It looks like North Carolina has a pretty decent list of 2015 Oktoberfest festivals. I would expect nothing less from a state that has one million residents with German heritage. You represent even though less than ten percent of citizens are of German descent. Great job, North Carolina!
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2015 Events
Charlotte Oktoberfest – Charlotte, NC – October 3, 2015
This 17th annual North Carolina Oktoberfest will have live music, beer from local, national and German breweries, games in the Creative Loafing Beerlympic Village, and food vendors with brats and other foods. It benefits three charities: Kids Rein, Classroom Central and Camp CARE. 2014 Musical entertainment included U-Phonik and StellaRising. U-Phonik is a Charlotte band originally from Montreal that plays an assortment of original songs and alternative rock covers. StellaRising is a female fronted band playing radio-friendly rock/pop songs. Location: NC Music Factory, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28206
Maggie Valley Oktoberfest – Maggie Valley, NC – October 2-3, 2015
Plenty of craft beer as you would expect from a beer festival. Chicken dance, and Kid’s Zone for children. Consume tasty German food like Bratwurst and Bavarian Soft Pretzels along with regional delicacies like BBQ. Live music and dancing will entertain guests, while arts and crafts vendors offer something unique to take home from the festival. 2013 was the first year of this event and they are inviting guests back to celebrate with them in 2014. The cost for adults is $2 with children 12 and under free.
Hickory Oktoberfest – Hickory, NC – October 9-11, 2015
A three day outdoor festival on the second weekend in October generally attended by more than 100,000 people. Get your exercise in with a 5K run/walk OR 10K run. Consume a beverage in one of the two beer gardens. Multiple stages offer live music from polka to rock & roll. Juried arts and crafts show of handmade products offers prizes to the top three artisans. First prize is $300, second prize is $200 and third prize is $100. Amusement rides, carnival games and KidFest area for children. Hundreds of food and commercial vendors will be there offering delicious food from barbecue to Bavarian pastries, as well as unique products and art. Location: Union Square, Main Ave NW, Hickory, NC 28601
Asheville Oktoberfest – Asheville, NC – October 10, 2015
This Oktoberfest mixes Bavaria with Asheville. Local breweries, oompah band, Oktoberfest games and food. Only 3000 tickets will be sold. Ticket prices escalate as the event approaches (starting at $25 per person) and they expect them to sell out. Oktoberfest contests like the stein race and keg-rolling contest will be back, as well as new competitions to keep everyone on their toes. The Stratton Mountain Boys will be yodeling and playing Polka music on the stage. New location for 2013 was Coxe Avenue rather than Wall Street where it has been historically held. Location: Coxe Avenue, Asheville, NC
Oktoberfest House Party – Cashiers, NC – October 17, 2015
The High Hampton Inn will host its sixth annual Oktoberfest House Party with a special menu of German food and German beer. Live music and costumed dancers complete the afternoon of German fun. Location: High Hampton Inn, 1525 Highway 107 South, Cashiers, N.C. 28717
Lafayette Village Oktoberfest – Raleigh, NC – September 19, 2015
Enjoy German food, local craft beer, live music and wiener dog races at this village located on six acres in North Raleigh. There are also kids’ games, crafts and door prizes. Lafayette Village is designed to resemble a European village with quaint shops, gourmet restaurants and paved walkways.
Triad German Club Oktoberfest - Winston Salem, NC – September 12, 2015
This Winston-Salem Oktoberfest is hosted by the Triad German Club and includes live music, traditional German food and beer. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Food and beverage tickets are sold separate. Food includes items such as bratwurst, wieners, rippchen, sauerkraut, potato salad, homemade pastries and pretzel rolls. A portion of the proceeds benefit schools with German language and culture programs. Location: Millennium Center, 101 W. Fifth Street, Winston-Salem, NC
German Grille Oktoberfest – Cary, NC
3 weekends of Oktoberfest with free live music here at the German Grille serving Authentic German Restaurant in the Triangle serving Old World German food favorites like in-house handmade bratwurst, sauerbraten, veal or pork wiener & jager schnitzels, rouladen, gulasch, schweinshaxen, German potato pancakes & German potato salad, red cabbage, sauerkraut, strudel, German chocolate cake, black forest cake and 10 great German draft beers.
Location: 243 Grande Heights Dr., Cary NC 27513
Sugar Mountain Resort Oktoberfest – Village of Sugar Mountain, NC – October 10-11, 2015
25th annual Oktoberfest with fall foliage and a weekend of festival activities. The Harbour Town Fest Band will be filling the area with live music and Bavarian atmosphere from the Oom Pah Band every afternoon. The Avery Smooth Dancers and the Mountain Laurel Cloggers will get you out of your seat and moving with them. Bavarian food will include bratwurst, knockwurst sauerkraut, pretzels, strudel and Spaten Oktoberfest beer. This is a family friendly event with arts & crafts and children’s fun center (including inflatable bounce houses and hay rides). Admission is free. Free parking with shuttle service. Pets are welcome if they are on a leash, but they will not be allowed inside or on the deck. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enjoy the breathtaking views and fall colors with a ski chairlift ride. Round trip ride takes 45 minutes and costs $12 for a one-time ride or $25 for an all-day ticket. Location: Sugar Mountain Resort Main Lodge, 1009 Sugar Mountain Drive, Village of Sugar Mountain, North Carolina 28604
Onslow Oktoberfest – Jacksonville, NC – October 22-24, 2015
The community fundraiser for Onslow Community Outreach includes live music and 5K run. Children’s area offers entertainment, amusement rides, games, micro racing, animal park and home improvement workbench/clinics. The festival was started in 2008. Location: Riverwalk Crossing Park, 421 Court Street, Jacksonville, NC
Triangle Oktoberfest – Cary, NC – October 3-4, 2015
Presented by the Rotary Clubs of Apex Sunrise and Cary MacGregor, the inaugural Triangle OktoberFest is a fundraising event featuring a live German band, traditional Bavarian food and fare, and, of course, plenty of beer! Triangle Oktoberfest began as a joint effort between the Rotary Clubs
of Apex Sunrise and Cary MacGregor. Previous events have attracted thousands of participants, and this year’s event is expected to surpass previous attendance records. The event will start Oct. 3 at noon with the traditional Bürgermeister tapping of the first keg, called “O’Zapst is” and
also yelled from the crowd. The organizers are sparing little expense to make the entire experience as Bavarian as possible. This year’s Triangle Oktoberfest will feature the following activities: Kinder Platz Kids Zone (featuring bounce house, obstacle course,
sports and more), Weiner dog races, Variety of German foods, 26-member Little German Band and Dancers, Contest for best German-dressed participants, Pretzel toss, Display of German cars, Hammerschlagen (relay team for nailing a spike in and old oak stump), Football viewing tent with TVs, Biergarten, Sanctioned beer-judging competition, and Triangle’s largest Beer Stein Hoist competition (with the winners being entered to win a trip to compete in the National Final on “Jimmy Kimmel Live”). Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit Alzheimers North Carolina (AlzNC) to assist its statewide efforts in supporting the 170,000-plus North Carolina families dealing with Alzheimer’s
disease and other dementias. Oktoberfest will begin after the 23rd Annual AlzNC Triangle Walk, held
at Booth Amphitheater on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. The walk is free and open to the public.
Schedule and ticket information for Oktoberfest are as follows:
• Saturday, Oct. 3: noon – 10 p.m., $20 for 16 and up, $5 for ages 6
to 15, free for 5 and under
• Sunday, Oct. 4: noon – 6 p.m., $15 for 16 and up, $5 for ages 6 to
15, free for 5 and under
• Two-Day Ticket: $30 for 16 and up
Calabash Oktoberfest - Calabash, NC – September 19-20, 2015
Second annual Oktoberfest in Calabash. Activities include Bavarian costume contest, arm wrestling contest, horse drawn carriage, best bier stein contest, and children’s entertainment. Enjoy authentic German food and Munich beer.
Location: 940 Carter Drive SW, Calabash, NC
Dtwn Oktoberfest - Durham, NC – September 26, 2015
The Little German Band and dancers will entertain with oompah music and dancing. Beer inside the Motorco decorated as a beer hall. Bratwurst and pretzels will also be available.
Location: Motorco Music Hall, 723 Rigsbee, Durham, NC
New Bern Oktoberfest – New Bern, NC – September 25, 2015
Hosted at the Farmers Market on front street is this Oktoberfest from 6-10 PM. Activities include dancing, German style music, German dinner, and beers. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
Wilmington Oktoberfest - Wilmington, NC – October 17, 2015
3This 12th Annual Oktoberfest will include authentic German food and beer, wiener dog races, live music and kids zone. Admission is $5.
Location: 230 Government Center Dr, Wilmington, NC 28403
Past Events
Carolina Oktoberfest at Tanglewood Park – Clemmons, NC – September 20, 2014
The 4th Annual Carolina Oktoberfest will offer beer samples from national and local craft breweries as well as live music, food and cornhole tournament. Tickets are $20 in advance. Location: 4061 Clemmons Rd Clemmons, NC 27012
Twisted Oak Bar & Grill Oktoberfest – Statesville, NC – September 20, 2014
The first annual Oktoberfest features the Top Mountain Polka Band. Located at 121 N Center Street, Statesville
Waldhorn Restaurant Oktoberfest – Friday and Saturday from Sept. 19-Oct 11, 2014
This German restaurant opens up for their 15th Annual Oktoberfest with German food and live music under the tent. Dance the night away. Music bands include Jerry Goodman and the Sauerkraut Band, Autobahn, Continentals, and The Alpen Echos.
Location: 12101 Lancaster Hwy, Pineville, NC 28134-6375
J. Betski’s Oktoberfest – Raleigh, NC – September 21, 2014
J. Betski’s will throw this Raleigh Oktoberfest from 3-8 PM with German food, beer and live music. Tickets are $65.
Location: 10 West Franklin St Suite 120, Raleigh, NC 27604
Southport Moose Oktoberfest – September 27, 2014
Smith Mountain Lake Oktoberfest – October 4, 2014
St. Therese Oktoberfest – October 17, 2014
St. James Oktoberfest – November 1, 2014
Brookwood Annual Oktoberfest – October 18, 2014
Durham American Legion Oktoberfest - Durham, NC – September 7, 2013
Location: 406 E Trinity, Durham, NC
You may also be interested in the largest Oktoberfests in the United States or some surrounding states that also host Oktoberfest parties: Tennessee, South Carolina and Virginia.
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 North Carolina in October:
North Carolina Festivals
North Carolina Corn Mazes
North Carolina Ghost Tours
Haunted Houses in North Carolina
North Carolina Pumpkin Patches
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