A massive three-week festival originating in Munich, Germany, Oktoberfest celebrates colorful foliage, the autumn harvest, and most importantly, the fun of drinking steins of beer and eating loaded bratwursts in a festive environment. Luckily, Austin residents can enjoy all the fun of Oktoberfest without booking a trans-Atlantic flight, thanks to the spirited fall-themed events happening in late September and early October in these three Central Texas neighborhoods.

Downtown Austin

If you want to do your Teutonic-inspired partying at the center of the city’s action, Downtown Austin is an obvious choice. Austin’s business center also features the highest concentration of restaurants and bars in the city, abundant public transit hubs and bikeshare docks, walkable streets, and the Austin Saengerrunde, an event space founded by 19th century German settlers that provides a home for Austin’s official Oktoberfest celebration.

This year’s Austin Oktoberfest takes place on Saturday, September 29. Attendees can enjoy German-style sausages from Micklethwait Craft Meats, Stiles Switch BBQ, and Kiolbasa Smoked Meats (among others) while sipping brews provided by Altstadt Brewery and Celis Brewery. The event will also feature live musical performances by the Austin Polka Band and The Chainlink Band, plus access to bowling lanes in the Saengerrunde. 

If you like your Downtown Austin Oktoberfest celebrations a bit more free-form, visit Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden from October 18-20 for their range of Oktoberfest activities, like live music, competitive games, beer tastings, and a spread of German eats like sausage and schnitzel.

Allandale

A serene and family-oriented neighborhood just north of the University of Texas’ campus, Allandale is well-known for its pet-friendly local businesses, so it makes sense that Allandale’s biggest Oktoberfest event benefits our four-legged friends. 

On Saturday, September 29 and Saturday, October 6, beloved Allandale beer garden/dog park Yard Bar will host Barktoberfest, a trio of seasonal parties including grilled eats, stein-holding contests, and plenty of draft brews. Also, $5 of the $15 entrance fee will be donated to Austin Pets Alive!, a local non-profit dedicated to rescuing dogs from all over the state and finding them forever homes in the Austin area.

New Braunfels

Once a stronghold for German immigrants settling in the Texas Hill Country, New Braunfels pays homage to its roots during Oktoberfest season. 

A popular New Braunfels beer hall with a distinctly Teutonic spirit, Krause’s Biergarten and Cafe celebrates Oktoberfest in a big way. Following the annual Oktoberfest tapping-of-the-keg in Munich, Germany, patrons can enjoy a two-week festival that offers plenty of beer steins, schnitzel, and live German music.

If you miss Oktoberfest, you’ll have another opportunity to party German-style from November 2-11, when New Braunfels launches its annual Wurstfest in Landa Park. This cultural event includes live music, an array of Texan and German beers, carnival rides and games, and of course, every type of Germanic sausage you can imagine.