Frankenmuth Oktoberfest

2018: September 20-23
In 1996, Lord Mayor Christian Ude of Germany officially sanctioned the Frankenmuth Octoberfest celebration, making it the only city outside of Munich to receive such an honor. In homage, Munich-based brewer Hofbrauhaus became the festival’s official sponsor, making this the first city in the U.S. to import the German Beer. Dubbed Michigan’s Little Bavaria, the city is as head-to-toe German as an American city can get, from its cuckoo-clock store to the Harvey Kern Community Pavilion, a scaled-down version of an authentic German beer hall. (German beer halls can hold 10,000-20,000 people; the pavilion holds a mere 5,000.) The German bands performs annually and authentic German fare is served daily. The music and entertainment begins around noon and ends as late as midnight. On Saturday, Wiener-dog races are always a crowd pleaser at the Oktoberfest. Head to the Harvey Kern Community Pavilion at the stroke of 12 p.m. on Saturday. Fifty to 100 dachshunds are positioned on one side of the pavilion floor and let loose in the hopes that they’ll race to the other side. Sometimes they cooperate; sometimes they don’t. But the sight and sound of hundreds of thundering dachshund feet as the herd bounds across the floor of a German beer hall-short legs flying and oversized ears flapping draws a dedicated crowd of spectators every year.
Parking is free at the Oktoberfest. Parking is located right on the festivals grounds, as you arrive at Heritage Park.
Dancing at the Frankenmuth Oktoberfest is on a 68’ X 60’ wooden dance floor.