Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer festival, and it originated in Germany but has spread to all parts of the world. It’s a great way to welcome fall, as it’s generally still decent weather for Oktoberfests in Washington, so you can be outside while you sample beer, listen to music, and more. While we may start to get the rain around this time of year, it’s not hard to convince any of us locals to head out for this fun event.
While my goal is to go to Germany someday to celebrate this festival, you can still do it while staying local. There are many places to celebrate Oktoberfest in Washington State, whether you’re in Seattle or over the mountains, and it’s by far one of the best things to do in the fall in Seattle. I often frequent the Fremont and Edmonds Oktoberfests, as they’re easy to get to and always a lively day.
Whether you’re looking for Oktoberfests near Seattle or live a bit further away, here are seven Washington Oktoberfests to check out, including their dates, locations, admission prices, and other details you’ll find helpful. Prost!
This post was first written in 2019 and last updated in August 2023.
7 Oktoberfests in Washington to Check Out
While there are a variety of Oktoberfests in Seattle and the rest of the state, here are the 7 festivals I recommend visiting.
1. Leavenworth Oktoberfest
Dates: Sept 29th–30th, Oct 6th–7th, and Oct. 13th–14th, 2023
Location: Leavenworth
Cost: Free
The Leavenworth Oktoberfest is a world-famous event and a very kid-friendly Oktoberfest in Washington in 2023. Celebrated annually during the first three weekends of October, the Leavenworth Oktoberfest welcomes more than 10,000 visitors every year.
You’ll want to make sure to book a weekend in Leavenworth well in advance. There will be a combination of indoor and outdoor areas in case it’s a rainy day when you go.
I went here years ago to participate in the Leavenworth half-marathon and then went over to the Oktoberfest celebration to indulge in a few beers. We were lucky enough to get a beautiful, warm fall day, and it’s still one of my favorite memories in Leavenworth to date.
Visitors can enjoy amazing music, a never-ending flow of beer, delicious sausages and barbecue ribs, and people dressed in traditional Bavarian attire, or their best attempts at what it should look like. The Leavenworth Oktoberfest celebration is typically divided into four party locations, and each features some of the best German bands and dance groups providing entertainment.
You won’t want to miss the Leavenworth Oktoberfest parade on Saturday at noon. With Bavarian marching bands taking to the streets in horse-drawn wagons, dressed in polkas, and waving flags from different parts of the world, it’s a fun part of the celebration.
The Keg Tapping Opening Ceremony typically happens after the parade, at 1:00 PM. Children not interested in the parade can make their way down to the Kinderplatz area of the festival, where they can burn off their energy scrambling up the climbing wall or dancing along to child-appropriate music performances.
While Leavenworth winter activities are popular, this time of the year is probably the second most festive. If you’re looking for extra activities to do after this, check out the fall hikes in Washington nearby.
Where to Stay: If you want to stay in nearby Wenatchee to save money, the Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel is a convenient option. Otherwise, you could look for lodging in Leavenworth (well in advance), where the Bavarian Lodge is close to downtown Leavenworth and has a restaurant, bar, and free parking for guests. (rates start at $161 per night; book your room on Booking.com or Hotels.com)
Need more holiday events in your life? You’ll love all the Seattle Christmas activities going on.
2. Fremont Oktoberfest
Dates: September 22nd, 23rd and 24th, 2023
Location: Seattle
Cost: $15–$60 per day, depending on the day and session time. Tickets cover tasting tokens and mugs.
For three days every year, in the streets of Fremont, hundreds of adults come together to celebrate the best craft beers in the Pacific Northwest and some of the most amazing German beers. Known as Fremont Oktoberfest, this three-day event is hailed as the largest Oktoberfest in Seattle. I used to love going to this with my friends when I lived closer to Seattle and would always spend all Saturday there.
From the 17th to the 19th of September, beer lovers can gather together to enjoy amazing music, a beer line that features one hundred different brews, delicious food, and lots of adult games that include ax throwing, Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving, Stein Hoisting, and a great big game of Street Scramble.
While anyone under 21 years old is not permitted to attend Fremont Oktoberfest, dog owners can bring along their furry friends on Sunday for Dogtoberfest. Properly leashed pups can join in the fun at this 2023 Seattle Oktoberfest and get in on a modeling contest and other tail-wagging activities.
While you’re in Seattle, you’ll love all the things to do in Seattle, whether you’re spending a day in Seattle or a weekend in Seattle.
Where to Stay: The Hampton Inn & Suites Seattle-Downtown is a great hotel to stay in if you are visiting Fremont Oktoberfest. It is less than two miles from the venue and offers beautiful and fully-stocked rooms. Guests can also bring their dogs in, so they can tag along for Dogtoberfest.
Love spooky things? Check out the best Halloween events in Seattle later in the month.
3. Edmonds Oktoberfest
Dates: September 15th–16th, 2023
Location: Edmonds
Cost: Free to enter
My favorite Oktoberfest in Washington is the small one in Edmonds, as it’s a fun community event, and you get an amazing view of the water from the top of the hill. It’s free to enter, and you just have to pay for beer tokens as you go. They have a great selection of local breweries (and many kid-friendly Seattle brewpubs) that create a specialty Oktoberfest beer that you can vote on at the end.
This is a family-friendly event, with a 5K race starting at 10 a.m. and a kids’ 1K dash at 11 a.m. You’ll want to register in advance to reserve your spot and save money. There will also be a kids’ corner when the festival opens at 12 p.m., which will have crafts and plenty of activities.
You’ll also have live music all day to enjoy while you sample your beer. Numerous local food trucks will be available as well for when you get hungry at this 2023 Washington Oktoberfest. This is one of the best things to do in Edmonds during the year.
If you want to extend your weekend, you can take the ferry from Edmonds over to Kingston and go south to visit Bainbridge Island or go north to spend one day in Olympic National Park.
Where To Stay: The closest hotel is the Best Western Plus Edmonds Harbor Inn, which is convenient because you can walk to the festival from here. There’s an outdoor heated pool, and you’ll be near many shops and restaurants when you get hungry. Prices start at $250 per night.
4. Kirkland Oktoberfest
Dates: September 22nd–24th, 2023
Location: Kirkland
Cost: $15–$75 per day, depending on the day and session time. Sunday is Dog Day.
The Kirkland Oktoberfest is an adult-only celebration of Bavarian customs and life. This Washington Oktoberfest gives its attendees the best in Germanic and locally crafted brews, serving them in 16-ounce pours that would quench even the most parched throats.
Beyond the beers, lovers of the Kirkland Oktoberfest come for delicious ribs, sausages, and other German delicacies. There are also plenty of other activities to do in Kirkland, such as music, games, and contests. There will be live bands, accordion-playing one-man bands, and a live DJ.
At the festival, you’ll find many games to play. One of the most popular ones is the Wiener Dog Race, which will feature furry little wieners testing each other’s speed on the Marina Park waterfront. Of course, there will be races for dogs of other sizes, so nobody feels left out.
Where To Stay: The Courtyard by Marriott Seattle Kirkland is in a convenient location that’s near the beach, is pet-friendly, and is close to the freeway. (prices start at $161 per night)
5. Anacortes Oktoberfest
Dates: October 6th and 7th, 2023
Location: Anacortes
Cost: $45. The fee includes tasting tickets and a festival glass. Designated drivers pay $15.
The Anacortes Oktoberfest, also known as the Bier on the Pier Brew and Cider Festival, is a two-day event 80 miles north of Seattle that celebrates German and Bavarian culture. The festival is for adults only, and attendees are required to carry legal identification.
For two whole days, the city of Anacortes will be alive with the sounds of local bands like Gin Gypsy, Randy Weeks, and Miller Campbell singing, groups of people dancing, and strangers becoming friends as they share food and drinks from more than forty breweries and restaurants-on-wheels at this Oktoberfest in Seattle. This is one of the best things to do in Anacortes, so make sure to put it on your list.
Anacortes is also the gateway to the San Juan Islands, so you can extend your trip by visiting Orcas Island or spending a weekend on San Juan Island.
Where To Stay: If you are in town and want to attend this Oktoberfest in Seattle, The Majestic Inn & Spa is located within 15 minutes of the festival. Its luxurious rooms have partial views of the bay, and the hotel has a restaurant and a spa on-site (it’s also my favorite place to stay up there!). (rates start at $244 per night)
6. Oktoberfest Northwest
Dates: October 6th–8th, 2023
Location: Puyallup
Cost: Friday, 12:00 PM–3:00 PM, free entry. Friday from 3:30 PM-close, $15; Saturday – $17 (book online for a $3 discount); and Sunday, $7.50 (book online for a $1 discount). Entry only. Package tickets can be purchased online for $45. Free entry for children under twelve years old.
Recurring for over 15 years, Oktoberfest Northwest is popularly regarded as the largest Munich-style Oktoberfest in Washington. Set up by people who are passionate about German celebrations, the event is full of German beers, ciders, and local craft brews.
There will be games non-stop for people of all ages, and dog owners will be able to enter their pups for the Weiner Dog Races. Other games to look forward to include the Stein Dash 5K and Bavarian Bier Olympics. The kids are never left out at this Oktoberfest near Seattle, as they get to carve and decorate pumpkins, get beautiful designs painted on their faces, and dance and sing with newfound friends.
Where To Stay: The Fairfield Inn & Suites is located in Puyallup and is only a few minutes away from Oktoberfest on foot, as well as being the festival’s official hotel partner. It offers comfortable rooms, a buffet breakfast for guests, and a well-equipped fitness center. (prices start at $219 per night)
Ready for more beer? You’ll love these top Seattle breweries to visit.
7. Spokane Oktoberfest
Dates: September 16th-17th, 2023
Location: Spokane
Cost: $4
Children under the age of 12 can attend for free in the company of an adult. Typically celebrated on the last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of September every year, the upcoming Spokane celebration is another great and family-friendly Oktoberfest in Washington.
For three days at the CenterPlace Regional Event Center in Spokane Valley, locals and tourists will mingle together; make new friends, and learn about different Bavarian customs and the lyrics to songs they have never heard before.
The celebration will begin with the ritual keg tapping open ceremony performed by the Mayor, after which the activities for the weekend will begin. Mostly family-themed, the activities at this Washington Oktoberfest are mostly German in origin and will include games like Holey Board, Nagelspielen, Corn Hole Toss, and more.
There will be face painting spots for children, arts and crafts projects, and dancing lessons where large and little feet alike will learn to do the Chicken Dance and the Fliegerlied.
Where to Stay: The Hampton Inn & Suites Spokane is a great place to stay if you are in Spokane for Oktoberfest. Only a seven-minute drive from the CenterPlace Event Center, the hotel offers plush rooms with fridges and microwaves as well as a hot buffet breakfast in the morning.
Which Oktoberfest in Washington do you plan on visiting?
