One of the best things about living in a city with such a rich German heritage is that Oktoberfest season is taken very seriously.
And while we have a giant Oktoberfest Zinzinnati celebration downtown each year — the largest in America — plenty of other breweries, neighborhoods and organizations are hosting their own events so you can prost and party all month long.
Here are 10 different Oktoberfests being held across the city where you can don your dirndl and fill your stein.
West Side Brewing Oktoberfest, Sept. 10-12
The Kantine food truck will be parked at West Side Brewing all weekend, with Bavarian chef Peter Schuster at the helm, so you can enjoy Oktoberfest chicken and Weisswurst with your beer. In addition to games and fun like giant beer pong and inflatable jousting, there will be live music, stein fills, cornhole and Jenga. Sept. 10-12. Free. 3044 Harrison Ave., Westwood, facebook.com/westsidebrewing.
Covington Oktoberfest, Sept. 10-12
Covington Oktoberfest returns to historic Goebel Park. The celebration will span three days this year and will be free and open to all ages. Visitors can look forward to enjoying live music, local art and food and drink vendors during the festival. The first event took place in 1979 and offered an annual party honoring the community's deep German roots and culture. Covington Oktoberfest was revived by Braxton Brewing Co. in 2019, which will again host the event this year. 5-11 p.m. Sept. 10; 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 11; and 11 a.m-8 p.m. Sept. 12. Free. Goebel Park, 501 Philadelphia St., Covington, facebook.com.
Hofbrauhaus Oktoberfest, Sept. 10-12 and Sept. 17-19
Modeled after the Munich original, Newport's Hofbrauhaus is America's first Hofbrauhaus, and it will be celebrating Oktoberfest in style over two weekends. Expect German bier and German food, live music and some other family-friendly fun. Sept. 10-12; Sept. 17-19. Free. 200 E. Third St., Newport, hofbrauhausnewport.com.
HighGrain Brewing Oktoberfest, Sept. 11
Silverton's HighGrain Brewing Co. is hosting an all-day Oktoberfest featuring live music, stein-holding competitions, beer marionette and Hammer-Schlagen. There will also be family-friendly games, Bavarian pretzels and food trucks. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sept. 11. Free. 6860 Plainfield Road, Silverton, facebook.com/highgrainbrewing.
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, Sept. 16-19
After last year's giant public party was canceled due to the pandemic, organizers are making up for it this year by adding an extra day (with festivities starting on Thursday) and extra hours. “Cincinnati’s sister city, Munich, is the original and the world’s largest Oktoberfest. As that tradition is not happening in 2021, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is going to borrow the title of ‘Biggest Oktoberfest on the Planet,’” said Cynthia Oxley, director of Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, in a release. “With an extra night of reveling and extended hours each evening, the party is going to be even bigger.” 5 p.m.-midnight Sept. 16; 11 a.m.-midnight Sept. 17 and 18; and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sept. 19. Free. Second and Third streets downtown between Elm and Walnut streets, Downtown, oktoberfestzinzinnati.com.
Moerlein Lager House UBERDROME Oktoberfest, Sept. 17-19
Moerlein Lager House is piggybacking off of Oktoberfest Zinzinnati events and setting up a fest tent on the Schmidlapp Event Lawn. There will be live music all weekend, plus Moerlein beers (including a special Oktoberfest brew), brats, pretzels and other free entertainment. There's also an Oktoberfest chicken dinner package available for $25 advance purchase; order at moerleinlagerhouse.com. 4 p.m.-midnight Sept. 17; 11 a.m.-midnight Sept. 18; 11 a.m.-8 p.m Sept. 19. Free admission. Schmidlapp Event Lawn/Moerlein Lager House, 115 Joe Nuxhall Way, The Banks, moerleinlagerhouse.com.
Queen City Radio Oktoberfest, Sept. 17
Queen City Radio is hosting its own Oktoberfest which will, per an email, "Lean into the city's heritage and put a spotlight on our on-site vendor Lubecker, have a myriad of Oktoberfest beers, and we'll have a live Bavarian band (Bill Klaber & The Bergstrasse Boys)." Sept. 17. Free. 222 W. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, qcrbar.com.
Newport Oktoberfest, Sept. 24-26
This three-day Oktoberfest party promises various contests and competitions, including ones for yodeling, beer-stein holding, the chicken dance, log sawing, brat tossing and nagelbalken (in which you hammer a nail into a wooden beam). There will also be live music and plenty of German beer and food, such as currywurst, strudel and goetta sliders. 5-11 p.m. Sept. 24; noon-11 p.m. Sept. 25; noon-9 p.m. Sept. 26. Free. Festival Park, Newport on the Levee, cincinnatifestivalsandevents.com.
Loveland Oktoberfest, Sept. 24-25
Downtown Loveland is hosting a family-friendly Oktoberfest with weiner dog races, a stein-hoisting competition and a best dressed/lederhosen contest, plus German food and a biergarten at Nisbet Park. Sept. 24 and 25. Free. Downtown Loveland, facebook.com.
Donauschwaben Oktoberfest, Oct. 1-3
Cincinnati's German Donauschwaben Society hosts what they refer to as the "most authentic" Oktoberfest in town. The fest offers more than 30 different beers on draft, including German favorites, along with pit-roasted pig and chicken; homemade sausage; stuffed cabbage; spatzle; pastries; goetta; and plenty of other tasty German treats. There will also be a "Trachten Parade" on Saturday afternoon, with participants donning traditional costumes, as well as dancing performances and a log-sawing contest. Kids can enjoy a Kinderplatz with games and a playground. On Sunday, check out a classic car show. 6 p.m.-midnight Oct. 1; 1 p.m.-midnight Oct. 2; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 3. $5 admission. Donauschwaben Park, 4390 Dry Ridge Road, Colerain, cincydonau.com.
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