Oktoberfest gives Alexandria an excuse to linger. Beer festivals and Bavarian nights open with live music and giant steins, dancing takes over, and the lederhosen remain nobody's requirement. Through all of it the food is the constant, bratwurst and pretzels on nearly every menu and long tables on the old streets near the water. Or one good beer with friends, done. Check what's happening for Oktoberfest 2026 in Alexandria and book your tickets before they sell out.
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On nowOct 4–25201 East Frederick Drive, Sterling22 days
There’s something special happening at St. Matthew's every Sunday! Join us for worship at 8, 9:30, and 11 AM, and between services, grab a cup of coffee, catch up with friends, and join in! 🥕 October 4 | Garden Delights Enjoy items created from St. Matt
Oct 16–18Howard County Iron Bridge Hounds, Mount Airy3 days
Join us for a Wild West Weekend in MD hunt country! Friday Night Barn Party, Saturday Yellowstone Ride & Sunday Hunting with a Western Flair Welcome to our annual FOXtoberfest with a twi
$25 – $150Live music
Sat, Oct 1739590 Sunnyside Rd, Clements
Welcome to our annual Octoberfest and Vendor Show! Shop early for the holidays, enjoy the alpacas and check out shopping deals! Hopefully you can take time to visit our farm. We have one of a kind items for sale and very limited quantities. Briarbranchal
Best for groupsSat, Oct 1711900 Palace Way, Fairfax
Join us for Oktoberfest celebrations, including local craft beer samples and hand-braided pretzels while you shop 40+ local artisans and exclusive deals at Fairfax Corner’s shops! 🥨 Grab a freshly twisted pretzel and sample local Craft Beers 🍹 Sip & S
Live music
Best for a dateSat, Oct 177581 Colshire Dr, Tysons
Where Bavarian Bier Hall meets Medieval Revelry! ⚔️🍺 Oktoberfest Renaissance Festival at Shipgarten 👑🔥 Where Bavarian beer hall meets medieval revelry. Step into a world where steins are r
FreeLive music
Most popularSat, Oct 177581 Colshire Dr, Mclean
⚔️🍺 Oktoberfest Renaissance Festival at Shipgarten 👑🔥 Where Bavarian beer hall meets medieval revelry. Step into a world where steins are raised high and knights roam the beer garden. Shipgarten proudly presents our Oktoberfest Renaissance Festival — a on
Live music
Sat, Oct 17Columbia Island Marina, Washington
NPYC Oktoberfest is Saturday, October 17 at Columbia Island! Wear your best lederhosen or dirndl, bring a side (e.g. sweet and sour red cabbage, German cucumber salad, deviled eggs, your grandmas' favorite dish, etc.) or dessert to share, and clean out yo
Sat, Oct 17American Legion Post 24
Join us for the Annual Oktoberfest Festival—good beer, Polka music, and tons of fun with friends! Annual Oktoberfest Festival American Legion Post 24’s Annual Oktoberfest returns to the historic
$12.50 – $25Live music
Sun, Oct 1815200 Annapolis Rd, Bowie
Celebrate the season at the Bowie Farmer's Market on Sunday, October 18, with Oktoberfest activities beginning at 10 a.m. The market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., giving you plenty of time to shop local and enjoy the festivities. Paint a pumpkin and tur
Sun, Oct 18Old Stein Inn, Mayo
Oktoberfest in the Biergarten with The Prost Polka Partei Band
Live music
Sun, Oct 18Base lounge, Bladensburg
Oktoberfest Is a DMV ungergound music lovers Dream Day🔥 Live music from some of the best Talent The DMV underground has to offer 🔥 Exclusive merch from some of the HOTTEST Local DMV Brands 🔥🧥 Live DJ Sets🔥 Great networking environment So come solo and
Live music
Fri, Oct 23689 Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park
Mark your calendars for SJAA's Oktoberfest on Friday, Oct. 23 from 6:30-9:30p.m. in the school's auditorium. This is an adults-only event, so secure your sitters! Celebrate with Biergarten and Oktoberfest games. Tickets are $35 per person and include snac
Best with kidsSat, Oct 24Park Plaza, Severna Park
SHOPTOBERFEST is a Fall Shop Local Festival with a Halloween and Oktoberfest Flair. Exhibitors can sell their products/services at their booths. Join us for this fun, FREE, family event! We will have music, shopping, Trick or Treating, a kids costume con
Family-friendly
Sat, Oct 24970 St. John’s Drive, Annapolis
🎉 Saint John’s 18th Annual Block Party — Oktoberfest Celebration! 🍂🎶 Saturday, October 24th | 12 PM–10 PM 📍 Saint John’s Drive — Annapolis, MD between Summit and Latrobe Drive 🎶 LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY We’ve got an awesome lineup keeping the party going
Live music
Best on a budgetSat, Oct 24Settle Down Easy Brewing Co., Falls Church
Join Settle Down Easy Brewing and Born Cross Eyes for a Grateful OktoberFEST 🍻🎶 Oktoberfest with Born Cross Eyed at Settle Down Easy Brewing! 🇩🇪⚡ Get ready for an unf
$10 – $50Live music
Sun, Oct 25Gustave Boulangerie & Brasserie
Join us for the Goat Social at Gustave's, Octoberfest style. Come out and hang with the herd. Your first drink is included. Join us in the outdoor garden of Gustave's Boulangerie in Del Ray for Goatoberfest
$44.43
Sun, Oct 25Old Stein Inn, Mayo
Oktoberfest in The Biergarten with Elena on The Accordion
Get the look
Outfits, steins and party kit for the season. Check delivery dates before you order.
Links go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, AllEvents earns from qualifying purchases.
Dirndl dressBodice, blouse, skirt and apronShop on Amazon 
Men's lederhosenLeather shorts, braces and allShop on Amazon 
Alpine hatGreen felt, with the featherShop on Amazon 
Trachten suspendersThe look for less, over any checked shirtShop on Amazon 
Lidded beer steinCeramic, with a pewter lidShop on Amazon 
Das Boot glassThe boot-shaped party glassShop on Amazon 
Hammerschlagen gameA stump, nails, a hammer: first nail flush winsShop on Amazon 
Bavarian flagBlue-and-white diamonds for the yardShop on Amazon 
Pretzel saltCoarse salt for homemade BreznShop on Amazon 
Baby lederhosenFor the smallest guestShop on Amazon 
Hot-dog dog costumeFor the dachshund racesShop on Amazon Nearby
Worth the trip from Alexandria, soonest first.
Oct 16–17St. Mary's College of Maryland Admissions Building, Saint Marys City2 days
Free – $55.20Live music
Sat, Oct 17Curio Wine Bar & Tasting Room, Fredericksburg
$52.51
Worth the trip
Sat, Oct 241515 Olde William Street, Fredericksburg
Family-friendlyDog-friendly
Before you go
Tickets, timing, what to wear, and whether the kids can come.
Every listing with a price, cheapest first.
12 listings do not show a price.
Every organiser sets its own prices, and entry, food and drink are often sold separately. Check what a ticket covers before you buy.
In Alexandria: 1 of 17 free to get in; paid tickets from $10 to $150.
Weekend afternoons fill up first. Go early if you want a table.
In Alexandria: Saturday is the big day, with 9 of 17 dates.
Dirndl or Lederhosen are welcome, never required. In Bavaria they are everyday clothes, not a costume.
Traditionally said, from the wearer's side. A custom, not a rule.
Festivals in parks and streets are usually all ages; events in bars are often 21+. The listing says which.
In Alexandria: 1 family-friendly event.
Eat and drink
Same word, two beers: Munich pours a pale lager, North America an amber one.
What Munich pours
What North America calls Oktoberfest
Only these six Munich breweries may pour at the Wiesn. Their festival beers are the real thing.
1 litre
A Maß is more than two US pints of 6% lager. Eat something with it. In Munich in 2026 one costs about €15.61.
Most eatenHendl
Spit-roasted half chicken
Schweinshaxe
Crackling roast pork knuckle
Brezn
The giant salted pretzel
Bratwurst
Grilled sausage in a roll
Weisswurst
Veal sausage, eaten before noon
Obatzda
Beer-garden cheese spread
Steckerlfisch
Whole fish grilled on a stick
VegetarianKäsespätzle
Cheesy egg noodles
Kartoffelpuffer
Crisp potato pancakes
Radi
Spiral-cut salted radish
Kaiserschmarrn
Torn pancake with plum compote
Gebrannte Mandeln
Warm candied almonds
Dampfnudel
Steamed dumpling in vanilla sauce
Apfelstrudel
Apple strudel
Lebkuchenherz
Gingerbread heart, worn not eaten
At the party
So you know what to do when the band stops playing and the whole room stands up.
Every 15 minutes or so
Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit
Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
der Gemütlichkeit.
Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
der Gemütlichkeit.
Oans, zwoa, drei — g'suffa!
“A toast to good company.” Stand up, raise your glass, sing it twice, count to three, clink and drink.
Most bands play these, loudly, more than once.
Masskrugstemmen
Hold a full litre at arm's length, elbow locked. Last arm up wins.
Kegs for balls, pins at the end of the lane, against the clock.
Carry full steins to the line. Fastest run with least beer spilled wins.
Ten brats, no buns, one clock.
America's own: sausage dogs sprinting for their owners.
Best dirndl, best lederhosen, judged by applause.
Since 1810
Long before Alexandria had an Oktoberfest, Munich threw one for a royal wedding. Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese on 12 October 1810, and some 40,000 people turned out for the horse race that closed the celebrations. It went so well the city did it again, and eventually moved it forward into September, when Bavarian evenings are still warm enough to sit outside.
Munich's 2026 Wiesn ran from September 19 to October 4.
Asked and answered
Oktoberfest events in Alexandria run from Oct 4 to Oct 25, 2026: 17 events. The busiest weekend is Oct 16 – Oct 18, with 10 events.
Yes: 11 events are on for Oct 16 – Oct 18, including October Coffee Hour Fun, FOXtoberfest "Yellowstone" Weekend with HCIBH at Howard County Iron Bridge Hounds and Octoberfest and Vendor Show. Another 3 events are on nearby.
Yes: 1 of the 17 listed is free to get into, including Oktoberfest Renaissance Festival. Paid tickets for the rest run from $10 to $150. Food and drink are usually paid for on the day.
Yes: 6 more events are listed within reach of Alexandria, in Saint Marys City, Fredericksburg, Baltimore and Tysons and more. The soonest is Hawktoberfest 2026 in Saint Marys City, on Oct 16–17.
At 16 venues, including Old Stein Inn (2 dates), Howard County Iron Bridge Hounds, Columbia Island Marina and American Legion Post 24.
The most popular on AllEvents right now are Oktoberfest Renaissance Festival (Sat, Oct 17), Oktoberfest Market (Sat, Oct 17) and Oktoberfest Reniassance Festival (Sat, Oct 17).
1 listing says it is family-friendly: SHOPTOBERFEST - Shop Local with a Trick or Treat Twist!. For the rest, check the listing before you go: many events held in bars are 21+.
Munich's 2026 Oktoberfest ran from September 19 to October 4, 2026, 16 days on the Theresienwiese.
A Bavarian folk festival that began in Munich as a royal wedding party: Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese on 12 October 1810, and the celebrations ended with a horse race on 17 October. Munich later moved the start forward into September, when the weather is warmer, and the festival usually ends on the first Sunday in October.
Traditional dress, a Dirndl or Lederhosen, is welcome but never required, and ordinary clothes are completely normal. In Bavaria, Tracht is everyday clothing for family occasions rather than a costume.
Worth the trip
Where the season is the whole city's business, from Munich's meadow to a Bavarian village in the Cascades.
MunichThe original, since 1810
CincinnatiOktoberfest Zinzinnati
KitchenerCanada's biggest
La Crosse, WIOktoberfest USA
Frankenmuth, MIMichigan's Little Bavaria
Leavenworth, WAA Bavarian mountain village
Fredericksburg, TXHill Country's German town
New Ulm, MNSettled by Germans in 1854
DenverDenver Oktoberfest, since 1969
MilwaukeeBrew City's German roots
ChicagoStreet fests all season
New YorkStone Street and the beer hallsKeep exploring
