Oktoberfest in Germany lasts from mid-September to early October. But you can still clink your beer steins in honor of all things German without leaving south Louisiana. Whether you have German roots or just really love beer and bratwurst, you’ll want to head to these Oktoberfest events locally and throughout the state.
Oktoberfest at The Bulldog in Baton Rouge: Oct. 6-7
Baton Rouge’s largest outdoor Oktoberfest celebration happens at The Bulldog, with some 1,000 people pouring in throughout the weekend. The Bulldog transforms its back parking lot into a 2,000 square foot outdoor drinking hall. Under a tent, the drinking hall is decorated with chandeliers and Bavarian flags.
Large beer pretzels from Rösch Bakehaus and hand-battered pork schnitzel are crowd favorites. Beer brats, sauerkraut and hot potato salad are also on the menu. The Bulldog imports 15 special Oktoberfest brews, such as the Dinkelacker Oktoberfest, a Märzen or Bavarian-style lager.
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Try your hand at the stein holding contest, or come dressed in your best dirndl or lederhosen for the costume contest. Enjoy live music with the Chee-Weez on Friday and Chase Tyler on Saturday. The event begins at 8 p.m. Get tickets here.
German Beer Garden at the Gretna Heritage Festival in Gretna: Sept. 29-Oct. 1
Get a head start on your celebrations at the Gretna Heritage Festival in Gretna, about 90 minutes southeast of Baton Rouge. Spanning more than 25 city blocks, the festival includes an Oktoberfest-inspired “German Beer Garden,” as well as an Italian heritage section with Italian foods and drinks, five stages of music, art and clothing vendors and craft beer tasting.
The beer garden nods to the Germans who settled in Gretna in the 1880s. Go for the bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels and apple cake, as well as German-made beer, wine and schnapps.
To learn more or see a schedule, visit the festival website.
Oktoberfest NOLA in New Orleans: Oct. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21
The Deutsches Haus will host Oktoberfest NOLA at its new location in New Orleans for three weekends in a row.
Let the oompah music serenade you as you eat your weight in German foods. The menu includes sauerbraten (braised roast beef), krautwickel (ground beef-stuffed cabbage leaves), kasseler rippchen (smoked pork shank), kartoffelbrei (creamed potatoes), brats, sauerkraut, pretzels, German cheeses and desserts.
Finish it all off with your choice of German wines, 20 types of schnapps and more than 20 beers. Order a lager from Köstritzer, a brewery that has specialized in black beer since 1543.
The festival runs 4-11 p.m. on Fridays and 1-11 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission is $8 for ages 13 and older. Buy tickets here.
Germanfest in Roberts Cove: Oct. 7-8
German immigrants founded the Roberts Cove community (about 20 minutes west of Lafayette) in 1880. Their descendants started Germanfest in 1995. German roots or not, all are welcome at this two-day, family-friendly festival.
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Foods like home-cooked sauerkraut, potato salad and bratwurst make the festival worth the drive from Baton Rouge. Though desserts aren’t the meat and potatoes of German cooking, you have to try the apfel kuchen (apple cobbler) or zucker plätzchen (sugar cookies)—24,000 sugar cookies are baked for the festival.
Though it’s too late to enter the home brew competition, you can sample homemade, German-style beers before voting for your favorite.
The festival is 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7, and 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8. Admission is $8 for ages 13 and older. Learn more or view a schedule of events.