Are you going to be visiting New York this fall? If so, you should check out one of the many Oktoberfest celebrations in the Big Apple. Oktoberfest is a traditional fall festival that started in Germany, but people celebrate the festival across the United States, too. Let's look at some of the places in New York celebrating Oktoberfest this year so you can join in the celebrations. Prost!
Here's What You Can Expect at an Oktoberfest in New York
Oktoberfest is the world's largest beer festival, and New York City celebrates the event in style. This annual festival is full of fun with beer guzzling, dancing, singing, contests, munching on German food, and playing games. From many local beer gardens to Watermark Bar at Pier 15, let's look at some of the fun activities and beer you can expect at an NYC Oktoberfest in 2022.
Authentic German Beer
One thing that you know you are going to find at an Oktoberfest festival in New York is authentic German beer. Oktoberfest NYC at Watermark Bar on Pier 15 celebrates the fall beverage festival for eight weeks. They also offer real German beer. You can get 1-liter steins for $15 and 1/2-liter steins for $10. They have traditional Weihenstephaner, Radeberger, and Hofbrau beers to choose from. The event at Watermark is free to attend, and they have some snacks, too, including soft, salty, giant pretzels.
Black Forest Brooklyn is another location in New York City that serves authentic German beer during Oktoberfest. They have two convenient locations: Fort Greene and Smith Street. Treat yourself to an all-you-can-drink beer package for three hours for $45 per person, or enter a costume contest or a mug-holding competition. Their Oktoberfest celebrations kick off on September 17 and take place on weekends until October 15.
You can also enter costume contests and a mug-holding competition.
Huge Pretzels and Sauerkraut-Smothered Bratwurst
Another staple of Oktoberfest that you can find at the city's celebrations is soft pretzels, along with bratwursts traditionally covered with sauerkraut or offered plain. You can't have an Oktoberfest celebration without the traditional foods!
Loreley Biergarten and restaurant is hosting their own Oktoberfest from September 15 through October 16. They offer soft German pretzels and twelve different sausages at their celebration. On Thursdays, they sell their giant pretzels at half-price until 7pm.
Zum Schneiders NYC's Oktoberfest tent brings Munich directly to NYC. From September 30 through October 9t, the authentic German tent will have live music, beer, and traditional food such as giant pretzels, bratwurst, and half-roasted chickens. There will be no shortage of yummy German-style food at this Oktoberfest party.
Fun Activities, Contests, and Games for Friends and Family
Radegast Hall and Biergarten holds an Oktoberfest celebration with plenty of food and drinks, a keg-tapping celebration, and mug-holding competitions. Their events are on September 17, 24, and October 1. They will have live music as well.
Circle Line offers a Bear Mountain Cruise with live music and Oktoberfest food and drinks on board. In addition, you get to tour through breathtaking scenery around New York for an eight-hour round trip. Tickets start at just $79 for regular seating. The cruises will occur every Saturday and Sunday between September 17 and November 13.
Partygoers Dressed in Traditional Dirndl and Lederhosen
Suppose you plan to attend any Oktoberfest festival in New York or in Germany. In that case, you will see plenty of people wearing the traditional Oktoberfest costumes, such as the lederhosen and dirndl.
Lederhosen was first utilized as work clothing for peasants in Germany and Austria. Leather is a durable fabric, so the laborers of the day made their outfits out of it to withstand long work hours and demanding jobs. After that, lederhosen became popular among the wealthy class as an outfit for horseback riding or hunting.
The ladies' Oktoberfest attire is dirndls. Initially, the wool outfit was worn by maids and farm workers. Later, women from the upper class made their dirndls from more expensive materials like silk or satin.
Dirndls and lederhosen became the official attire for Oktoberfest guests in 1887, and the tradition continues to this day.
Save on Your Next Visit to New York City
If you plan a New York City trip this year, you can save money by checking out CityPASS® tickets. New York City has so many spectacular attractions that it is difficult just to pick one. However, New York CityPASS® tickets will allow you to save at five top attractions. The Empire State Building and the American Museum of Natural History are included — you can choose three more from other top places to visit.
If you don't have time to go to all five, check out the New York C3® package, which includes a discount on three attractions of your choice.
Either way you go, CityPASS® tickets can save you money on your next trip, and you can use that money you saved to catch an Oktoberfest festival this year.
New York City Lodging
Need to book a hotel for your New York City adventure? Use this map to find the right lodging for you:
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