Vermont will draw a crowd for Oktoberfest in September and October 2015 as local residents and visitors enjoy the German beer, food and fall foliage in New England. The local communities, breweries and ski resorts celebrate the marriage of the future King Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.
Last Major Update:
2015 Events
We update the dates and locations for these German festivals as they are announced throughout the year.
Oktoberfest Vermont – Burlington, VT – September 25-26, 2015
Waterfront Park on Lake Champlain will put a “Made in Vermont” spin on Oktoberfest during the last weekend in September. 5K run/walk is open to all ages. Sessions are 21+ with tickets going on sale June 1st. 40 brewers, oompah music, games and contests while Vermont’s fall foliage is in full swing!
Harpoon Oktoberfest Vermont – Windsor, VT – October 10-11, 2015
The Windsor brewery of Harpoon hosts its Vermont Oktoberfest a week after the festivities end at their Boston brewery. There will be lots of Harpoon beer, live oompah music, chicken dancing, keg bowling, fall foliage and the Harpoon Oktoberfest race. No RSVP required. $15 cover charge includes 1 Harpoon beer ticket or non-alcoholic beverage tickets. $5 discount on admission for Friends of Harpoon. Children under 12 admitted free with adult. Plenty of free parking in fields surrounding event.
Location: 336 Ruth Carney Drive, Windsor, VT 05089
Mount Snow Oktoberfest & Harvest Art & Craft Festival – West Dover, VT – October 10-11, 2015
Vermont Chamber of Commerce called this a Top 10 Fall Event in 2014. The 18th Annual Mount Snow Oktoberfest will feature German beer, cuisine, and games for kids and adults. It’s the 42nd Annual Arts & Crafts Fair too. Children’s games in the kids zone include bean bag toss, bouncy house and pumpkin painting. An apple sling shot and the schnitzel toss mean there are plenty of activities for kids at this family friendly event. Selection of beer from at least twenty-five different German and domestic breweries.
Location: 39 Mount Snow Road, West Dover, Dover, Vermont 05356
Bennington Oktoberfest – Bennington, VT – October 10, 2015
Last year’s description: The North Bennington Oktoberfest hosted by the Norshaft Lions and Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce moves from McCullough Park to Colgate Park this year. It will have live music featuring the Rymanowski Brothers Orchestra as well as Bavarian food, Oktoberfest beer, family activities and arts & craft vendors. Admission is $5.
Location: Historic Colgate Park, Route 9 West
Stowe Oktoberfest – Stowe, VT – October 2-4, 2015
The Rotary Club of Stowe will host their 19th annual Oktoberfest. Jackson Ice Arena is converted into a Bavarian village for one of the top 10 events in Vermont. A Grand Parade opens Oktoberfest on Saturday with marching bands, floats and classic cars. Hear music by the Sugardaddies. Join them for the kick off rock’n roll concert and lots of beer, wine, and wurst.
Location: 350 Park St, Stowe, VT 05672
Sugarbush Resort Oktoberfest – Warren, VT – October 11, 2015
Family friendly event with live music from Opa’s Oompah Band, beer garden, German games and kid-friendly Bavarian buffet and activities.
Location: 1840 Sugarbush Access Rd, Warren, VT
Past Events
Trapp Family Lodge Oktoberfest – Stowe, VT – September 27, 2014
Live music, Trapp Family lagers and seasonal & austrian food. In 2014, they’ll have a Kick Off BBQ for $29 per person and the Inseldudler Band will be playing. Keg tapping happens at 4 PM. They will have an extended Oktoberfest lunch menu through October 2nd.
Location: 700 Trapp Hill Road, Stowe, VT
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 2014 event when information for 2015 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!
Some of these Oktoberfest parties might be on the smaller side. Try my list of the largest Oktoberfests in the United States for the most popular and attended celebrations of German heritage. You should also consider traveling to these nearby states to party for Oktoberfest: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York.
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 Vermont in October:
Vermont Festivals
Vermont Corn Mazes
Vermont Ghost Tours
Haunted Houses in Vermont
Vermont Pumpkin Patches
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