39th Annual Oktoberfest
Oct 2-3 & 9-10, 2020
STAY TUNED TO THIS PAGE FOR FESTIVAL UPDATES. AT THIS POINT, 2020 DOWNTOWN OKTOBERFEST HAS CANCELLED
Come to one of the best Oktoberfest celebrations in the nation! This traditional festival is modeled after one of the world’s largest celebrations, held each year for several centuries in Munich, Germany. New Ulm’s version takes place during the first two full weekends in October, with festivities happening all over town! The main locations for Oktoberfest in 2020 are Historic Downtown, Best Western Plus, Morgan Creek Vineyards and Schell’s Brewery.
Scroll down for 2019 schedule. Information subject to change.
Downtown New Ulm
Join us in historic downtown New Ulm for an Oktoberfest celebration in the streets both Saturdays of Oktoberfest! The first weekend features the Germanic-American Day Parade, which kicks off the downtown festival at 11am on Saturday, October 5. Organized by the New Ulm German-Bohemian Society, anyone who is proud of their Germanic heritage is invited to march in the parade! The end of the parade route flows right into the Downtown Oktoberfest celebration, with music (a mix of traditional/polka/country/contemporary), German (and American) food, local beer (Schell’s/Grain Belt) and wine (Morgan Creek Vineyards), and much more! Games, horse-drawn trolley rides, a stein-holding contest and more take place both Saturdays of Oktoberfest. Break out your dirndls and lederhosen and come join us!
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Germanic-American Day Parade, 11am
Bockfest Boys, 11am-1:30pm
Rock of Ages, 2pm-5pm
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Bockfest Boys, 11am-1:30pm
Church of Cash, 2pm-5pm
Best Western Plus/Green Mill
Festivities at the Best Western Plus include a full schedule of “oom-pah!” with performances by New Ulm’s famous Concord Singers among other bands. Best Western Plus has expanded their celebration and added an outdoor music event, Rocktoberfest, featuring popular bands. The celebration kicks off with the official keg opening on Friday evening, a tradition that is still practiced today in Germany’s Oktoberfests. The food and music continue late into the night on both Fridays and both Saturdays of Oktoberfest.
Morgan Creek Vineyards
Head to Morgan Creek Vineyards on October 5th for STOMP New Ulm! Morgan Creek Vineyards' Oktoberfest Annual Grape Stomp. Voted BEST Fall Event in Southern Minnesota by Explore Southern Minnesota! Harvest Festival with competitive grape-stomping - an honorable salute to the harvest season! Take off your shoes and get ready to dance! Traditional Morris Dancers and the Satori Belly Dancers perform on the winery grounds. Dancing, stomping, and revelry throughout the afternoon.
Schell's Brewery
Schell’s Brewery knows how to throw a party, and their Schell’s Oktoberfest celebration, held on Saturday, October 12th this year, is no exception! Schell’s is a German Craft Beer company that was begun by German settlers here in New Ulm in 1860, so they know what they are doing when it comes to German festivals! Music, beer, and lederhosen abound! New this year: Schell's is throwing an Oktoberfest Pre-Party on Friday, October 11 from 4:30-9:30pm
Come see what all the fuss is about!
Ranked among the Best Oktoberfest Celebrations in the Nation by The Travel Chanel (2018), Midwest Living (2018), Travel + Leisure (2017), Food&Wine (2017), The Huffington Post (2016), Fox News (2016), USA TODAY 10Best (2017 & 2015), Conde Nast Traveler (2015), Tripping.com (2015), TravelPulse (2015), Fodor’s Travel (2014), and voted Best Oktoberfest in MN by WCCO (2014).
Latest News:
Bier, Wurst, and Lederhosen by Mpls St. Paul Magazine (2019)
10 Things to Do in MN This Fall by Explore Minnesota (2019)
Oktoberfests Around The Twin Cities by Mpls St. Paul Magazine (2019)
New Ulm Oktoberfest is among Best in the Nation by Minnesota Monthly (2019)
10 Authentic Oktoberfests in the US You Should Know About by USA TODAY (2019)
The Most Iconic Oktoberfest Celebrations in the US by Travel Pulse (2019)
The USA's Best Fall Wine Harvest Festivals by Budget Travel (2019)
Grab a Bier this Oktoberfest in New Ulm by MN Explorer/Star Tribune (2019)
Downtown New Ulm
Saturdays, Oct 5 & 12
11am-5pm
Intersection of Center St. and Minnesota St.
507-233-4300
info@newulm.com
Admission: Free
Germanic-American Day Parade
Saturday, Oct 5
11am
Downtown New Ulm
507-354-2097
Best Western Plus
Oct 4-5 & 11-12
Fridays: evening, Saturdays: all day!
2101 South Broadway
507-359-2941
gm@greenmillnewulm.com
Admission charged
Morgan Creek Vineyards
Saturday, Oct 5
11am-9pm
23707 478th Ave
507-947-3547
martimcv@aol.com
www.morgancreekvineyards.com
Admission charged
Ride the FREE Oktoberfest Express shuttle from Green Mill to the winery from 11am-5pm on Saturday, October 5.
Schell’s Brewery
Saturday, Oct 12
10:30am - Gates Open
10:45am - Beer Wagon Arrives
11am - Tapping of the Fest Keg
4:30pm - Last Call for Alcohol
5pm - Close
507-354-5528
www.schellsbrewery.com
schells@schellsbrewery.com
Admission charged
For questions about New Ulm Oktoberfest, contact:
New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce
507-233-4300
info@newulm.com
Follow us on Facebook!
Full Oktoberfest Schedule 2019
Updated often - so check back!
Details about these events and more can be found here: Event Calendar
Friday, October 4
Performances
5-6pm - Concord Singers/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
6-6:30pm - Fest Keg Opening/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
6-8pm - Buffalo Alice/Best Western - Outdoor Tent
6:30-7:30pm - Concord Singers/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
6:30-9pm – Winedown for the Weekend/Morgan Creek Vineyards
7:30-9:30pm - The Alan Munde Trio/State Street Theater Co.
7:30-10:30pm - Strangebyrds/Grand Kabaret
7:45-9:15pm - Schell’s Hobo Band/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
8:30-11:30pm - Blue Ringers/Best Western - Outdoor Tent
8:30-11:30pm - Up All Night DJ/B&L Bar
9:30-11:30 - Dale Dahmen/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
Attractions and Events
Anytime - #OnlyinMN Monument at Hermann Heights
8am-5pm - Virtual Reality Fridays at Tech Unlimited
9am-5pm – Guten Tag Haus
10am-2pm – Minnesota Music Hall of Fame
10am-4pm - Brown County Historical Museum
10:30am, 12, 1, 3 and 5pm – Glockenspiel/Schonlau Park
10:30am-4:30pm – Domeiers German Store
11am-5pm – Schell’s Brewery
11am-9pm – Morgan Creek Vineyards
12, 1, 2, 3 and 4pm – Brewery Tours/Schell’s Brewery
12-5pm - Oktoberfest Craft & Vendor Show
1-4pm – Governor John Lind House
4-9pm – Starkeller Brewery & Tap Room
4:30-9pm - Oktoberfest at Turner Hall
Saturday, October 5
Shuttle Buses
A Free Shuttle will be running continuously from 10am – 2am today. Stops will be Downtown, Best Western Plus, & Schell’s Brewery. Alcohol, strollers and dogs are not permitted on the buses.
A Free Shuttle to the grape stomp at Morgan Creek Vineyards will also be running today from 11am - 5pm. Departs from Green Mill/Best Western Plus.
Performances
9:30am-1pm - Adam Munsterman & Friends/B&L Bar
11am-1:30pm – Bockfest Boys/Downtown
11am-6pm - STOMP New Ulm! – Grape Stomp/Morgan Creek Vineyards
2-3pm - Concord Singers/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
2-5pm - Rock of Ages/Downtown
3:15-6:15pm - Josh Norman Musik Meisters/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
4-8pm - Johnny Helget/B&L Bar
6pm - Chris Bertrand/Turner Hall
6:45-7:45pm - Concord Singers/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
7:30-10:30pm – Machinery Hill/Grand Kabaret
8-9:30pm - Wendinger Band/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
8pm-11:30pm - Powerhouse/Best Western - Outdoor Tent
9pm-12am - Luke Hendrickson/B&L Bar
9:45-11:30pm - Bockfest Boys/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
Attractions and Events
Anytime - #OnlyinMN Monument at Hermann Heights
8am - Beginners Yoga/Jefferson School
8am - Hermann Tot Trot/Recreation Center
9am – Hermann 5K Run/Recreation Center
9am-12pm – New Ulm Community Market
9am-5pm – Guten Tag Haus
10am-2pm – Minnesota Music Hall of Fame
10am-3pm – Brown County Historical Museum - Free admission!
10am-4pm – Wanda Gag House
10am-5pm - Oktoberfest Craft & Vendor Show
10am-5pm – Popcorn Wagon/Brown County Museum
10am-7pm – Hermann Monument
10:30am, 12, 1, 3 and 5pm – Glockenspiel/Schonlau Park
10:30am-4:30pm – Domeiers German Store
11am - Germanic-American Day Parade/Downtown
11am-5pm Schell’s Brewery
11am-5pm - Brewery Tours every half hour/Schell’s Brewery
11am-3pm – No. 213 Occasional Store
11am-6pm - Guided tours at Turner Hall
12-4pm – Harkin Store
12-5pm – Horse-drawn Trolley Rides / Downtown Oktoberfest
1-4pm – Governor John Lind House
1-4pm - Riverside History & Nature Learning Center
2-9pm – Starkeller Brewery & Tap Room
11am-9pm - Oktoberfest at Turner Hall
7-9pm - Haunted Mansions Movie Series - Beetlejuice/State Street Theater Co.
Sunday, October 6
Attractions and Events
Anytime - #OnlyinMN Monument at Hermann Heights
10am-7pm – Hermann Monument
10:30am, 12, 1, 3 and 5pm – Glockenspiel/Schonlau Park
11am-2pm – Oktoberfest Sunday Brunch/Morgan Creek Vineyards
11am-5pm - Morgan Creek Vineyards
11am-2pm – Wanda Gag House
11am-5pm – Schell’s Brewery
11am-7pm - Oktoberfest at Turner Hall
12-3pm – Guten Tag Haus
12, 1, 2, 3 and 4pm – Brewery Tours/Schell’s Brewery
12-4pm – Harkin Store
12-4pm - Riverside History & Nature Learning Center
1-4pm- Preparing for Winter program/Harkin Store
1-4pm – Governor John Lind House
1-5pm – Starkeller Brewery & Tap Room
Friday, October 11
Shuttle Bus
A Free Shuttle will be running continuously from 4pm – 2am today. Stops will be Downtown, Best Western Plus, & Schell’s Brewery. Alcohol, strollers and dogs are not permitted on the buses.
Performances
4:30-9:30 - DJ Mat, Oktoberfest Pre-Party/Schell's Brewery
5-6pm - Concord Singers/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
6-6:30pm - Fest Keg Opening/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
6-8pm - Cold Blooded Whiskey/Best Western - Outdoor Tent
6-9pm - Becky Rae Dalton/Starkeller Brewery
6:30-7:45pm - Schell’s Hobo Band/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
6:30-9pm – Winedown for the Weekend/Morgan Creek Vineyards
7-10pm - Captain Gravitone/MonaLena
7:30-10:30pm - Miss Myra & The Moonshiners/Grand Kabaret
7:30-11:30pm - Karaoke with Kim/Lamplighter
8-9pm - Concord Singers/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
8:30-11:30pm - Sinister/Best Western - Outdoor Tent
8:30-11:30pm - Up All Night DJ/B&L Bar
9-11:30pm - Alpensterne/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
Attractions and Events
Anytime - #OnlyinMN Sign at Hermann Monument
8am-5pm - Virtual Reality Fridays at Tech Unlimited
9am-5pm – Guten Tag Haus
10am-2pm – Minnesota Music Hall of Fame
10am-4pm – Brown County Historical Museum
10am-5pm – Fruit Cellar Occasional Store
10:30am, 12, 1, 3 and 5pm – Glockenspiel/Schonlau Park
10:30am-4:30pm – Domeiers German Store
11am-5pm – Schell’s Brewery
11am-9pm – Morgan Creek Vineyards
12-4pm (every hour) – Brewery Tours/Schell’s Brewery
12-5pm – No. 213 Occasional Store
1-4pm – Governor John Lind House
4-9pm – Starkeller Brewery & Tap Room
4-9pm - Oktoberfest at Turner Hall
5-11:30pm - Rocktoberfest/Best Western Plus-Green Mill
7pm – Deer Camp/State Street Theater
Saturday, October 12
Shuttle Bus
A Free Shuttle will be running continuously from 10am – 2am today. Stops will be Downtown, Best Western Plus, & Schell’s Brewery. Alcohol, strollers and dogs are not permitted on the buses.
Performances
9:30am-1pm - Adam Munsterman & Friends/B&L Bar
11am – Fest Keg Tapping/Schell’s Brewery
11:02am - Schell’s Hobo Band/Schell’s Brewery
11am - 1:30pm - Up All Night DJ/Downtown
11am-2pm - Josh Norman Musik Meisters/Rodney's Tavern
1-7pm - The Leon Olson Show & Dain’s Dutchmen/New Ulm Event Center
1:30pm - Alpensterne/Schell’s Brewery
2-3pm - Concord Singers/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
2-5pm - Church of Cash/Downtown
3:15-6:15pm - Bockfest Boys/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
4-8pm - Heide & The Good Ole Boys/B&L Bar
6-8pm - Whiskey Stone/Best Western - Outdoor Tent
6pm - Andrea Lynn Band/Turner Hall
6:30-7:30pm - Concord Singers/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
6:30-9pm – Jazz Night/Morgan Creek Vineyards
7:30-10:30pm – Ben Marti Trio/Grand Kabaret
7:30-11:30pm - Karaoke with Kim/Lamplighter
8-11pm - Wendinger Band/Best Western - Indoor Ballroom
8:30-11:30pm - IV Play/Best Western - Outdoor Tent
9pm-12am - Cruise Control/B&L Bar
Attractions and Events
Anytime - #OnlyinMN Sign at Hermann Monument
8am - Beginners Yoga/Jefferson School
8am-9pm - Greenskeeper's Revenge Golf Tournament/New Ulm Country Club
9am-12pm – New Ulm Community Market
9am-5pm – Guten Tag Haus
9:30-11am - Annual Pumpkin Giveaway/Century 21 Red Shoe Realty
10am-2pm – Minnesota Music Hall of Fame
10am-3pm – Brown County Historical Museum - Free admission!
10am-4pm – Wanda Gag House
10am-5pm - Downtown Oktoberfest
10am-5pm - Oktoberfest Craft & Vendor Show - CANCELED
10am-5pm – Historic Popcorn Wagon/Brown County Museum
10am-5pm – Fruit Cellar Occasional Store
10am-5pm – No. 213 Occasional Store
10am-7pm – Hermann Monument
10:30am, 12, 1, 3 and 5pm – Glockenspiel/Schonlau Park
10:30am-4:30pm – Domeiers German Store
10:30am-5pm – Schell’s Oktoberfest/Schell’s Brewery (no brewery tours today)
11am-9pm - Oktoberfest at Turner Hall
11am-4pm - Guided tours at Turner Hall
11am-9pm – Morgan Creek Vineyards
12-4pm – Harkin Store
12-5pm – Horse-drawn Trolley Rides / Downtown Oktoberfest
1-4pm – Governor John Lind House
1-4pm - Riverside History & Nature Learning Center
1:30pm – Stein holding contest/Downtown Oktoberfest
2-9pm – Starkeller Brewery & Tap Room
2-11:30pm - Rocktoberfest/Best Western Plus-Green Mill
6-10pm - The Pinball Place
7-9pm - Deer Camp/State Street Theater
Sunday, October 13
Attractions and Events
Anytime - #OnlyinMN Sign at Hermann Monument
10am-7pm – Hermann Monument
10:30am, 12, 1, 3 and 5pm – Glockenspiel/Schonlau Park
11am-2pm – Wanda Gag House
11am-5pm – Schell’s Brewery
11am-2pm – Sunday Brunch/Morgan Creek Vineyards
11am-5pm – Morgan Creek Vineyards
11am-7pm - Oktoberfest at Turner Hall
12-3pm – Guten Tag Haus
12-4pm (every hour) – Brewery Tours/Schell’s Brewery
12-4pm – Harkin Store
12-4pm - Riverside History & Nature Learning Center
1-4pm – West Newton Post Office/Harkin Store
1-4pm – Governor John Lind House
1-4pm - The Pinball Place
1-5pm – Starkeller Brewery & Tap Room
2pm - Deer Camp/State Street Theater
2-4pm - Fall Make & Take/Smiley's Tavern
2-6pm - Dain's Dutchmen/Lamplighter
Can't find a hotel room in New Ulm?
Ride the MN Beer Bus from Mankato!
mnbeerbus.com
bockfestbusguy@aol.com
Save the date for Oktoberfest New Ulm 2020: Oct 2-3 & 9-10, 2020!