are half price all night.
Saturday, Sept. 14
Component Brewing (2018 S. 1st St.) has festivities planned from 1 to 8 p.m. Food, music, stein holding and specials on German beers are all happening.
O”KK”toberfest at 1840 Brewing Company (342 E. Ward St.) means a block party from noon to 8 p.m. It includes great beer, polka music, food and stein holding at 4:20 p.m.
Ein Kleines Oktoberfest takes place at Sahale Ale Works (1505 Wisconsin Ave., Grafton) from noon to 9 p.m. They’re tapping six German-inspired beers to mark the occasion.
Lakefront Brewery is the guest of honor at the Oktoberfest party at The Wicked Hop (342 N. Broadway). The party runs from 7 to 10 p.m. and features stein holding and plinko (not necessarily German, but still fun).
Thursday, Sept. 19
What about an Oktoberfest-style celebration without the alcohol? Oksoberfest at 4th Dimension Sobriety in Riverwest (500 E. Center St.) brings all the trappings of the tradition – food, live music (from the Keith Gennerman Band) and games – in an environment that supports sobriety and recovery. The event includes raffles and tours of 4th Dimension’s facility. Proceeds support 4th Dimension, which calls itself the largest provider of sober living services in Wisconsin.
Friday, Sept. 20
Perspective Brewing (7508 W. Greenfield Ave.) is releasing its Oktoberfest Marzen Lager to pair with live music and a food truck. The party starts at 5 p.m.
The eighth-annual Waukesha Oktoberfest takes place at Frame Park (1240 Frame Park Dr.) from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday and noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday. It’s two days of German food, music, feats of strength and beer, of course.
The Elm Grove Oktoberfest starts at 5 p.m. in Elm Grove Village Park (13600 Juneau Blvd.) and runs through Saturday at 10 p.m. One of the highlights is a 0.5K fun run (yes 0.5K, and not 5K) at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday from O’Donoghue’s Irish Pub to the park.
Saturday, Sept. 21
Mobtoberfest is going on at MobCraft Beer (505 S. 5th St.) starting at 11 a.m. They’re tapping their Mobtoberfest and hosting a few competitions, include one that involves sausage sculpting. That’s how MobCraft rolls.
There are separate fests happening at each Vennture Brew Co. location. OK toberfest East is at the original location (5519 W. North Ave.). The event runs from noon to 5 p.m. Be there for stein hoisting at 3 p.m.
New Barons Brewing Co-op is releasing its Oktoberfest at the Fox Point Beer Garden (7377 N Longacre Rd.) from 2 to 9 p.m.
Oktoberfest – Black Husky Style starts at 1 p.m. with a tapping of a free firkin at Black Husky Brewing (909 E. Locust St.). There’s a best pet costume contest, yodeling and stein holding.
Opetoberfest! happens at Ope! Brewing (6751 W. National Ave.) at noon. Drink at a discount when you purchase a cool one-liter Opetoberfest stein. The stein holding competition is at 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 27
OK toberfest West comes to Vennture Brew Co. in Brookfield (2970 N. Brookfield Rd.). It’s a two-day event, running from 4 to 10 p.m. on Friday and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Stein holding happens at 6 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively.
Saturday, Sept. 28
Gazebo Park (5710 Broad St.) is the site of Greendale’s Oktoberfest from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The festivities include a makers market, bounce houses, bingo, and pretzel eating and stein holding contests. Explorium Brewpub is providing the beer.
Explorium Brewpub celebrates Oktoberfest at its Greendale location (5300 S. 76th St.), starting at noon. They’ll be tapping an Oktoberfest firkin at 3 p.m., which means free beer while it lasts.
Germantown’s 30th Oktoberfest takes place at Dheinsville Historical Park (N128 W18780 Holy Hill Rd.) on Saturday (noon to 11 p.m.) and Sunday (noon to 7 p.m.). They’ll be serving plenty of food and German beers from Old Germantown. Be sure to be there at 3 p.m. on Saturday for the Dachshund Dash.
Sunday, Sept. 29
St. Augustine of Hippo (2530 S. Howell Ave.) is pouring a trio of German beers and serving beef rouladen. There’s a kids root beer stein hoisting competition at 3:30 p.m. The adults compete at 4 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 4
Kegel’s Inn supplies the beer and food at Milwaukee’s Oktoberfest, which happens Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 4-6) at Cathedral Square Park (520 E. Wells St.). It kicks off with free beer at 4 p.m. on Friday and runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Wiener Dog Beauty Pageant, clearly a highlight, is Sunday at 3 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 5
Urban Harvest Brewing (1024 S. 5th St.) hosts OktoHarvest Blocktoberfest at 1 p.m. They’ll be releasing Pilsen Schmilsen and having live music and a food truck.
Cedarburg has its Oktoberfest happening downtown on Saturday and Sunday. They’ll have vintage steins, music, a glockenspiel show, and beer.
Saturday, Oct. 12
Foxtown Brewing (6209 W. Mequon Rd.) wraps up a full list with Foxtoberfest from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The event includes the obligatory live music, but also a makers market.
