Celebrate Oktoberfest in Colorado like a German

Toast the autumn season at an Oktobefest festival! A proud German tradition since 1810, Munich’s Oktoberfest is now one of the world’s largest fairs, gathering more than six million people over sixteen days. It’s held from late September to early October.

With nearly a million Coloradoans claiming German heritage, we have own fair share of Oktoberfests. Most events feature Bavarian food, dance, music and beer. The first festival kicks off in late August in Jefferson County, while the last ones wrap up on October 7th.

2017 Colorado Oktoberfests: Prost!

T.E.V. Edelweiss Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat-27, August 26-27
• Address: 17832 Highway 8, Morrison
• About: Fourth annual fest including dancers, live bands, traditional food and cold beer. There will be displays from the German American Heritage Museum, as well as kids games.

Beaver Creek Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat-Sun, September 2-3
• Address: Beaver Creek Plaza, Avon
• About: Beaver Creek’s 18th annual Oktoberfest features complimentary live entertainment and Bavarian culinary demos. All guests can compete in the Bavarian Costume Contest on Saturday. On Sunday you can register for the Oktoberfest Shuffle, and children can perform at the Kids’ European Alpenhorn contest.

Breckenridge Oktoberfest

• Date: Fri-Sun, September 8-10
• Address: Main St, Breckenridge
• About: Now in its 23rd year, Breck’s Oktoberfest is one of the largest in the Rocky Mountains. There’ll be German cuisine (two dozen food vendors), dancers, costumes, Oompah & polka music, as well as Paulaner Bier. Activities include a 5k, keg tapping ceremony and games for the kids. Please leave dogs at home.

Vail Oktoberfest

• Date: Fri-Sun, September 8-10 & 15-17
• Address: Lionshead Village and Vail Village, Vail
• About: Celebration of Bavarian music, dancing, food, yodeling and alpenhorn blowing, held over two weekends in Vail’s Austrian inspired village. Compete in Klement’s Bratwurst Eating Contests, Keg Bowling, Stein Lifting, Oktoberfest Costume and the Oktoberfest Fun Run. Paulaner Bier is enjoyed.

Royal Gorge Route Railroad Oktoberfest

• Date: September 9-October 22; 12:30pm departure
• Address: 401 Water St, Cañon City
• About: Lunch train through the Royal Gorge with Bavarian fare and special Oktoberfest bier. Ticket includes a Royal Gorge Route logo pint glass.

Pueblo Oktoberfest

• Date: Fri-Sat, September 15-16
• Address: 132 West B Street, Pueblo
• About: German fare, costume contest and stein hoisting contest.

OktoberWest

• Date: Fri-Sat, September 15-16
• Address: Lincoln Ave (Friday) and Gondola Square (Saturday), Steamboat Springs
• About: 9th annual OktoberWest features a pub crawl on Friday in downtown and an after party at Schmiggity’s. On Saturday the party moves to the base of the ski area. Kids can play at the Coca-Cola Adventure Zone, while adults can enjoy the I Love Beef Cook Off and Beer Garden. 45 Colorado brewers offer two beers each. Live music takes the stage at 2pm.

Loveland Oktoberfest

• Date: Fri-Sat, September 15-16
• Address: Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, Loveland
• About: Free admission, food trucks, craft vendors and family activities. Concert at Thunder Mountain Amphitheater.

Parker Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat-Sun, September 15-17
• Address: 10795 S Victorian Dr, Parker
• About: 12th annual event with German music, dancers, biergarten with three Paulaner beers, Miss Oktoberfest contest, and an obstacle course, bungee tramp & a slide for kids.

FORToberfest

• Date: Sat, September 16
• Address: Walnut St and Old Town Square, Fort Collins
• About: Jubilee commemorating Fort Collins’ culture of bicycles, beers and bands. A range of free live music from funk to bluegrass and rock to indie will be heard. There’ll be bicycle manufacturers, retailers and enthusiast groups, as well as a number of local breweries with seasonal craft beers to enjoy. No pets are admitted.

Denver Kickers Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat, September 16
• Address: 16676 W 50th, Golden
• About: Bavarian style festival with food, drinks and live music.

Rocky Mountain OktoberfestPlus

• Date: Sat-Sun, September 16-17
• Address: Ute Pass Cultural Center, 210 E Midland Ave, Woodland Park
• About: 20th annual event with German brats, beer & wine, live entertainment, as well as a climbing wall, obstacle course and face painting for children. Ceremonial keg tapping on Saturday at 11am. No pets permitted.

Longmont Oktoberfest

• Date: Fri-Sat, September 22-23
• Address: Roosevelt Park, Longmont
• About: Presented by Left Hand Brewing featuring Longmont breweries, live music and German themed festivities. Contests include best dressed, stein holding and bratwurst eating.

Celtic Fest & Oktoberfest

• Date: Fri-Sat, September 22-23
• Address: 4th St Plaza, Carbondale
• About: Enjoy Irish dancing, music and a “Best Legs in a Kilt Contest” on Friday. Sláinte! Saturday features a full day of Oktoberfest celebrations including brats, bands, beer, brat eating contest, liter holding contest and the chicken dance.

Denver Oktoberfest

• Date: Fri-Sun, September 22-23 & 29-30
• Address: 20th Ave and Larimer St, Denver
• About: Since 1969, Denver has been hosting its Oktoberfest, which now attracts over 350,000 fans. Maxim and USA Today claim it as the best Oktoberfest in the USA. Entertainment includes stein hoisting, keg bowling and brat eating contests, live music, as well as the 11th annual Long Dog Derby, which determines city’s fastest dachshunds.

Denver Oktoberfest Stein Holding Contest.

Brush Oktoberfest

• Date: Fri-Sun, September 22-24
• Address: Clayton St, Brush
• About: 35th annual fest with a car/motorcycle show, dog contest, beer garden, craft booths, kids games and live polka band. Cruise In on Friday night.

Colorado Springs Oktoberfest

• Date: Fri-Sun, September 22-24
• Address: Security Service Field, 4385 Tutt Blvd, Colorado Springs
• About: Keg tapping ceremony on Friday evening and 8k Fun Run on Saturday morning. Enjoy authentic food, Paulaner beer, Primetime Band, German Chalet Dancers, MayPole ribbon dance, Dachshund Dash and costume contest. No dogs, except competing dachshunds, free admission.

Lamar Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat, September 23
• Address: Santa Fe Train Depot, Lamar
• About: Beer garden, car & motorcycle show, kids’ games, charity 5K Relay Race, horse shoe tournament and live bands.

Autumn Gold Festival

• Date: Sat-Sun, September 23-24
• Address: Bond Park, Estes Park
• About: It’s not an Oktoberfest, but it’s still a fun fall festival with bands, brats and beer! Now in its 23rd year, complimentary family activities include face painting, soap bubbles, corn bag toss, bouncing room and rides in a fire engine & antique cars. There’s also a raffle to win $5,000.

OktoBREWfest

• Date: Fri-Sat, September 29-30
• Address: Lincoln Park, 8th St & 9th Ave, Greeley
• About: Two days of live music, games, crafts, brats and beer. Compete in volleyball, pie eating, stein lifting and life-size beer pong. Face painting, obstacle course, bubble tower, arcade games and inflatable slide for children.

Montrose Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat, September 30
• Address: Centennial Plaza, Montrose
• About: 12th annual event in downtown with twenty microbreweries and traditional fare. Admission includes an Oktoberfest cup, beer tasting and live music.

Castle Rock Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat, September 30
• Address: Wilcox Square and surrounding streets, Castle Rock
• About: Free Oktoberfest, street fair, live music, food vendors, bounce houses and demonstrations.

Niwot Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat, September 30
• Address: Cottonwood Square, Niwot
• About: 9th annual event with live music, face & pumpkin painting, balloon sculptures, bouncy castle, dancing, food, beer & wine.

Berthoud Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat, October 7
• Address: Fickel Park, Berthoud
• About: 7th annual event with authentic food, music and dancing, as well as children’s activities, arts & crafts, vendor booths and local microbrewers.

La Veta Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat, October 7
• Address: La Veta
• About: 31st annual event featuring a bier garden, veteran’s tribute, Twin Peak Rodder’s Car Show, German band, dancing, and over sixty arts, crafts & food vendors.

Ouray Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat, October 7
• Address: Ouray Community Center, Ouray
• About: German fare, polka, fireworks and the 53rd Annual Jeep Raffle.

Durango Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat, October 7
• Address: Purgatory Resort, Durango
• About: Fine food and beverages from local vendors and breweries. Oompah bands, Stein Holsting Competition and Brewers Brat Eating Contest.

Louisville Oktoberfest

• Date: Sat-Sun, October 7-8
• Address: Steinbaugh Pavilion, Old Town, Louisville
• About: Bavarian traditional style, small town festival featuring live music, food, games, kids area and dancing. Only German beers will be served, as well as European wines, mead, and cider for the non-beer drinkers. An international chef from Austria will cook up authentic fare. And the little ones can play with jumpy castle, arts, crafts, fussball tables and sip apple juice.

Please share any other fun fall festivals below.