NEW ULM–October has arrived and that means the New Ulm Oktoberfest celebrations are set to begin.

Oct. 5-6

The first weekend of Oktoberfest fun begins Friday, Oct. 5, with a Craft and Vendor Show on 1st North between Minnesota Street and Broadway. The show starts at noon and runs through 6 p.m.

The music starts at the Best Western/Green Mill with the 5 p.m. Rocktoberfest. In the Green Mill parking lot Whiskey Stone takes the stage at 5 p.m. and is followed by IV Play at 8:30 p.m.

Inside the Best Western at 5 p.m. the Concord Singers will kick off festivities. The Keg Tapping event starts at 6 p.m. The Schell’s Hobo Band will play at 7:45 p.m., and Dale Dahmen will close out the first night of 9:30 p.m.

The Schell’s Brewery will be open for tours at 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The Oktoberfest activities really get going on Saturday, Oct. 6. At 11 a.m. the German-American Day Parade will start on Minnesota Street near the Glockenspiel and end at the Visitors Center on Center Street.

The Bockfest Boys will start playing at 11 a.m. at the Center Street stage near the Chamber of Commerce office. Church of Cash will perform at 2 p.m.

The Craft and Vendor Show will start its second day at 11 a.m.

For those who prefer wine over beer, Morgan Creek Vineyard will host its 20th annual Grape Stomp. The vineyard opens at 11 a.m. Saturday. The competitive grape-stomping event begins at 1 p.m. with stomps to follow at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The Rocktoberfest fun will continue Saturday at the Best Western/Green Mill. At 2 p.m. the Concord Singers will perform inside the hotel. Josh Norman German Music follows at 3:15 p.m. The Concord Singers return to the stage at 6:45 p.m., and the Bockfest Boys perform at 8:30 p.m.

At 5 p.m. in the Green Mill parking lot, Cold Blooded Whiskey will perform, followed by Hicktown Mafia at 8:30 p.m.

The Schell’s Brewery will continue to hold regular tours on Oct. 6 starting at noon.

Oct. 12-13

The second weekend of Oktoberfest celebration starts 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, at the Best Western/Green Mill, with the Concord Singers once again kicking off the music.

Schell’s Hobo Band will perform at 6:15 p.m. The Concord Singers will play a second set at 8 p.m., and Alpensterne will play the last set at 9 p.m.

At 7 p.m. in the Green Mill parking lot, Johnny Holm Band will start the Rocktoberfest celebration.

Saturday, Oct. 13, a second Oktoberfest Parade will kick off the downtown celebration at 11 a.m. This year the parade will have a costume theme. The parade route will lead right into the Downtown Oktoberfest celebration which will include performances at 11 a.m. by Rich and the Resistors and a 2 p.m. performance by Switch Road Band.

At 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, the Schell’s Brewery opens its gates for the annual Oktoberfest Celebration. Schell’s taps the fest keg at 11 a.m., followed by The Schell’s Hobo Band taking the stage. Alpensterne will perform at 1:30 p.m.

The Concord Singers return to the Best Western at 2 p.m., followed by the Bockfest Boys at 3:15 p.m. The Concord Singers will give an encore performance at 6:30 p.m., and the evening closes with the Wendinger Band playing at 8 p.m.

Powerhouse will perform in the Rocktoberfest tent from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.