Oompah bands, frosty steins, and sizzling bratwurst – it must be Oktoberfest season in Texas! From the Hill Country to the Gulf Coast, the Lone Star State goes all-in on Bavarian spirit each fall, with beer-hall bashes, sausage-stuffed menus, and plenty of polka. Whether you’re looking for a big-city beer garden blowout, a family-friendly festival with games and dancing, or a cozy bistro for sipping German wine, Texas has a celebration for you. Here’s your guide to the best spots to raise a stein, don your lederhosen, and toast “Prost!” all season long.
Altstadt Brewery / Fredericksburg
Altstadt Brewery in Fredericksburg blends Bavarian charm with Lone Star soul. This 120-acre “Old World destination” crafts German-style beers, using only the purest ingredients in the spirit of the 1516 German Purity Law. With a restaurant, Biergarten, taproom, and regular brewery tours, it’s a great place to celebrate Oktoberfest. Check out this story we did with the brewery in season 4!
King’s BierHaus / Dickinson
King’s BierHaus in Dickinson serves up an authentic German escape – beer garden, bratwurst, and gemütlichkeit included. This October, they’re turning up the volume with a two-weekend mini Oktoberfest (Oct. 3 – 4 and Oct. 10 – 11), mixing Bavarian revelry with Texas flair. Think free Bavarian roast pig, stein-hoisting (or a daring 2.5-liter Das Boot), live music, vendor stalls, and the Ultimate Strongman Contest. All washed down with an exclusive lineup of Märzen-style Oktoberfest biers imported straight from Germany. Check out this story we did with King’s BierHaus in season 5!
Otto’s German Bistro / Fredericksburg
Set just a block off Main Street in Fredericksburg, Otto’s German Bistro offers a refined spin on Germanic cuisine. Think seasonal, locally sourced meat and produce, organic touches, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. During Fredericksburg’s Oktoberfest weekend, Otto’s makes the perfect upscale detour. Whether you’re stopping in for their signature schnitzel, sipping Riesling on the patio, or joining one of their sausage-making classes offered around the season, Otto’s is where festival energy meets bistro sophistication.
Alamo Beer Co. / San Antonio
Right in San Antonio’s craft-beer heart, Alamo Beer Company crafts independent brews in a roomy beer hall and beer garden setting that’s perfect for gathering with friends. They’ve been pouring “the only beer to bear the ALAMO name since Prohibition” and embrace a beer-first identity that’s proud, authentic, and rooted in Texas. When Oktoberfest season rolls around, this is a natural spot to raise a stein. With plenty of space for friends, live music on weekends, and a steady rotation of German-style brews, Alamo Beer Co. delivers that big, festive beer-hall energy – no passport required.
Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden / Austin
In Austin’s Rainey Street district, Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden pairs big-city energy with down-home sausage and beer vibes. They’re known for their house-made sausages, massive beer tap list, open-fire cooking, and garden/beer hall space that’s perfect for gathering. This fall, Banger’s goes full festival mode: Oktoberfest runs Sept. 25 – 27 (that’s three days of fun) with German-inspired food, games, live music every day, and that unmistakable beer-fest atmosphere. You’ll find steins raised, sausages grilled, and classic tunes filling the air – all in a place built to handle the crowd. Click here for the full lineup!
Oktoberfest in Fredericksburg / Fredericksburg
Get your lederhosen ready – Oktoberfest in Fredericksburg returns Oct. 3 – 5, transforming the Hill Country into a full-on German celebration. From Polka and Oompah on five stages to bier, brats, pretzels, and a family-friendly KinderPark, the festival blends culture, food, and live music all weekend long. Whether you’re dancing the Chicken Dance, browsing local vendors, or raising a stein under the stars, this festival captures the heart and fun of a true Oktoberfest in Texas. For a full rundown of happenings over the weekend, click here.
German Texans Heritage Society Oktoberfest / Austin
Dust off your dirndl! Austin’s German-Texans Heritage Society Oktoberfest is Oct. 11 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the historic German Free School in the Red River Cultural District. This is one of Austin’s most authentic German-Texan celebrations, with live music, German food and beer, family-friendly crafts, and activities for the kids. This one-day fest blends cultural heritage, community energy, and good old Oktoberfest fun – Texas style.
Galveston Island Oktoberfest / Galveston
Get ready to swap your swimsuit for suspenders – Galveston Island Oktoberfest returns Oct. 24 – 25, turning downtown Galveston into a German-style fête by the bayside. Held around First Lutheran Church with free admission, the festival pours both German and local brews in the Biergarten, serves bratwurst, smoked sausage, pretzels and hearty Wurstabendessen, while filling the air with live music and polka dancing. There’s lots to do, including costume contests with prizes, stein-holding challenges, kid zones with inflatables/pony rides, a Cake Wheel, shopping inside the historic Lyceum, and more. Galveston’s festival blends coastal charm and German tradition – perfect for families, beer lovers, and anyone who wants a festive fall escape by the Gulf.
Fort Worth Oktoberfest / Forth Worth
Prost! Fort Worth Oktoberfest rolls out Sept. 25 – 27 at Trinity Park, transforming North Texas into a three-day Bavarian playground. Expect beer tents, multiple biergartens, German food, live music, carnival rides, and plenty of German games. Join in the fun with stein-hoisting contests, bier-barrel rolling races, the Dachshund Dash, and more – or just soak up the atmosphere in shaded tents, shop the Marktplatz, and enjoy music across multiple stages. It’s part festival, part German spectacle – and wholly Fort Worth.
McKinney Oktoberfest / McKinney
From Sept. 26 – 28, head to historic downtown for the McKinney Oktoberfest – a full weekend of Bavarian fun with free admission. The festival transforms the square into a German American celebration packed with authentic German food, domestic and imported beers, live music, games, and more. For a VIP twist, check out the Blue Box VIP Biergarten, where guests can enjoy exclusive beer selections, food from Hamm’s Meat Market, live music, and private amenities inside a shaded, elevated tent. Check out contests like stein-holding, games for all ages, and a Marktplatz with German crafts.
Frisco Oktoberfest / Frisco
Mark your calendar for Saturday, Oct, 4 – Frisco Oktoberfest returns to The Star from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and it’s shaping up to be a full-day Bavarian bash. Expect German food, traditional games (like stein hoisting, keg rolls, brat-eating contests), live music, and plenty of Oktoberfest bier flowing all day. Browse local vendors, join the fun competitions, or just soak in the festive atmosphere under Texas skies. No tickets needed. Entry is free, and you pay for food and drinks at vendor booths.
Saint Arnold Brewing Company / Houston
Oktoberfest 2025 at Saint Arnold in Houston runs Sept. 19 – Oct. 4 in their Beer Garden and Restaurant – and they’re calling it their biggest celebration yet. Expect weeks of German-style beer releases, a special Oktoberfest food menu (think schnitzel, bratwurst, Bavarian pork shank, even a “Bratzza” pizza), commemorative merch, live music, games, costume contests, and more. Big Weekend 1 (Sept. 26 – 27) and Big Weekend 2 (Oct. 3 – 4) ramp up the party with all the extra flair. Open to all and free to attend, Saint Arnold’s Oktoberfest blends brewery energy with Bavarian festivity – perfect for beer lovers, families, and anyone wanting a German touch right in Houston.
Sugarland Oktoberfest / Sugarland
Get ready to raise steins by the Sugar Land skyline – Oktoberfest at Sugar Land Town Square drops Saturday, Oct. 4 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with Bavarian flair at the heart of Texas. Choose from 50+ beers in the Flying Saucer Biergarten, enjoy German food, browse an artisan market, and jam to live polka music and dance performances. Feeling competitive? Join the Bratwurst Eating Contest, Stein Race, Keg Rolling, Costume Contest, or Stein-Holding Challenge and claim bragging rights (and maybe a prize). Tickets start at $5 and $25 for the Biergarten tasting package (with commemorative stein + 10 beer samples).
Leave a Reply