Wurst party in town: Where to celebrate Oktoberfest in Central Texas

Bianca Moreno-Paz
·4 min read

Every fall, Central Texas’ German roots come alive with Oktoberfest celebrations. From late September through November, restaurants, breweries and more organize the beer-fueled events, ranging from single-day shows to multi-week extravaganzas.

Originating in Bavaria, southern Germany, Oktoberfest was organized as a celebration of the wedding between Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, who married in October 1810. Every year thereafter, Oktoberfest was celebrated during the last two weeks in September, with the event canceled only in circumstances of active warfare and interwar hyperinflation.

German traditions have been rooted in Central Texas since the 19th century, when a large influx of German immigrants took advantage of the Fisher-Miller Land Grant, which allowed European families to settle land between the Llano and Colorado rivers between June 1842 and September 1843.

Modern iterations of the event allow Texans to continue this tradition and partake in the polka-dancing and beer-drinking.

We have rounded up some of the biggest and best ways to celebrate die Wiesn:

OKTOBERFEST ON RAINEY

Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden is throwing a three-day Oktoberfest event.
Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden is throwing a three-day Oktoberfest event.

Oktoberfest at Banger’s, 79 Rainey St.: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sept. 28; and noon to 11 p.m. Sept. 29 and 30

Start off your Oktoberfest celebration with a day (or three) at Banger’s on Rainey, where you can expect to hear live music from the Oompahs, Pivo & Polka, the Hot Peppers and more.

Banger’s menu will have all of the Oktoberfest favorites, such as soft pretzels and enough varieties of sausages to quell your hunger until next year’s festivities.

Admission is free.

Information: www.bangersaustin.com

FAMILY FRIENDLY

Oktoberfest at Meanwhile Brewing, 3901 Promontory Point Drive: 8:30p.m. to late Sept. 29; 4 p.m. to late Sept. 30; and 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 1

Topped off by performances by Dead Music Capital Band, Stein Hoisting (adults only) and Paige Plaisance, the multi-day event will also have child-friendly activities such as a Creative Action pop-up, and a kids’ "Stein" hoisting.

Alongside Meanwhile's specially brewed Oktoberfest beer, special food pairings will be available. Expect to see pork schnitzel, pretzel ice cream and bratwurst pizza served up by a range of on-site food trucks.

Admission is free, though tickets can be reserved online.

Information: www.meanwhilebeer.com/events

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ONE-DAY SPECIAL

Oktoberfest at Loro Austin, 2115 S. Lamar Blvd.: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 1

Loro’s patio will host pop-ups from local breweries and Oktoberfest-inspired bites including pork schnitzel, currywurst, and pretzel bites with charred onion cheese spread & miso mustard.

Oktoberfest beer flights for $24 will feature one 10-ounce taster from each of four local breweries: 512 Brewing Company, Vacancy Brewing, Meanwhile Brewing Co. and Live Oak Brewing Company.

Admission is free, though tickets can be reserved online.

Information: www.loroeats.com

WEEKEND EXCURSION

Fredericksburg Oktoberfest, 100 block of West Main Street in Fredericksburg: 6 p.m. to midnight Oct. 6; 10 a.m. to midnight Oct. 7; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 8

A variety of live bands will perform over the three days, including the Ennis Czech Boys and the Walburg Boys, local Texas bands inspired by Czech and Germanic music.

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Tickets are $10 for adults and $1 for children 7 to 12, with children 6 and younger free. Adults also can purchase two-day tickets for $15, or three-day tickets for $20.

Information: oktoberfestinfbg.com

GO BIG OR GO HOME

Roy Fredrick raises his glass for a toast during Wurstfest in New Braunfels on Nov. 5, 2021. The event is back for 2023.
Roy Fredrick raises his glass for a toast during Wurstfest in New Braunfels on Nov. 5, 2021. The event is back for 2023.

Wurstfest, 120 Landa St. in New Braunfels: Nov. 3-Nov. 12. The hours are 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Nov. 3, and 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday during the run. The second Friday hours are 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Founded in 1961 by New Braunfels’s meat inspector as a way to celebrate sausages, Wurstfest is easily the largest and most recognizable autumnal German celebration in Central Texas, with recent years seeing over 200,000 attendees.

From 2019: Food hall at Wurstfest destroyed, main hall damaged in fire, official says

Similar to Fredericksburg’s Oktoberfest, attendees can expect a plethora of both local and Bavarian-imported bands playing German and Czech polka.

Advanced sale tickets are available online, ranging from $18 to $22.50, with tickets purchased at the festival gates costing $20-$25. No tickets are needed if attending on the following dates/times:

  • 5-10 p.m. Nov. 6

  • 5-10 p.m. Nov. 7

  • 5-10 p.m. Nov. 8

  • 5-10 p.m. Nov. 9

Information: wurstfest.com

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Oktoberfest 2023 in Central Texas, from Rainey Street to Wurstfest