Willkommen to Oktoberfest!

​This fall, I had the privilege of going to Oktoberfest at the Frederick Fairgrounds! It is a great way to drink awesome cider or beer, listening to performances, check out handmade art, eat delicious German food, and watch German dancing routines.

What is Oktoberfest?

Oktoberfest is a beer celebration that brings German traditions to life! The celebration dates back to the 1800’s in Munich, Germany to celebrate the royal wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. While the festivities were originally celebrated in October, now, Octoberfest is held September because there is more daylight in the evening, meaning longer partying! It is also warmer in September, so people can enjoy beautiful weather without being too chilly. It is a two weeklong festival in Munich where you can enjoy delicious beer (or cider if you are gluten free like me), eat authentic German cuisine, and get to know the community.


Oktoberfest in Frederick

Oktoberfest 2025 took place for only two days at the Frederick Fairgrounds from September 26th-27th. It is one of the largest festivals in the area and is led by the Rotary Club of Carroll Creek as well as the Rotary Club of Southern Frederick County. What I loved most about the festival was that all of the proceeds made went to Frederick’s community needs.

Entry fees vary by event and year. When I went, I purchased the $24 admission ticket which included a beer stein that I could take home! General admission without the beer stein was $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 3-12. I would highly recommend getting the beer stein if you go because it is personalized to the year you attend, and you save a couple of bucks when getting drinks since they only charge you the refill price.


Food and Beer

There are four beer stations at Oktoberfest Frederick, and two food centers that serve up juicy Bratwurst, pan-fried Schnitzel, soft pretzels, sauerkraut, potato salad and much more! After lunch, we stopped to get a fresh apple strudel which was one of the best things that I’ve ever eaten! It was such a warm and delicious treat.

There was a variety of German, and local beers, at the event. The premium German beer consisted of a Hofbrau Oktoberfest, Hofbrau Original Lager, Hofbrau Dunkel and a Stiegl Radler. They also had beer available form one of the most popular beer spots in town, Brewers Alley. If you are not a beer drinker like me, there are non-alcoholic beers and beverages as well as cider and wine options.


Entertainment

There were live performances throughout the two days, as well as kid zone performances which took place on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. While I did not catch any German dances, one of my close friends is in a German dancing group so I wanted to add some pictures of him to show their costumes.


My favorite part of the day was the strong man contest. It is a competition for both men, and women to see who can hold a beer stein full of water the longest. My boyfriend participated and he said while it was a lot of fun, after a couple of minutes, it really starts to get difficult!


I loved my first experience at Oktoberfest, seeing all of the authentic German traditions, and I look forward to going again next year! It is a great way to experience culture in the comfort of your community!

Helpful links:

https://www.visitfrederick.org/blog/stories/post/fredericks-oktoberfest-an-authentic-german-experience/.

https://www.frederickoktoberfest.org/food-drink.


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