Spend a couple of days at an Oktoberfest in Rhode Island. Ah, Rhode Island. You put on a good show at Oktoberfest 2013 despite having so few people with German heritage.
2014 Events
International Oktoberfest – Newport, RI – October 11-12, 2014
Sendoff summer with a Rhode Island Oktoberfest on the Newport waterfront. Expect seasonal brews with savory German cuisine and music emanating from the beer gardens. Saturday has an active, college/beerfest vibe. Seniors and families with small children are encouraged to attend on Sunday, which is typically less congested. Location: 4 Commercial Wharf, Newport, RI 02840-3007
Oktoberfest at Redlefsen’s – Bristol, RI – Starts September 25 - October 30, 2014
The kickoff parade for this event is September 25th, 2014. They will celebrate every Wednesday and Thursday through October.
Location: Redlefsen’s, 444 Thames Street, Bristol, Rhode Island 02809
O Fest RI – Pawtucket, RI – October 4-5, 2014
Great beer, food and music by the falls.
Location: Pawtucket Armory @ 172 Exchange St in Pawtucket
Past Events
Chorus of Westerly Oktoberfest – Westerly, RI
This is a fundraiser for the Chorus of Westerly in late October. The historic George Kent Performance Hall is transformed into a beer hall with long tables, bavarian decorations, and German food. There is also Oktoberfest style beer, wine, and warm cider.
Location: 119 High Street, Westerly, RI 02891
We have just added these maps with the locations of each Oktoberfest. We may not have had the exact location for each Oktoberfest so in some instances we have placed the marker in the general vicinity of the Oktoberfest. Be sure to get specific directions from another source and do not solely rely on our map at the moment. We have also noticed that the markers may not show up on some mobile browsers. We will work to sort out this bug in the future.
Please confirm dates, locations and activities available at the Oktoberfest before going. That’s one reason that we provide a website address when we find one. We attempt to ensure that the information for each Oktoberfest is accurate but there are bound to be a few errors. If you let us know when you find one, we will fix it. In some cases, we may link to the 2012 event when information for 2013 is not available. Do not be fooled.
The festivals listed range in size. Some events may have hundreds of thousands of attendees. Others may have only a handful. We’re sorry that we don’t have more information about attendance numbers at the moment. We will do our best to add this information as time goes on.
Professionalism varies as well. Some Oktoberfests are professional operations with large budgets. Others are local operations run by volunteers. Do your due diligence before making plans to attend so that you know what to expect. We will happily publish information about your experience with any Oktoberfest so that our visitors will be better informed in the future.
Some Oktoberfests are more family friendly than others. If you have small children, look for an Oktoberfest that has activities for kids. Other events start out with family friendly activities and become more adult oriented as it becomes later in the evening.
Not all Oktoberfest celebrations will be authentic German festival experiences. Some may simply be an excuse to drink rather than celebrate German heritage. Some may call themselves Oktoberfest but provide local or seasonal beer rather than authentic German Oktoberfest beer. Be sure to consider the type of celebration that you are looking to attend when you pick your Oktoberfest.
Activities offered at each Oktoberfest varies. Some activities that you may find are parades, keg tapping ceremony, beer gardens, Miss Oktoberfest or costume contests, stein holding contests, bratwurst eating contest, chicken dance, wiener races, keg toss, live German bands and local entertainment, polka dancing and fairground games. Some Oktoberfest events will just have beer and brats.
Please don’t drink and drive. We want everyone to get home safe. Use a designated driver or take public transportation.
Do you run one of the Oktoberfests listed? Feel free to send us additional information and we will add it. We apologize for any errors: send us corrections when you find them!
Nearby states to also party for Oktoberfest: Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. Also consider the list of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the United States for the most popular German festivals.
Whether you have found a festival to enjoy or you will be celebrating from home, Funtober has some other resources that will help you prepare for Oktoberfest. Read about the history of Oktoberfest. Learn about Oktoberfest beer. Find the words to Oktoberfest music. Plan your Oktoberfest outfit. And try cooking some of these Oktoberfest recipes.
Find other fun things to do in Rhode Island in October:
Rhode Island Festivals
Rhode Island Corn Mazes
Rhode Island Ghost Tours
Haunted Houses in Rhode Island
Pumpkin Patches in Rhode Island
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