There may only be eight festivals for Oktoberfest in Georgia. That’s not very many for the nearly 750,000 Georgia residents claiming German heritage. But don’t let the low number fool you. These are some of the best in the United States. You’ll just have to attend one for yourself to confirm:
2014
Helen Oktoberfest – Helen, GA – Starts September 11 – November 2, 2014
Helen’s 44th annual Oktoberfest open on September 11th with German music, dancing, food and drinks! This event draws thousands from around the world and is frequently listed on the Top Oktoberfest lists because of its authentic atmosphere. After opening for the first two weekends only (Thursday to Sunday), it is open daily. Helen is an alpine village located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains in North Georgia. It is known for its cobblestone alleys, luxury mountain accommodations and shopping. Location: 1074 Edelweiss Strasse, Helen, GA 30571
Effingham Oktoberfest - Effingham, GA – September 26-27, 2014
2014 will be its fifth year. There will be arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities and entertainment. Plus the chicken dance and Best Facial Whiskers contest. They have German food as well as traditional festival fare such as kettle corn, funnel cakes and barbecue. Parking is free. Admission is free but wristband purchase (~$2) is required for those 21+ to drink. American and German beer are then sold for $5-6, and there is a beer garden. Over 3,500 people and 65 vendors attended this Georgia Oktoberfest in 2012. Location: 6755 Prosperity Drive, Rincon, GA 31326
River Street Oktoberfest – Savannah, GA – October 3-5, 2014
A three day festival on historic River Street overlooking the Savannah River that has been called Savannah’s party of the fall season. 2014 will be the 31st annual Savannah Oktoberfest. Beer, wine and German food including bratwurst, sauerkraut and giant pretzels. Take part in the fun with a sausage eating contest, wiener dog races, and chicken dances. There will be live entertainment all weekend long on the Arbor Stage and regional arts and crafts vendors will exhibit. On Friday evening, you can also enjoy the monthly first Friday fireworks when the sky turns dark. Location: River Street, Savannah Georgia
Stone Mountain Village Oktoberfest – Stone Mountain, GA – October 11-12, 2014
This festival has been going on for more than 5 years, with average attendance over the two day period between 2,000 and 4,000. Authentic German food and beer. Original art in the arts festival. Historic hayrides and other activities for kids and families. Live German music and folk dancers. Free admission and parking. Stone Mountain Village is a quaint village next to a granite outcropping that has shops, restaurants and other entertainment. It dates back to 1822 and features turn of the century architecture. It is located 12 miles from downtown Atlanta. Location: 6655 James B. Rivers Drive, Stone Mountain
Macon Octoberfest - Macon, GA – October 24-25, 2014
Second annual event will have Bavarian cuisine, beer garden, homebrew contests, cyclocross race, music by Georgia bands and a singer-songwriter competition. Kickoff the weekend at the Founders Feast on Friday night or start Sunday with the Brewers Brunch. 100% of proceeds benefit Macon Volunteer Clinic, Alzheimer’s Association Georgia Chapter and the L.H. Harris Ecology Center.
Location: Cherry Street Plaza, Macon, GA
Atlanta Oktoberfest – Weekends from September 20 – October 12, 2014
Kicks off on September 21st at 5 PM by tapping a keg of Warsteiner Oktoberfest for Munich on Marietta Street.
Location: Der Biergarten, 300 Marietta St, Atlanta, GA 30313
LocTrinity Lutheran Church Oktoberfest - Lilburn, GA – October 4, 2014
11th annual Oktoberfest held rain or shine. Live music and dancing, arts and crafts fair, and kid’s carnival. Authentic German and American food and beverages.
Location: 1826 Killian Hill Road, Lilburn, GA.:
HDI Atlanta Oktoberfest - October 15, 2014
Fundraiser for Year Up Atlanta. $15 per person includes 2 raffle tickets, brewery tour, beer tastings and souvenir pint glass.
Location: Monday Night Brewing, 670 Trabert Ave NW
Last Year’s Events
Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens - Savanna, GA – October 18, 2013
Food, beer and traditional German music on Friday night from 7:30 until the beer runs out. $35 per person. Call (912)921-5460 for more information.
Location: 2 Canebrake Road, Savannah, GA 31419
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!
Try my list of the largest Oktoberfests in the United States for the most popular festivals. And if you can’t make it to one of these, check the list of nearby states that also hold events for Oktoberfest: Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee.
We’ve got some other resources that would help you prepare for Oktoberfest as well. 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 Georgia in October:
Georgia Festivals
Georgia Corn Mazes
Georgia Ghost Tours
Haunted Houses in Georgia
Georgia Pumpkin Patches
The post Oktoberfest in Georgia appeared first on Funtober.