Oktoberfest in Memphis: 5 Bluff City festivals that beer lovers won't want to miss
Calling all beer lovers! October is your month to celebrate all things beer in Memphis.
From a 13-year-old beloved beer festival to a music and beer fest to events at Memphis breweries, here are five ways you can celebrate Oktoberfest with your favorite locally brewed beers.
And know, these are events are about more than just drinking beer — expect games like stein hoisting competitions, live music, food trucks and a whole lot of fun.
Grind City Brewing Co.: Oktoberfest
Celebrate Grind City Brewing Co. taproom's third anniversary with its annual Oktoberfest.
The event includes live music and games all day, along with competitions including the annual Bratwurst Toss, Keg Carry Competition, Beer Sliding Competition and a Stein Holding Contest.
Albee’s food truck will serve freshly cooked bratwurst. Also on hand will be Pok-Chas Egg Rolls and Camp’s Barbecue food trucks.
As part of the celebration, you can purchase a commemorative stein for $25 and get $5 refills for the month of October.
When: Noon-10 p.m. Oct. 7
Where: Grind City Brewing Co., 76 Waterworks
Cost: Free
Details: grindcitybrew.com
Hook Point Brewing Co.: Hooktoberfest
Hook Point Brewing Co. will host a “Hooktoberfest” celebration at its new “Ready Room” taproom. The festivities will include the release of a Hooktoberfest Beer, described as “a full-bodied Marzen brimming with the smell and taste of fresh Biscoff cookies. A gentle dry pecan presence finishes off each hearty sip.”
German fare such as beer brats, schnitzel and pretzels will be served. There will be live music on the deck from noon to 5 p.m., and there will be two registered stein holding competitions with the Tennessee Craft Brewers Guild.
When: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct 7
Where: Hook Point Ready Room, 715 W. Brookhaven Circle
Cost: Free
Details: hookpointbrewing.com
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Crosstown Brewing Co.: Crosstoberfest
Crosstoberfest is back and bigger than ever in 2023. Crosstown Brewing Co.’s annual celebration will include music from Mighty Souls and Devil Train, food from El Mero Taco, New Wing Order and Authentic Toast, a stein hoisting contest, prizes for the best costume, and more.
There will also be activities for the kids (face painting, a balloon artist and a caricature artist) at this family-friendly event.
When: Noon-8 p.m. Oct. 14
Where: Crosstown Brewing Co., 1264 Concourse Ave.
Cost: Free
Details: crosstownbeer.com
Cooper-Young Beerfest
The 13th annual Cooper-Young Beerfest is Oct. 21.
This annual fundraising event benefits the Cooper-Young Community Association (CYCA). All money raised by this volunteer-run event goes to the CYCA and is used to keep the beloved Midtown Memphis neighborhood clean, friendly, safe and welcoming to all who visit.
It’s a regional festival with all breweries featured located within a day’s drive of Cooper-Young. There will be more than 30 vendors, many of which are small breweries with no current distribution in the Memphis. One thing that makes this beer festival unique is that each brewery is required to send someone who works at the brewery and is knowledgeable about the beers being served — and many times it's the brewmaster who will be pouring your beer.
When: 1-5 p.m. Oct. 21
Where: Midtown Autowerks, 795 S. Cooper St.
Cost: $50
Tickets: cybeerfest.org
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BAM! Fest WISEACRE Beer and Music Festival
To celebrate 10 years in Memphis, WISEACRE will host the first BAM! Fest WISEACRE Beer and Music Festival on Oct. 21 at its OG taproom location on Broad Avenue in Memphis.
In collaboration with production company Mempho Presents, BAM! will focus on Memphis-centric music, pulling together a lineup of bands and musicians with a connection to the Bluff City. In addition to headliner Lucero, bands include Kuroma, Blitzen Trapper, Psymon Spine and Dead Soldiers.
In addition to the whole lineup of WISEACRE beers and The Set Up spirit-based seltzers, there will be pizza slices from Little Bettie, and eats from the Fuel Food Truck and Just Wraps Food Truck.
When: 1 p.m. Oct. 21
Where: WISEACRE OG Taproom, 2783 Broad Ave.
Cost: $32 for general admission; $124 for VIP experience (includes Skip the Line, Tent Access, VIP Viewing Deck, Comfort Station, Separate Bar, Event Poster and three free Wiseacre drinks)
Tickets: wiseacrebrew.com
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.
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This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Oktoberfest in Memphis: Festivals that beer lovers should check out
