38th Annual Oktoberfest
Oct 4-5 & 11-12, 2019
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 2019 are Historic Downtown, Best Western Plus, Morgan Creek Vineyards and Schell’s Brewery.
Scroll down for 2018 schedule. Check back soon for 2019 information.
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! In 2017, we added a new parade to kick off the second weekend festivities, and this Oktoberfest Kostüme on Parade is planned again this year for 11am on Saturday, October 12. The end of both parade routes 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/Doppeleichen 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 6, 2018
Germanic-American Day Parade, 11am
Bockfest Boys, 11am-1:30pm
Church of Cash, 2pm-5pm
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Oktoberfest Kostüme on Parade, 11am
Rich and the Resistors, 11am-2pm
Switch Road Band, 2pm-5pm
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 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.
Head to Morgan Creek Vineyards on October 5th for STOMP New Ulm! Morgan Creek Vineyards' Oktoberfest 21st 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 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!
Come see what all the fuss is about!
Ranked among the Best Oktoberfest Celebrations in the Nation by 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:
Celebrate Fall at a Midwest Oktoberfest by Midwest Living (2018)
10 Family-Friendly Oktoberfest Celebrations by The Travel Channel (2018)
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
Oktoberfest Parade
Saturday, Oct 12
11am
Downtown New Ulm
507-233-4300
Best Western Plus
Oct 4-5 & 11-12
Fridays: evening, Saturdays: all day!
2101 South Broadway
507-359-2941
gm@greenmillnewulm.com
www.newulmoktoberfest.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
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
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Full Oktoberfest Schedule 2018
Details about these events and more can be found here: Event Calendar
Friday, October 5
Performances
3-7pm – Dain’s Dutchmen/Lamplighter Bar & Grill
5-6pm - Concord Singers/Best Western
6-6:30pm - Fest Keg Opening/Best Western
6:30-7:30pm - Concord Singers/Best Western
7:30-9pm – Old Time Bluegrass/State Street Theater
7:30-10:30pm – Live Music by Steven Klassen/Grand Kaberet
7:45-9:15pm - Schell’s Hobo Band/Best Western
8pm-12am – Schell’s Angels/Lamplighter Bar & Grill
8:30-11:30pm – Up All Night DJ/B & L Bar
9:30-11:30pm - Dale Dahme/Best Western
5-8pm - Whiskey Stone/Best Western
6-9pm – Becky Rae Dalton/Starkeller Brewery and Tap Room
6:30-9pm – Winedown for the Weekend/Morgan Creek Vineyards
8:30-11:30pm - IV Play/Best Western
Attractions and Events
9am-5pm – Guten Tag Haus
10am-2pm – Minnesota Music Hall of Fame
10am-4pm Brown County Historical Museum
10am-4pm – Feathered Dinosaurs, Milkweed and the Everlasting, Art Exhibit by Stephen Mark/4 Pillars Gallery at the Grand
10:30am, 12, 1, 3 and 5pm – Glockenspiel/Schonlau Park
10:30am-4:30pm – Domeiers German Store
11am-5pm – Tribute to the Bands and Ballrooms of Brown County/Brown County Museum Annex
11am-5pm – Schell’s Brewery
11am-9pm – Morgan Creek Vineyards
12, 1, 2, 3 and 4pm – Brewery Tours/Schell’s Brewery
12-6pm – Vendor & Craft Show/Downtown on 1st North St.
1-4pm – Governor John Lind House
4-5pm – Fiddling Workshop for Beginners/State Street Theater
4-6pm – Let’s Sparkle Jewelry Sale/1226 S. German St/Lower Level
4-9pm – Starkeller Brewery & Tap Room
5:15pm – Healthy Happy Hour/Wellness Collective
6-7:30pm – NUHS Grilling Fundraiser/New Ulm High School
6-8:30pm – Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School Homecoming Tailgate Meal/Johnson Park
Saturday, October 6
Shuttle Buses
Two free shuttle buses will be running continuously from 10am – Midnight today. Stops will be the Microtel, Best Western Plus, Schell’s Brewery, and two stops downtown. Alcohol, strollers and dogs are not permitted on the buses.
Performances
9:30am-2pm – 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
2-5pm - Church of Cash/Downtown
3:15-6:15pm - Josh Norman German Music/Best Western
4-8pm – The Johnny Helget Band/B & L Bar
6:45-8pm - Concord Singers/Best Western
7-11pm – Jim Lundeen and Bill/Lamplighter Bar & Grill
7:30-10:30pm – Duke Resonant Orchestra/Grand Kabaret
8:30-11:30pm -Bockfest Boys/Best Western
5-8pm - Cold Blooded Whiskey/Best Western
8:30pm-12am - Hicktown Mafia/Best Western
Attractions and Events
5am-3pm – Oktoberfest Pretzels/the Backerei
8-10am – Lions Strides New Ulm Diabetes Walk/Civic Center
9am – Hermann 5K Run/Recreation Center
9am-12pm – Farmer’s Market/Cash Wise Foods Parking Lot
9am-12pm – New Ulm Community Market
9am-5pm – Guten Tag Haus
10-11am - Yoga at The Starkeller
10am-12pm – Let’s Sparkle Jewelry Sale/1226 S. German St/Lower Level
10am-2pm – Minnesota Music Hall of Fame
10am-3pm – Brown County Historical Museum
10am-4pm – Wanda Gag House
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 – Tribute to the Bands and Ballrooms of Brown County/Brown County Museum Annex
11am-5pm – Vendor & Craft Show/Downtown on 1st North St.
11am-5pm Schell’s Brewery
11am-5pm - Brewery Tours every half hour/Schell’s Brewery
11am-3pm – No. 213 Occasional Store
11am-3pm – Feathered Dinosaurs, Milkweed and the Everlasting, Art Exhibit by Stephen Mark/4 Pillars Gallery at the Grand
12-4pm – Harkin Store
12-5pm – Horse-drawn Trolley Rides / Downtown Oktoberfest
1-3pm – Intro to Photography Class/Grand Center for Arts and Culture
1-4pm – Governor John Lind House
2-9pm – Starkeller Brewery & Tap Room
4-7:30pm - Broasted Chicken/American Legion
5-8pm – ISD 88 Hall of Fame Banquet/New Ulm High School
6-8pm – October Sip & Chalk/Grand Center for Arts & Culture
Sunday, October 7
Attractions and Events
9am-1pm – Dad’s Belgian Waffles Brunch/Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School
10am-7pm – Hermann Monument
10:30am, 12, 1, 3 and 5pm – Glockenspiel/Schonlau Park
11am-2pm – New Ulm Area Wedding Show/Civic Center
11am-2pm – Oktoberfest Sunday Brunch/Morgan Creek Vineyards
11am-5pm - Morgan Creek Vineyards
11am-2pm – Wanda Gag House
11am-3pm – Pumpkinfest/St. Anthony Elementary School
11am-5pm – Schell’s Brewery
12-3pm – Guten Tag Haus
12, 1, 2, 3 and 4pm – Brewery Tours/Schell’s Brewery
12-4pm – Harkin Store
1-4pm- Sheep, Wool & Quilts program/Harkin Store
1-4pm – Governor John Lind House
1-5pm – Starkeller Brewery & Tap Room
4:30pm – Harvest Mass/St. Joseph Catholic Church Shrine
6:30pm – Bonfire in the Park/Hermann Heights Park
Friday, October 12
Performances
5-6pm - Concord Singers/Best Western
6-9pm - Oktoberfest Pre-Party - Chad Elliot/Starkeller
6:15-7:30pm - Schell’s Hobo Band/Best Western
6:30-9pm – Winedown for the Weekend/Morgan Creek Vineyards
7-10pm – Bavarian Musikmeisters/New Ulm Event Center
7:30-10:30pm - Chris Holm/Grand Kabaret
7:30-11:30pm - The Johnny Holm Band/Best Western
8-9pm - Concord Singers/Best Western
8pm-12am – Josh Norman/Lamplighter Bar & Grill
8:30-11:30pm – Up All Night DJ/B & L Bar
9-11:30pm - Alpensterne/Best Western
9pm-1am - Rockin Robb DJ/Rodney's Tavern
Attractions and Events
9am-5pm – Guten Tag Haus
10am-2pm – Minnesota Music Hall of Fame
10am-4pm – Brown County Historical Museum
10am-4pm – Feathered Dinosaurs, Milkweed and the Everlasting, Art Exhibit by Stephen Mark/4 Pillars Gallery at the Grand
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
5-8:30pm – Floating Pumpkin Patch/Recreation Center
6-7:30pm – CHS Grilling Fundraiser/Johnson Field
7pm – The Butler Did It/State Street Theater
9-11pm – Theatre After Hours/Mona Lena Kitchen and Bar
Saturday, October 13
Shuttle Buses
Two free shuttle buses will be running continuously from 10am – Midnight today. Stops will be the Microtel, Best Western Plus, Schell’s Brewery, and two stops downtown. Alcohol, strollers and dogs are not permitted on the buses.
Performances
9:30am – 2pm – Adam Munsterman & Friends/B & L Bar
11am – Fest Keg Tapping/Schell’s Brewery
11am - Schell’s Hobo Band/Schell’s Brewery
11am - 2pm - Rich and the Resistors/Downtown
1-3pm - Donny Klossner (concertina)/Rodney's Tavern
1-8pm - Leon Olson Show & Dain’s Dutchmen/New Ulm Event Center
1:30pm - Alpensterne/Schell’s Brewery
2-3pm - Concord Singers/Best Western
2-5pm – Switch Road Band/Downtown
3:15-6:15pm - Bockfest Boys/Best Western
4-8pm – Heide and the Good Old Boys/B & L Bar
6:30-7:30pm - Concord Singers/Best Western
6:30-9pm – Jazz Night/Morgan Creek Vineyards
7-11pm – Jerry Horner DJ and Karaoke/Lamplighter Bar & Grill
7:30-10:30pm – Josh & Tina/Grand Kaberet
7:30-11:30pm - Powerhouse/Best Western
8-11pm - Wendinger Band/Best Western
9pm – 12am - Luke Hendrickson/B & L Bar
9pm-1am - Up All Night DJ/Rodney's Tavern
Attractions and Events
All day – United Way’s Day of Caring
9am-12pm – Farmer’s Market/Cash Wise Foods Parking Lot
9am-12pm – New Ulm Community Market
9am-5pm – Guten Tag Haus
9:30-11am – Annual Pumpkin Giveaway Food Drive/Century 21 Red Shoe Real Estate
10am-1:30pm – Made Right Sandwiches/American Legion
10am-2pm – Minnesota Music Hall of Fame
10am-3pm – Brown County Historical Museum
10am-4pm – Wanda Gag House
10am-4pm - Historic Selfies Facebook Contest/Wanda Gag House
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-1pm - S'mores, cider & kid craft/New Ulm Community Garden
11am – Oktoberfest Kostüme Parade/Downtown
11am-3pm – Feathered Dinosaurs, Milkweed and the Everlasting, Art Exhibit by Stephen Mark/4 Pillars Gallery at the Grand
11am-1pm – Meat Raffle/American Legion
11am-9pm – Morgan Creek Vineyards
12-4pm – Harkin Store
12-5pm – Horse-drawn Trolley Rides / Downtown Oktoberfest
1-4pm – Governor John Lind House
1:30pm – Stein holding contest/Downtown Oktoberfest
2-9pm – Starkeller Brewery & Tap Room
Sunday, October 14
Attractions and Events
9am-1pm – Dad’s Belgian Waffles Brunch/Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School
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
12-3pm – Guten Tag Haus
12-4pm (every hour) – Brewery Tours/Schell’s Brewery
12-4pm – Harkin Store
1-4pm – West Newton Post Office/Harkin Store
1-4pm – Governor John Lind House
1-5pm – Starkeller Brewery & Tap Room
2pm - The Butler Did It/State Street Theater
6:30pm – Bonfire in the Park/Riverside Park
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Save the date for Oktoberfest New Ulm 2019: Oct 4-5 & 11-12, 2019!