New Ulm Oktoberfest keeps getting better
Trending
NEW ULM -- Jumping two spots to fifth in USA TODAY's best Oktoberfest, New Ulm will host festivities spanning the first two weekends of October.
The rise in ranking comes alongside new additions for this year's celebration. New Ulm will be welcoming police and musicians from Germany for the 44th Annual Oktoberfest.
New Ulm Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Sarah Warmka said that ten police officers from Germany will be at Downtown Oktoberfest for anyone who would like to meet them.
Police officers will not be the only Germans traveling overseas to celebrate the festivities. Warmka said that the Munich, Germany Happy Hour Oktoberfest Band is set to perform Friday 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Best Western Plus and Saturday 2-5 p.m. at Center Street.
New Ulm will also be the home to Minnesota's first official Steinholder State Championship. A qualifying round for those interested will take place Friday at 7 p.m. downtown.
Catch the state championship downtown Saturday at 5 p.m. where New Ulm's own Ryan Meyer and Pam Miller will be competing. Meyer and Miller won the Steinholding events at New Ulm's Brown County Fair in August.
Warmka said that people all the way from Texas and New Jersey will be traveling to compete in the state championship.
"I think the fact that we were founded by Germans for Germans makes our Oktoberfest stand out from other places," Warmka said. "Come and see how Germans have more fun."
Downtown New Ulm will open things up Friday Oct. 2 with the Concord Singers performing at 3 p.m. The Misfits will keep music going until 7 p.m. when the qualifying round of the Steinholder State Championship will take place. Tanner Stark Band will conclude the night, playing 8-11 p.m.
Saturday will kick off on Center Street with the Keg Tapping at 10 a.m. On Center Street the Wendinger Band will start at 10 a.m. until the Sauerkraut Eating Contest at 1 p.m.
Happy Hour Oktoberfest Band will begin at 2 p.m. and play until the Steinholder competition at 5 p.m.
Over on Minnesota Street, the Germanic-American Day parade will start at 11 a.m. Music by the Nate Frederickson Band will go from 4-7 p.m. when the REVLINE Band will take over until 11 p.m.
Kids activities, including a corn pit, bounce houses, yard games, and a pretzel making station, will be available.
Food trucks will include Momma Maria's, Simply Made Right, and Hopper's Mini Donuts on Friday, and Legacy BBQ, Plaza Garibaldi, Sleepy Bison Grill, The American Dream Machine, Inspire Health & Wellness LLC, Shoosters Grill, Ruhland's Strudel Haus, Optimist Club Cheese Curds, The Sugar Shack, NE Pretzels, and Hopper's Mini Donuts on Saturday.
Best Western Plus will celebrate both weekends of Oktoberfest with a German/American Spelling Bee from 8:30-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2 and live music from Leon Olson Tribute Band at 4 p.m., Happy Hour Oktoberfest Band at 6:30 p.m., and Dain's Dutchman from 9 p.m. until midnight.
Live music will continue Saturday from 3 p.m to midnight with Bockfest Boys at 3 p.m., The Wendinger Band at 6 p.m., and Tanner Stark from 9 p.m. until midnight.
The second weekend will feature more music at Best Western Plus. Friday evening will open with The Concord Singers at 5 p.m., followed by The iPolka Band at 7:30 p.m. and concluding with Dain's Dutchmen at 10 p.m.
Best Western Plus festivities will conclude Saturday with The Concord Singers and Bockfest boys closing things up.
Schell's Brewery will celebrate Oktoberfest Saturday Oct. 10. Gates will open at 10:30 a.m. with the beer wagon arriving 15 minutes later. Tapping will occur at 11 a.m. and live music will commence at 11:02 a.m.
For more information visit newulm.com/events/oktoberfest/