Oktoberfest in Minneapolis is not one weekend — it is most of September, and then one very large October weekend. If you are staying downtown this autumn, nearly all of it is a short ride away. Here is the 2026 calendar, and how to reach it from a studio on South 9th Street.
The 2026 Minneapolis Oktoberfest calendar
These dates come from Meet Minneapolis’s 2026 Oktoberfest roundup, last updated on 1 September. Times and details can move, so check with the venue before you go.
- Utepils Oktoberfest — September 11 & 12, 18 & 19, and 25 & 26, at Utepils Brewing on Thomas Avenue North. Three weekends across the taproom, beer garden and parking lot; the longest run of any of them.
- Mextoberfest — September 11, 3pm to 11pm, at La Doña Cervecería. Latin-German fusion, homemade pretzels, and a salchipapa standing in for the bratwurst.
- Dogtoberfest 3 — September 12, 1pm to 8pm, at Insight Brewing. Three hot dog trucks, an eating competition and a sauerkraut beer called The Kraut Pleaser.
- Oktoberfest at Forgotten Star Brewing — September 18 to 20. Three days of live music, German-inspired food and contests.
- Clocktoberfest — September 18 & 19, at Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, out in the back lot.
- Fulton’s Oktoberfest — September 18 & 19 and 25 & 26, at Fulton HQ — note, not the North Loop taproom. A Munich-style festival tent, Bavarian dancers, stein-holding, and the area’s largest selection of German beer. All ages welcome; they ask you to leave dogs at home for this one.
- SurlyFest 2026 — September 19, 11am to 10pm, at Surly Brewing. Three bands, one DJ and, in their own words, no accordions. A German menu takeover runs in the Beer Hall September 9 to 20.
- Barktoberfest: The Shire-Way — September 19 & 20, 11am to 8pm, at Inbound BrewCo. Beer, dogs and a Bilbo’s-birthday theme.
- Grazetoberfest — September 26, 5pm to 9pm, at Graze Food Hall. Free admission, live polka on the Yard Stage, and a stein for the first 100 drink packages sold.
- NOT-Oberfest — September 26, at Padraigs Brewing, for anyone who would rather have the Irish alternative.
- Twin Cities Oktoberfest — October 9 & 10, at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
The big one: Twin Cities Oktoberfest, October 9 and 10
Now in its sixteenth year, Twin Cities Oktoberfest takes over the Historic Progress Center at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds for two days of German food, beer, wine, cider, live music and festival games. Its own point of pride is that the whole thing is local — the beer, the food, the music and the entertainment.
One thing worth being clear about: the fairgrounds are not downtown. Plan on a drive, a rideshare or a bus connection rather than a walk.
Getting there without a car
Most of the September festivals are in Minneapolis proper, which makes them straightforward from downtown. For any of them, put the venue and your arrival time into the Metro Transit trip planner and it will tell you what actually runs that evening — which matters more than a route number for a festival that ends at ten.
The other reason to go car-free is the obvious one. Oktoberfest is a drinking festival. Leaving the car behind is much of the point of staying somewhere central.
Where to stay for an Oktoberfest weekend
Oakland’s on 9th is a furnished studio apartment hotel at 215 South 9th Street, in an 1889 brownstone in the middle of downtown. Book a night, a week or a month — there are no contracts and no minimum stay, which suits a festival weekend as well as it suits a longer stay.
Every studio has a full kitchen, and after a day of bratwurst that turns out to matter: you can cook something ordinary on Sunday morning instead of hunting for brunch. WiFi, all utilities, heat and laundry are included. Some units are pet friendly, which is worth knowing if Dogtoberfest or Barktoberfest is the reason you are coming.
Making a weekend of it
September and October are the busiest stretch of the downtown calendar. We wrote up what is on in downtown Minneapolis in October, including two Vikings games and the Timberwolves opener, and there is a dining guide to the blocks around the building for the nights you would rather not travel for dinner.
To book a studio for a September or October weekend, check availability here or call us on (612) 314-5124. Prost.
Keep reading: Who Rebuilt Oakland’s on 9th? The Volunteers, Neighbours and Donors Behind the Restoration