Strap on your Lederhosen and toast your favorite brews at one (or more) of our 20+ picks for 2023 Oktoberfest celebrations,taking place around Houston.
Around Houston and beyond, brewery taps are again flowing with beer and the beginning of fall brings back the annual tradition of Oktoberfest to beloved taprooms in the city.
This season, you can expect a ton of festive competitions, best dressed contests, delicious German dishes, special brew releases, and much more.
Here are some of the best places this season to raise a glass and “Zicke, Zacke, Zicke, Zacke, Hoi, Hoi, Hoi!”
2023 Oktoberfest Events & Celebrations in Houston
Weekend of Friday, September 22, 2023
- Oktoberfest Kick-Off Party at King’s BierHaus Heights | Friday, September 22 | No Cover – Kicking off Oktoberfest ahead of King’s official festival in October, this in-house party features a wooden keg tapping with a Bavarian pig roast, plus VIP ticket giveaways and a Bavarian Stronghuman competition for tickets. 5pm to 11pm.
- Karbachtoberfest Week 1 at Karbach Brewing Company | Friday, September 22 to Sunday, September 24 | FREE – The Spring Branch brewery kicks off their three-week celebration with Friday night music from Grand Old Grizzly and Ransom Brothers; a Saturday of stein hoisting, chicken dances and keg races, with polka music, live DJ and The Monica’s ’90s Band; and Sunday wraps up with wiener dog races and pet vendors. Times vary.
- Oktoberfest 2023 at Spindletap Brewery | Saturday, September 23 | FREE – The North Houston brewery kicks off a slate of festivities with live music from the Homebrewed Brass Ensemble, German-inspired foods, games like stein holding and wife carrying, contests and more. 11am to 10pm.
- B52 Oktoberfest at B-52 Brewing | Saturday, September 23 | FREE – Enjoy German brews and traditional foods at the Conroe brewery’s annual Oktoberfest celebration, featuring live music, games and competitions, a best-dressed contest and more. Free to attend; drink bundles are $30. Noon to 9pm.
- Missouri City Oktoberfest at Quail Valley City Centre | Saturday, September 23 | FREE – Get the German fun rolling with a night of traditional food and beer, live music and plenty of games and competitions at the Missouri City public golf course. 4pm to 7pm.
- Oktoberfest at Vallensons’ Brewing Co. | Saturday, September 23 | No Cover – The Pearland brewery hosts a night of Oktoberfest fun with German beers, food from Seven Seeds BBQ, contests and tunes. 6pm to 9pm.
Weekend of Friday, September 29, 2023
- Oktoberfest 2023 at Saint Arnold Brewing Company | Friday, September 29 & Saturday, September 30 | FREE – The spacious beer garden at Saint Arnold hosts high energy live music from Das Ist Lustig with Valina Polka, plus King and Queens of Oktoberfest contests, chicken dances, stein hoisting, glass boots and more. 4pm to 9pm.
- Karbachtoberfest Week 2 at Karbach Brewing Company | Friday, September 29 to Sunday, October 1 | FREE – The Spring Branch brewery keeps the celebration rolling with Friday night music from The Suffers; a Saturday of stein hoisting, chicken dances and keg races, with polka music, live DJ and The Mockingbirds Band; and Sunday wraps up with wiener dog races, a pup cup truck and pet vendors. Times vary.
- Oktoberfest at Urban South HTX Brewery | Saturday, September 30 | FREE – Strap on your Lederhosen and enjoy a day of Oktoberfest fun near Sawyer Yards with games like keg rolling, a mustard-eating contest and stein-holding competition, alongside dozens of flowing taps and German foods. 1pm to midnight.
- Oktoberfest 5K Pub Run/Walk at The Phoenix on Westheimer | Saturday, September 30 – Soak in the (hopefully) great weather and join a Montrose pub crawl starting at the Phoenix on Westheimer and proceeding around West Alabama Ice House, Poison Girl, and beyond—followed by a stein hoisting competition—at a fundraiser to support Friends of the Phoenix’s Education Fund. $10. 2pm to 6pm.
- Oktoberfest at Eureka Heights Brewing Co. | Saturday, September 30 | FREE – Get down for the popular drinking holiday and enjoy eats like sauerkraut, pretzels and brats and well as live music, photo ops and games at the Heights brewery. 2pm to 7pm.
- KTX Oktoberfest at Typhoon Texas Waterpark | Saturday, September 30 | FREE – The Katy waterpark hosts a full night celebration with German-themed food and drink, live music and entertainment, contests, and traditional Bavarian brews. Free to attend; drink passes start at $15. 5pm to 10pm.
- Oktoberfest at Fass Brewing | Saturday, September 30 & Sunday, October 1 | FREE – The Conroe brewery on Main Street hosts a weekend celebration with German foods, a stein hoisting competition, weenie dog races, and plenty of flowing liters of lager. Saturday 11am to midnight; Sunday 11am to 8pm.
- Oktoberfest at Ingenious Brewing Company | Sunday, October 1 | FREE – The Humble brewery welcomes the month of October with a celebration of fun games, a costume contest, German grub from GastroCraft, competitions, trivia and more. Noon to 9pm.
- Biergarten: Oktoberfest at CityCentre | Sundays in October | FREE – Every Sunday afternoon, the Memorial-area shopping and dining destination hosts a biergarten tent with curated selections of beer and wine, where you can also catch screenings of the day’s football games for an American twist on the German holiday. Noon to 7pm.
Weekend of Friday, October 6, 2023
- Karbachtoberfest Week 3 at Karbach Brewing Company | Friday, October 6 to Sunday, October 8 | FREE – The Spring Branch brewery caps their three-week Oktoberfest celebration with Friday night music from Diamante Perez; a Saturday of stein hoisting, chicken dances and keg races, with polka music, live DJ and The Slags; and Sunday wraps up with wiener dog races, a wiener dog costume contest and pet vendors. Times vary.
- 4th Annual Läktoberfest at Lake Houston Brewery | Saturday, October 7 | FREE – The lakeside brewery offers stunning views to pair with its day-long Oktoberfest celebration, featuring German brews and delicious foods, contests, special edition merch, live music, games and more. 11am to 10pm.
- 2023 Beaumont Oktoberfest at Rogers Park | Saturday, October 7 | FREE – This 8th annual family-friendly fest hosts a full evening of live music and DJ tunes, plus a wide selection of German Oktoberfest-style beer and local craft favs. Make sure to come hungry as over a dozen food vendors will be doling out delicious grub. 3pm to 8pm.
- Oktoberfest at Sugar Land Town Square | Saturday, October 7 – Flying Saucer Biergarten opens more than 50 taps for a Bavarian celebration in Sugar Land, featuring a vintage and crafts market, live music and dance, and traditional German foods with games and contests like the dachshund dash, stein races, bratwurst eating contest and more. $5 in advance, free for ages 11 and under; tasting packages are $25 and up. 4pm to 9pm.
Weekend of Friday, October 13, 2023
- King’s Oktoberfest 2023 at King’s Bierhaus Heights | Friday, October 13 to Sunday, October 15 – The Bavarian BierHaus in the Heights hosts a weekend of Oktoberfest fun with a wide selection of German beer and authentic German plates, costume contests, mug lifting competitions, live music and carnival games. One-day passes are $20 and up, $59 including drinks. VIP passes are $120 and includes food and more. Times vary.
- Oktoberfest at Galveston Island Brewing | Saturday, October 14 | FREE – Toast to the island life at the expanded Galveston Island Brewing, featuring a full day of food and dance, with commemorative steins up for grabs, competitions, fun activities and live music. Noon to 8pm.
- Oktoberfest at Southern Star Brewing Co. | Saturday, October 14 | FREE – In Conroe, the Bombshell Blonde brewery kicks off a family-friendly Oktoberfest celebration, with special brews, tasty foods, live music by the Homebrewed Brass Ensemble, games and more. Noon to 10pm.
Weekend of Friday, October 27, 2023
- Island Oktoberfest at First Lutheran Church of Galveston | Friday, October 27 & Saturday, October 28 | FREE – Galveston’s family-friendly festival returns for its 41st year, offering a weekend of free entertainment, food, rides and games. Enjoy traditional German food and drink while you take in a slate of polka performers on both days. Friday 5pm to 10pm; Saturday 11am to 10pm.
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