1 Oktoberfest Strasse, La Crosse, WI, 54601, United States
It’s one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the country! La Crosse Oktoberfest celebrates 62 years in 2023, having hosted its first big Oktoberfest back in 1961. This time of year both Munich and La Crosse are filled with “merrymaking” and a carnival atmosphere known in both cities as Oktoberfest.
Oktoberfest, USA, is one of the few authentic Old World folk festivals held annually in the United States. You’ll find plenty of beer, music, fun, food, lederhosen, dirndls, and more complemented with a carnival featuring rides, parades featuring the annually-elected “Royal Family,” the 2023 Miss La Crosse/Oktoberfest Pageant, and enough accordions and Munich-style tents to make you feel like you’re in Deutschland.
Downtown Fest Grounds open at 4pm on Thursday, September 28th. The Torchlight Parade will take place at 7pm that evening; Craft Beer Night starts at 4pm and runs until 8pm. For $60 admission, the FestZelt tent will feature over 20 craft brewers and their products – and you can sample ’em all! There’s also a Cornhole Tournament and fireworks – and that’s all on opening night!
The La Crosse Oktoberfest Parade, held Thursday.
Friday night September 29th has the Festmaster Ball at the La Crosse Center’s South Hall, where the Festmaster and Frau will be introduced.
Other events include wiener dog races, live music, special German dinners, Lederhosen Games, and more. Get the latest events list here!
Find out more about Oktoberfest with State Trunk Tour founder Eric Paulsen, who discusses this as co-host of The Cabin, Discover Wisconsin’s official podcast:
TICKETS You can buy a 3-Day Pass for only $20, which gets you in for the whole fest VIP tickets are available for $100
Children 12 and Under Admitted Free
A number of Oktoberfest events require additional ticketed admission. Tickets for most events are available from the Oktoberfest Online Store or at the Oktoberfest office.
La Crosse Oktoberfest USA is a great time in a true beer town. La Crosse is easily reached via U.S. 14, 53, or 61; I-90; and Highways 16, 33, and 35. The drive to and from is gorgeous too, especially at this time of the year!
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th
7–9 am: SENIOR BREAKFAST | Morrie’s Heritage Hofbräu Haus – Downtown Festgrounds
Free Admission! Pancakes, sausage, eggs, coffee, juice. Featuring live music and WIZM-AM live broadcast
11 am–2:30 pm: SPECIAL FESTER CARNIVAL | Northside Family Festgrounds
4–9 pm: CARNIVAL, NORTHSIDE LA CROSSE, Fest fun with carnival rides and food vendors
4–8 pm: CRAFT BEER NIGHT | Downtown Festgrounds
$90 VIP 4 pm | $60 General Admission, 5 pm. Sample from more than 20 craft breweries. Get tickets.
5-7pm: LEDERHOSEN GAMES | Garden Stage Area – Fest Grounds
Stein races, stein holdings, barrel roll, grain toss, Schokolade essen and scavenger hunt | Play games, have fun and win prizes
7 pm: TORCHLIGHT PARADE | Northside La Crosse, Kane & Gillette Streets to Clinton Street
7:15pm: PACKER PARTY WITH DJ TRIVIA | Morrie’s Heritage Hofbräu Haus – Fest
Cheer on the Green Bay Packers as they compete against the Detroit Lions. Trivia, giveaways, and more!
7:30–11 pm: TORCHLIGHT AFTER GLOW bash| Copeland Park – Loggers Field
Free admission and families welcome! Kick off your Oktoberfest on the Northside with The Swing Crew
Free admission for students 21+ with a valid college student ID, enjoy current dance hits played by Twin Cities cover band, Good for Gary
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
8–10:30 pm GOOD FOR GARY
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th
Hours: 9:30am –midnight
10 am: STEIN HOLDING FINALS | The Remainders Garden Stage
11 am: OPENING CEREMONY | The Remainders Garden Stage The much-anticipated tapping of the Sam Adams Golden Keg
2–4 pm: LEDERHOSEN GAMES | The Remainders Garden Stage Area
Stein races, stein holdings, barrel roll, grain toss, Schokolade essen and scavenger hunt | Play games, have fun and win prizes
4–9 pm: CARNIVAL | Copeland Park – Northside La Crosse
Fest fun with carnival rides and food vendors
Live Music:
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
11:30 am – 2:30 pm SWING CREW
3 – 5:30 pm PAT MCCURDY
6 – 9 pm RHINO
9:30 pm – Midnight ARCH ALLIES
THE REMAINDERS GARDEN STAGE
11:30 am – 2 pm THE JIMMYS
2:30 pm – 5 pm COPPER BOX OKTOBERFEST EXPERIENCE
5:30 – 8 pm BREWTOWN BEAT
8:30–10:30 pm NATHAN HANSEN MUSIC
LA CROSSE BIERHAUS STAGE INSIDE THE MORRIE’S HERITAGE HOFBRÄU HAUS
11:30am – 2:00 pm MIKE SCHNEIDER BAND
2:30 – 4:30 pm OKTOBERFEST SINGERS
5 – 8 pm GARY BRUEGGEN & THE RIDGELAND DUTCHMAN
8:30 – 10:30 pm RHYTHM PLAYBOYS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th
7:00 am: YMCA MAPLE LEAF WALK RUN | Riverside Park
Pre-registration required. Half marathon, 5-mile run, 5k walk and Kid’s Maple Mile. More Info
10 am: MAPLE LEAF PARADE | Northside to Downtown
11 am–midnight: DOWNTOWN FESTGROUNDS OPEN
$15 single-day admission or $20 three-day pass – Get Tickets
Noon – 9 pm: CARNIVAL | Copeland Park – Northside La Crosse
Live Music
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
12 Noon – 1:30 pm MIKE MCABEE
2pm – 5:30pm PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY
6–9 pm FAILURE TO LAUNCH
9:30 pm–midnight JUNK FM
THE REMAINDERS GARDEN STAGE
1:30 – 3:30 pm BRATWURST BROTHERS
4 –7:30 pm PIANO FONDUE
8–10 pm THE REMAINDERS
LA CROSSE BIERHAUS STAGE INSIDE THE MORRIE’S HERITAGE HOFBRÄU HAUS
1–4 pm BRIAN BRUEGGEN & THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DUTCHMEN
4–7:30 pm THE RHYTHM PLAYBOYS
8–10:30 pm KRIS AND THE RIVERBEND DUTCHMEN
Calendar of Events
La Crosse Oktoberfest
« Back to EventsOktoberfest, USA, is one of the few authentic Old World folk festivals held annually in the United States. You’ll find plenty of beer, music, fun, food, lederhosen, dirndls, and more complemented with a carnival featuring rides, parades featuring the annually-elected “Royal Family,” the 2023 Miss La Crosse/Oktoberfest Pageant, and enough accordions and Munich-style tents to make you feel like you’re in Deutschland.
Downtown Fest Grounds open at 4pm on Thursday, September 28th. The Torchlight Parade will take place at 7pm that evening; Craft Beer Night starts at 4pm and runs until 8pm. For $60 admission, the FestZelt tent will feature over 20 craft brewers and their products – and you can sample ’em all! There’s also a Cornhole Tournament and fireworks – and that’s all on opening night!
Friday night September 29th has the Festmaster Ball at the La Crosse Center’s South Hall, where the Festmaster and Frau will be introduced.
Other events include wiener dog races, live music, special German dinners, Lederhosen Games, and more. Get the latest events list here!
Find out more about Oktoberfest with State Trunk Tour founder Eric Paulsen, who discusses this as co-host of The Cabin, Discover Wisconsin’s official podcast:
TICKETS
You can buy a 3-Day Pass for only $20, which gets you in for the whole fest
VIP tickets are available for $100
Children 12 and Under Admitted Free
A number of Oktoberfest events require additional ticketed admission. Tickets for most events are available from the Oktoberfest Online Store or at the Oktoberfest office.
La Crosse Oktoberfest USA is a great time in a true beer town. La Crosse is easily reached via U.S. 14, 53, or 61; I-90; and Highways 16, 33, and 35. The drive to and from is gorgeous too, especially at this time of the year!
Check the La Crosse Oktoberfest USA website for additional details!
La Crosse Oktoberfest Schedule of Events:
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th
7–9 am: SENIOR BREAKFAST | Morrie’s Heritage Hofbräu Haus – Downtown Festgrounds
Free Admission! Pancakes, sausage, eggs, coffee, juice. Featuring live music and WIZM-AM live broadcast
11 am–2:30 pm: SPECIAL FESTER CARNIVAL | Northside Family Festgrounds
4–11 pm: DOWNTOWN FESTGROUNDS OPEN, $20 three-day pass or $100 VIP tickets available
4-11 pm: STUDENT NIGHT | Downtown Festgrounds
4–9 pm: CARNIVAL, NORTHSIDE LA CROSSE, Fest fun with carnival rides and food vendors
4–8 pm: CRAFT BEER NIGHT | Downtown Festgrounds
$90 VIP 4 pm | $60 General Admission, 5 pm. Sample from more than 20 craft breweries. Get tickets.
5-7pm: LEDERHOSEN GAMES | Garden Stage Area – Fest Grounds
Stein races, stein holdings, barrel roll, grain toss, Schokolade essen and scavenger hunt | Play games, have fun and win prizes
7 pm: TORCHLIGHT PARADE | Northside La Crosse, Kane & Gillette Streets to Clinton Street
7:15pm: PACKER PARTY WITH DJ TRIVIA | Morrie’s Heritage Hofbräu Haus – Fest
Cheer on the Green Bay Packers as they compete against the Detroit Lions. Trivia, giveaways, and more!
7:30–11 pm: TORCHLIGHT AFTER GLOW bash| Copeland Park – Loggers Field
Free admission and families welcome! Kick off your Oktoberfest on the Northside with The Swing Crew
Free admission for students 21+ with a valid college student ID, enjoy current dance hits played by Twin Cities cover band, Good for Gary
Thursday’s Live Music
LA CROSSE BIERHAUS STAGE INSIDE THE MORRIE’S HERITAGE HOFBRÄU HAUS
4-6:30 pm BRIAN BRUEGGEN AND THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DUTCHMEN
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
8–10:30 pm GOOD FOR GARY
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th
Hours: 9:30am –midnight
10 am: STEIN HOLDING FINALS | The Remainders Garden Stage
11 am: OPENING CEREMONY | The Remainders Garden Stage The much-anticipated tapping of the Sam Adams Golden Keg
2–4 pm: LEDERHOSEN GAMES | The Remainders Garden Stage Area
Stein races, stein holdings, barrel roll, grain toss, Schokolade essen and scavenger hunt | Play games, have fun and win prizes
4–9 pm: CARNIVAL | Copeland Park – Northside La Crosse
Fest fun with carnival rides and food vendors
Live Music:
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
11:30 am – 2:30 pm SWING CREW
3 – 5:30 pm PAT MCCURDY
6 – 9 pm RHINO
9:30 pm – Midnight ARCH ALLIES
THE REMAINDERS GARDEN STAGE
11:30 am – 2 pm THE JIMMYS
2:30 pm – 5 pm COPPER BOX OKTOBERFEST EXPERIENCE
5:30 – 8 pm BREWTOWN BEAT
8:30–10:30 pm NATHAN HANSEN MUSIC
LA CROSSE BIERHAUS STAGE INSIDE THE MORRIE’S HERITAGE HOFBRÄU HAUS
7:00 am: YMCA MAPLE LEAF WALK RUN | Riverside Park
Pre-registration required. Half marathon, 5-mile run, 5k walk and Kid’s Maple Mile. More Info
10 am: MAPLE LEAF PARADE | Northside to Downtown
11 am–midnight: DOWNTOWN FESTGROUNDS OPEN
$15 single-day admission or $20 three-day pass – Get Tickets
Noon – 9 pm: CARNIVAL | Copeland Park – Northside La Crosse
2–4 pm: LEDERHOSEN GAMES | Garden Stage Area
9 pm: 62ND OKTOBERFEST FIREWORKS CELEBRATION | Downtown Festgrounds
Live Music
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
12 Noon – 1:30 pm MIKE MCABEE
2pm – 5:30pm PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY
6–9 pm FAILURE TO LAUNCH
9:30 pm–midnight JUNK FM
THE REMAINDERS GARDEN STAGE
1:30 – 3:30 pm BRATWURST BROTHERS
4 –7:30 pm PIANO FONDUE
8–10 pm THE REMAINDERS
LA CROSSE BIERHAUS STAGE INSIDE THE MORRIE’S HERITAGE HOFBRÄU HAUS
1–4 pm BRIAN BRUEGGEN & THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DUTCHMEN
4–7:30 pm THE RHYTHM PLAYBOYS
8–10:30 pm KRIS AND THE RIVERBEND DUTCHMEN
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