9 Oktoberfest Party Ideas to Make Your Beer Festival a Success

The first Oktoberfest took place in 1810 at a royal wedding in Munich, Germany. They included horse races, and when locals decided to have the races again the following year, a festival was born.

Today, numerous people around the world celebrate this time of year with beer, agricultural events, and big parties.

If you’re looking to host a big Oktoberfest event, there are a few things you can do to make it a success. We’ve gathered a list of games, themes, and other ideas to help you throw the best party around.

Keep reading to get more Oktoberfest party ideas you can use to impress everyone on the guest list.

1. Know Your Guests’ Expectations

The first thing you need to consider is your guests and what they want to get out of Oktoberfest. If you’re only hosting a party with a small group of friends and family members, this step is as easy as asking around.

However, if you’re holding a much larger, more public event, you’ll want to take some time to figure out what your target audience will want. The most important thing to consider is what type of beer they’ll want and how much they’ll drink.

2. Start Buying Beer in Advance

Once you do have a good idea as to how many guests will be coming, you’ll want to start stocking up on beer. This is particularly important if you’re going to be offering a lot of craft beers as these can be harder to find in large quantities.

Craft beers may also become scarce during the fall season because of how many Oktoberfest parties are going on, which is another reason to start buying in advance.

3. Don’t Forget the Food

While the focus of Oktoberfest now is beer and lots of it, it can’t be the only thing you serve. Before you get too far into planning the rest of the party, know what you’re going to be serving your guests to eat.

German foods like brats, potato salad, and red cabbage will go a long way in satisfying guests’ stomachs and providing a great experience for them.

It’s also important to keep in mind that not all guests are there for the beer, so having great food will bring those back in future years.

4. Offer Exciting Entertainment

One way to set your event apart from others is to offer entertainment that’s exciting and unique to you. If you have a certain theme you’re going to use, then you’ll want to stick with that.

Although early Oktoberfest entertainment centered around horse racing, today you can choose anything you like whether you’ve got fire breathers or a modern light show.

5. Book an Awesome Band

It could be your only form of entertainment or simply providing background music, but having an awesome band is another great way to host an unforgettable Oktoberfest celebration.

Once again, you’ll want to consider your target audience and the theme of your party before booking a band.

This is also something you’ll want to book as far in advance as possible, especially if you’re looking at German bands which are busy this time of year.

6. Host at a Unique Location

Location matters when hosting an Oktoberfest party for several reasons. First and foremost, you want to ensure it’s large enough for all of your guests to comfortably fit.

It’s also essential to use a location that’s centrally-located so people can get to it easily. There should be adequate parking on-site or a shuttle service so people don’t have to worry about finding a place to park.

You’ll also want to make sure that only invited guests can find their way into your party. This is particularly true if you’re offering unlimited beer and entertainment with the entrance fee.

7. Set the Mood

Your location itself will help you set the mood, but from there you’ll want to do some work. Consider your audience again as you decide how to decorate and the best way to set up the area.

Let’s take a look at two of the most popular themes you can use for your Oktoberfest.

Germany

This is by far the most common theme of Oktoberfest celebrations because of the origins of this event. You can offer German beer and food, play German music, and decorate with German-related colors.

One color theme focuses on blue and white, the colors of Bavaria where Oktoberfest originated. Other popular colors are black, red, and gold, the colors on Germany’s flag.

Fairs

Because of the agricultural roots of this festival, many people like to focus on that aspect. You could set up your Oktoberfest as a fair with typical carnival events and decorations to celebrate that aspect of it.

Or, you could take it a step further and have a “beer circus” and invite trapeze artists and tightrope walkers as your entertainment.

8. Advertise Early

There’s no shortage of Oktoberfests and other fall festivals that people in Texas can attend every year.

That’s why you want to get the word out about your event as early as possible. This will give you plenty of time to reach more people and to build up excitement about what you’re doing.

Your entertainers, bands, and breweries should have high-quality photos you can use in your advertisements. This will help people know what to expect, which encourages them to come and share the news with others.

Advertising may not apply to you if you’re hosting a private party. In that case, send out invitations early so your guests can put it in their schedules. Typically, a month or two in advance is enough for this type of party.

9. Have Hotel Rooms Available

One of the best things you can do for your guests to ensure they have an incredible time is to prevent anyone from being stuck as the non-drinking designated driver.

An on-site hotel is a perfect way to keep all of your guests both safe and happy all night long.

Ready to Put These Oktoberfest Party Ideas to Work?

Now you have nine Oktoberfest party ideas that will help you throw the best beer festival in Texas. Speaking of the best beer festival in Texas, the Midlothian Conference Center is hosting Oktoberfest 2019 for the Heroes of Midlothian Foundation.

This family friendly German inspired event will take place on October 5th from 4-10pm. We are thrilled to host the event and support the great work that Heroes of Midlothian Foundation does in our community. Proceeds will go toward educational scholarships and assistance to the families of local law enforcement, firefighters, and military veterans in Midlothian.

Admission is completely free. They’ll be a Biergarten for enjoying local craft brews and usual domestic swill. The event will also have a Food Garten sponsored by 7-Eleven.  The Food Garten will serve up tasty treats like brats, hot dogs, potato salad, chips, pretzels, nachos, cotton candy, soft drinks and water.

There will be games and entertainment – fun for the whole family as well as a silent auction and raffle.

Bring your old eyeglasses to donate to the Midlothian Lions Club to support their unique SightFirst Program.

About Heroes of Midlothian Foundation

The Heroes of Midlothian Foundation is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to improving and supporting the community of Midlothian, Texas. The Foundation provides short and long-term assistance to Midlothian-area families of military, veterans, law enforcement, firefighters, and other public servants. The Foundation also provides educational scholarships to local students through its Memorial Scholarship Program, which honors the legacy of fallen heroes. The Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) entity. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

If you’d like to host your own Oktoberfest event in the future, contact us today for a free estimate. We would love to help you with everything you need to ensure your celebration is a success!