Can't get to Munich for Oktoberfest

Moe’s, Cheers or the Regal Beagle.

Lacrosse, WI.
https://www.oktoberfestusa.com/

Leavenworth, Washington.

https://leavenworth.org/oktoberfest/

Mt. Angel, OR

https://oktoberfest.org/

There is no place comparable. Munich's Oktoberfest has more people attending any given day than live in Leavenworth or Lacrosse, and those places just don't have the ability to compete. (I've been to both). It's not just the beer, but the carnival is bigger than most State fairs, there's usually a dozen, or more, musical entertainments going on at the same time, and of course, there's the beer, from not one brewery, but over a dozen major brands. think of it this way; Octoberfest in Munich draws more people than a Taylor Swift concert. Then imagine that concert hosted by Budweiser, Coors, Miller Beer, Iron City, Corona, Pabst, Michelob, Yeungling, Tecate, and Busch, each with a tent the size of a football field, all at the same time.

Save your dimes and go to Munich sometime. In the meantime just head for a big State fair and have some fun.

Cincinnati is Munich's sister city and has an Oktoberfest mid September. https://oktoberfestzinzinnati.com Disclaimer - I have never been to it, but the pictures I have seen look like fun. I know it wouldn't be like the OG in Munich, but there are a lot of fun things to do in Cincinnati.

There is a Hofbrauhaus across the River in Newport, Kentucky that that the Munich Hofbrauhaus franchised. So if the Schmidt's Food Truck at the festival doesn't satisfy your need for German food, there is always Hofbrauhaus. Check out Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli too they have amazing strudel.

There is also an incredible international grocery store north of Cincy in Fairmont called Jungle Jim's. we drive the 2 hours there just to get our German grocery fix and German Fanta.

Mt. Angel. It has actual music and Stimmung similar to the tents at Oktoberfest rather than just what people think is German. So many of these towns have generic oompah bands, but you don't have Schlager. Oktoberfest has both.

We went to one German beerhall in Cincinati many years age, it was so-so. But I'm sure a Cincinati Oktoberfest would be great.

Another place is Frederiksburg Texas. I see all their ads for German festivals in German Life magazine.

Frankenmuth, Michigan is a great small town (sister-city to Gunsenhausen) that has a nice Maifest, and a nice Bavarian fest. Good polka music. Lot of fun. But maybe 3% of the scale of Munchen.

Mt. Angel. It has actual music and Stimmung similar to the tents at Oktoberfest rather than just what people think is German.

And it has Mt Angel Sausage Co - some of the best German sausage around. And the beer from the Mt Angel Abbey Benedictine Brewery. Not to mention the kitschy Glockenspiel (https://www.mtangelchamber.com/glockenspiel). It's small, but fun.

I would want to know which features of Oktoberfest that are the most important for you ? The crowds, the drunks, the rides, the Bavarian Dress? What exactly are you hoping to recreate?

I don't know if it's any good, but it is closer to home: Hermann, Missouri, weekends in October. Hermann was a German settled community with multiple wineries. It's been listed as one of the prettiest small towns in the US.

Minneapolis St. Paul has an Oktoberfest Oct. 4 - 6 this year. I have not been to that one but you can look into it.

Wurstfest - New Braunfels, Texas

https://wurstfest.com/

I can't make it to Oktoberfest in Munich or Stuttgart for the
Volksfest this year.

Where in the US would you go as a second best option?

For all who responded with ideas and recommendations, thank you.

Kitchener, Ontario, bills itself as the largest Oktoberfest outside of Munich. Apart from Oktoberfest, Kitchener itself is not much. There's world class theatre next door in Stratford:

https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/

FYI, before 1916, the city now known as Kitchener was named Berlin.

I had not heard of the Hermann, Missouri and Kitchner, Ontario festivals. They don't make the Top 10 or 20 Lists on Google. Both sound interesting. Hermann is about 4 hours from my home in Arkansas. Kitchner is of course, a little further but I am familiar with the area having lived across the lake in Northwest Pennsylvania and traveled to Ontario many times.

Again, thank you.

FYI, before 1916, the city now known as Kitchener was named Berlin.

Earlier this year I read an interesting story of a young man of German heritage from Ontario. His parents sent him to school in Germany in 1939. He was unable to return to Canada and was drafted into the German army, spending his war in Germany, occupied France and then the Eastern Front (never against any Canadians). After the war he was able to eventually return home as a Canadian citizen. In retirement he spent time working with a Canadian military museum in Ottawa as a hands-on expert on the German weapons on display.

So, if you ever travel to Ottawa's military museum, you have a little trivia to share. The book is Panzer Gunner: A Canadian in the German 7th Panzer Division, 1944-45.

Hi Stan,
Thanks for the reminder of Hermann! Back, starting in 1973 or so, I attended the Maifest for some 20 consecutive years, mostly on a motorcycle, camping in the city park, and then in "the back yard" of a nice couple who let us camp there. It was a great time, but not really a German fest. We always went uphill to the Stone Hill Winery and over-indulged. Then we went downtown to what we called the WOB (Worlds's oldest continually operating bar west of the Mississippi). Very fun beer garden also, but not really Oktoberfest-ish. There is a state park nearby, but we didn't want to risk riding or driving that far in the evening.

Please don't reply as I don't want to bore everyone with all the crazy stories I wanna tell.