The longevity of the Oktoberfest in Germantown is pretty remarkable, especially when you consider that even a decade ago, the neighborhood wasn’t nearly as popular a destination for visitors as it is today. Now that G-town is one of the “it neighborhoods” of “it city,” more than 143,000 visitors and locals attended the festival last year.
This year, Oktoberfest will be held over the weekend of Oct. 7-9, and organizers are expecting another record crowd at the family-friendly event. Spread out over several blocks encompassing much of the Germantown neighborhood, Oktoberfest will feature more than 100 local and regional artisans, German food from 25 restaurants and vendors, German music, a Kids Zone and much more.
Admission is free to the festival, but VIP tickets are available for a premium experience, including private lounges and complimentary catered food and beer. You can buy those special passes in advance from the website or at the gate.
Organizers shared some fun figures about last year’s Oktoberfest consumption:
8,000 pounds of German potato salad
11,200 bratwursts in the VIP area alone
3,600 pounds of sauerkraut
700 kegs of German beer
960 bottles of German wine
If you’re interested in joining in the conspicuous consumption, mark your calendar for this weekend:
Friday, Oct. 7: 2 to 10 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 8: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 9: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Between the neighborhood parking crunch and all that German beer and wine, alternate travel arrangements are strongly suggested.
