1 Oktoberfest Strasse, La Crosse, WI, 54601, United States
It’s one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the country! La Crosse Oktoberfest celebrates 64 years in 2025, 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 25th. 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 26th 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!
TICKETS General Admission tickets are $24.95
Craft Beer Night General Admission (which includes both) is $77.95
Children 12 and Under Admitted Free
FREE Admission on Sunday! More details and options here
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 25th
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–2:00 pm: SPECIAL FESTER CARNIVAL | Northside Family Festgrounds
4-Midnight: STUDENT NIGHT | Downtown Festgrounds. Free admission for students with a valid college student ID on Thursday 9/25. Join us for Lederhosen Games, vendors, and dance hits played by Pop Rocks!
5–9 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
7:30–11 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
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th
Hours: 9:00am –midnight
10 am: STEIN HOLDING FINALS | The Remainders Garden Stage
11 am: TAPPING OF THE GOLDEN KEG – 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
5–9 pm: CARNIVAL | Copeland Park – Northside La Crosse
Fest fun with carnival rides and food vendors. Get Tickets.
Live Music:
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
11:30 am – 2:30 pm THE SWING CREW
3 – 5:30 pm PAT MCCURDY
6 – 9 pm STAR 67 BAND
9:30 pm – Midnight HELLO WEEKEND
THE REMAINDERS GARDEN STAGE
11:30 am – 2 pm FAILURE TO LAUNCH
2:30 pm – 5 pm PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY
5:30 – 8 pm HILLBILLY ROCKETSHIP
8:30–11:00 pm WHEELHOUSE
NEWS 8 NOW HERITAGE HOFBRÄU HAUS ON THE LA CROSSE BIERHAUS STAGE
11:30am – 2:00 pm MIKE SCHNEIDER BAND
2:30 – 4:30 pm OKTOBERFEST SINGERS
5 – 8 pm SOLKELA POLKELA BAND
8:30 – 11:00 pm RHYTHM PLAYBOYS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th
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 Get Tickets
Noon – 9 pm: CARNIVAL | Copeland Park – Northside La Crosse
Live Music
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
11:30 am – 1:30 pm STEVE’S ONE MAN BAND
2pm – 5:00pm FLASH MOB
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm JACUZZI PUMA
9:00 pm – midnight BELLA CAIN
THE REMAINDERS GARDEN STAGE
2:00 – 4:00 pm WHISKEY BELLES
4:15 –7:30 pm HIGH MILEAGE
8–10 pm THE REMAINDERS
NEWS 8 NOW HERITAGE HOFBRÄU HAUS ON THE LA CROSSE BIERHAUS STAGE
1:30–4 pm BRIAN BRUEGGEN & THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DUTCHMEN
4:30–7:30 pm THE SQUEEZETTES
8–11:00 pm POLA-ZEIT
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th
7:30–11 am Pancake Breakfast | Terry Erickson Boys & Girls Club of La Crosse, 1331 Clinton St.
Hosted by the Oktoberfest Parade Marshals | Pancakes, sausages, juice, milk and coffee
Cost: $7 per person (Children 6 and under free)
9:45 am Ecumenical Service | Holy Trinity Parish (1333 13th St, La Crosse, WI, 54601)
Traditional Catholic Mass – All are welcome!
11 am-6 pm Fest Grounds Open – Free Admission! | 1 Oktoberfest Strasse
No admission wristband required
Festing fun for the whole family! Starting with an opening ceremony with root beer provided by Rudy’s at 11:20 in the News 8 Now Heritage Hofbräu Haus, face painting, a chalk contest, vendors, music, and more!
Sunday Presenting Sponsor: Ehler Insurance
11 am
Brats for Seniors
Delivery of Fest brats and Gemütlichkeit to residents in our City of La Crosse housing facilities
Sponsored by Mid-West Family
11:30 am-4:30 pm
Face Painting | Fest Grounds
FREE face painting + airbrush tattoos
12 pm
2025 Parade Award Ceremony | News 8 Now Heritage Hofbräu Haus
Help us recognize the 2025 Torchlight & Maple Leaf Parade award winners. NEW IN 2025 – We’re bringing gemütlichkeit to the streets with the brand-new People’s Choice Award at this year’s Oktoberfest Parades! For the first time ever, parade-goers get to vote for their favorite float and one lucky entry will take home the ultimate fan-voted prize!
Parade Award Sponsors: Select Custom Solutions & Edward Jones
Live Music
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
Noon – 2:30 pm THE EXECUTIVES
3pm – 5:30pm PHOENIX & THE BEST MIX OF LA CROSSE
NEWS 8 NOW HERITAGE HOFBRÄU HAUS ON THE LA CROSSE BIERHAUS STAGE
11:30 am – 12:00 pm HANS MAYER MUSIC
2:30 pm – 5:30 pm THE MUSIC CONNECTION
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 25th. 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 26th 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!
TICKETS
General Admission tickets are $24.95
Craft Beer Night General Admission (which includes both) is $77.95
Children 12 and Under Admitted Free
FREE Admission on Sunday!
More details and options here
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 25th
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–2:00 pm: SPECIAL FESTER CARNIVAL | Northside Family Festgrounds
4–11 pm: DOWNTOWN FESTGROUNDS OPEN, $25 three-day pass
4-Midnight: STUDENT NIGHT | Downtown Festgrounds. Free admission for students with a valid college student ID on Thursday 9/25. Join us for Lederhosen Games, vendors, and dance hits played by Pop Rocks!
5–9 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
7:30–11 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
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th
Hours: 9:00am –midnight
10 am: STEIN HOLDING FINALS | The Remainders Garden Stage
11 am: TAPPING OF THE GOLDEN KEG – 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
5–9 pm: CARNIVAL | Copeland Park – Northside La Crosse
Fest fun with carnival rides and food vendors. Get Tickets.
Live Music:
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
11:30 am – 2:30 pm THE SWING CREW
3 – 5:30 pm PAT MCCURDY
6 – 9 pm STAR 67 BAND
9:30 pm – Midnight HELLO WEEKEND
THE REMAINDERS GARDEN STAGE
11:30 am – 2 pm FAILURE TO LAUNCH
2:30 pm – 5 pm PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY
5:30 – 8 pm HILLBILLY ROCKETSHIP
8:30–11:00 pm WHEELHOUSE
NEWS 8 NOW HERITAGE HOFBRÄU HAUS ON THE LA CROSSE BIERHAUS STAGE
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
Get Tickets
Noon – 9 pm: CARNIVAL | Copeland Park – Northside La Crosse
2–4 pm: LEDERHOSEN GAMES | Garden Stage Area
9 pm: 64TH ANNUAL OKTOBERFEST FIREWORKS CELEBRATION | Downtown Festgrounds
Live Music
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
11:30 am – 1:30 pm STEVE’S ONE MAN BAND
2pm – 5:00pm FLASH MOB
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm JACUZZI PUMA
9:00 pm – midnight BELLA CAIN
THE REMAINDERS GARDEN STAGE
2:00 – 4:00 pm WHISKEY BELLES
4:15 –7:30 pm HIGH MILEAGE
8–10 pm THE REMAINDERS
NEWS 8 NOW HERITAGE HOFBRÄU HAUS ON THE LA CROSSE BIERHAUS STAGE
1:30–4 pm BRIAN BRUEGGEN & THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DUTCHMEN
4:30–7:30 pm THE SQUEEZETTES
8–11:00 pm POLA-ZEIT
7:30–11 am Pancake Breakfast | Terry Erickson Boys & Girls Club of La Crosse, 1331 Clinton St.
Hosted by the Oktoberfest Parade Marshals | Pancakes, sausages, juice, milk and coffee
Cost: $7 per person (Children 6 and under free)
9:45 am Ecumenical Service | Holy Trinity Parish (1333 13th St, La Crosse, WI, 54601)
Traditional Catholic Mass – All are welcome!
11 am-6 pm Fest Grounds Open – Free Admission! | 1 Oktoberfest Strasse
No admission wristband required
Festing fun for the whole family! Starting with an opening ceremony with root beer provided by Rudy’s at 11:20 in the News 8 Now Heritage Hofbräu Haus, face painting, a chalk contest, vendors, music, and more!
Sunday Presenting Sponsor: Ehler Insurance
11 am
Brats for Seniors
Delivery of Fest brats and Gemütlichkeit to residents in our City of La Crosse housing facilities
Sponsored by Mid-West Family
11:30 am-4:30 pm
Face Painting | Fest Grounds
FREE face painting + airbrush tattoos
12 pm
2025 Parade Award Ceremony | News 8 Now Heritage Hofbräu Haus
Help us recognize the 2025 Torchlight & Maple Leaf Parade award winners. NEW IN 2025 – We’re bringing gemütlichkeit to the streets with the brand-new People’s Choice Award at this year’s Oktoberfest Parades! For the first time ever, parade-goers get to vote for their favorite float and one lucky entry will take home the ultimate fan-voted prize!
Parade Award Sponsors: Select Custom Solutions & Edward Jones
Live Music
ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ
Noon – 2:30 pm THE EXECUTIVES
3pm – 5:30pm PHOENIX & THE BEST MIX OF LA CROSSE
NEWS 8 NOW HERITAGE HOFBRÄU HAUS ON THE LA CROSSE BIERHAUS STAGE
11:30 am – 12:00 pm HANS MAYER MUSIC
2:30 pm – 5:30 pm THE MUSIC CONNECTION
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