Want to celebrate Oktoberfest but can’t make it all the way to Munich? Visit one of these American cities for an authentic celebration of all things Bavarian: good food, good beer, good culture, and even a wiener dog race.
Cincinnati, OH
The Cincinnati Oktoberfest celebration, called Zinzinnati, is the largest Oktoberfest in the country, and the second-largest in the world, after Munich’s own. Each year, an honored guest leads the large crowds in the Chicken Dance; in 1994, the dance was led by the Crown Prince of Bavaria, and with more than 48,000 dancers participating, the event set a record for the World’s Largest Chicken Dance. Zinzinnati runs from September 19th-21st.
Frankenmuth, MI
In 1996, the Oktoberfest in Frankenmuth, which is celebrated September 18th-21st, became the first Oktoberfest outside of Munich to be officially sanctioned by the Munich government. The city’s community pavilion is a scaled-down version of an authentic German beer hall, and the town, known as “Michigan’s Little Bavaria,” has its own cuckoo clock store. Frankenmuth also has an interesting take on kicking off the festivities: they release 50 to 100 dachshunds in the pavilion in the hopes they’ll race across the floor to the other side. A sight to be seen.
Denver, CO
Denver celebrated its first Oktoberfest in 1969, when restaurant owners Fred and Hertha Thomas tapped a keg outside of their Cafe Promenade. Since then, Denver’s Oktoberfest has grown to become one of the biggest and best in the country, with thousands of celebrants visiting Denver every year during the festival. Denver’s Oktoberfest runs over two weekends, from September 19th-21th and September 26th-28th.
Reading, PA
The phrase “Pennsylvania Dutch” does not refer to the Dutch from the Netherlands, but to the Pennsylvania Deutsch, or German, and the Reading Liederkranz Oktoberfest celebrated in Reading, Pennsylvania, doesn’t let down its home state’s German heritage. Celebrated from the 1st through the 4th of October, Reading Liederkranz Oktoberfest is considered the largest and most authentic Oktoberfest in Pennsylvania.
Leavenworth, WA
The Leavenworth Oktoberfest is celebrated across three weekends in October, and takes advantage of the town’s authentic Bavarian feel, with its small colorful houses resting at the foot of the Cascade Mountains. Be sure not to miss the kickoff of the festivities, with Leavenworth’s own Musikkapelle (the Bavarian town band) riding through town playing traditional polkas and marches.
(photo courtesy of two cups of tea on Flickr)
