As summer comes to an end, we start thinking of leaves changing colors and fun Fall festivals such as Oktoberfest. Western North Carolina is the perfect spot for a Fall vacation and offers several Oktoberfest events that you should include in your visit to Asheville. Dress up, taste German foods and beers and let's all have a great time. PROST!

Clawtoberfest at Highland Brewing - September 16

Oktoberfest-style party filled with music, food, games, and German-inspired small-batch beers at Asheville's original craft brewery, Highland Brewing. From 12PM - 10PM with two bands, several food trucks and games including Keg Roll, Stein Hoist, Stein Race, Moustache Contest and more.

Live music schedule:

1:00PM-5:00PM Lagerhosen

6:00PM-9:00PM LazrLuvr

Food trucks and pop ups:

El Querubin
Frios Pops
Post 25’s Outpost
Backdraft BBQ
The Scarlet Bee
Bullhded Peanuts

4th Annual Lookout Oktoberfest - September 16

From 12PM - 9PM, Lookout Brewing in Black Mountain will have live music, special beer releases, food specials and custom Lookout Steins.

Live music is from 4PM-7PM courtesy of Das Oompapa's Band. Special beer release is a Schatzt Lager and festive dress will be all part of the celebration.

Guidon Brewing Oktoberfest - September 16 and September 23

Guidon Brewing in Hendersonville has two dates to celebrate Oktoberfest. Dig out your Dirndl and Lederhosen to try to win the best dressed contest. Enjoy bier, brats, pretzels, games and polka music. Games include obstacle races, stein hoist, and Hammerschlagen.

Live music schedule:

September 16 - Lagerhosen

September 23 -  music from Phoenix DJ and Sound

Dssolvr Shrektoberfest 2 - September 23

At Dssolvr Brewing in downtown Asheville, prepare for SHREKTOBERFEST 2: Once Upon a Stein! A BIGGER, BADDER, SHREXIER Shrektoberfest!! Starts at 3PM.

Featuring such hits as
– Farquaad’s Onion Toss,
-“All Star” Musical Chairs
– “Can’t we settle this over a pint?” Steinhold Competition
– Shrektober Costume Contest
– Puss in Boots Medallion Hunt
– “Do The Roar” Shrek Roar Competition
– Dance Party with the DJ Ogrelord
– Shrekstravagant Feast
– Hey Hey Yah Yah FESTBIER

13th Annual Southern Appalachian Oktoberfest - September 23

It's worth making the short drive from Asheville to Hendersonville to enjoy the 13th Annual Oktoberfest at Southern Appalachian Brewery from 12PM-6PM.

The celebration includes an assortment of Bavarian-themed events, including the popular Dachshund races, stein hoist competition, a costume contest. Live music provided by the Mountain Top Polka Band.

One of our favorite parts of this event is that the proceeds from race entry fee ($20/dog, includes one adult festival admission) benefits the Blue Ridge Humane Society. Otherwise, admission is $10 per person,

Hillman Beer Oktoberfest - September 30

Dust off your dirndls and lederhosen for a fun day at one of our favorite local breweries, Hillman Beer, located in Biltmore Village. There will be a new collectible Hillman Beer stein with a special Oktoberfest beer release. Live music by Das Oompapas from 3PM-6PM.

Appalachian Mountain Brewing Oktoberfest - September 30

Get your lederhosen and dirndls ready to celebrate at Appalachian Mountain Brewing's new Mills River location from 12PM-10PM. A day packed full of stein hoisting, pretzels, beer, Oktoberfest-inspired food, live music, games, and more.

3rd Annual Brevard Oktoberfest - September 30

This year's event will have two biergartens.

Biergarten #1 at 185 King Street will feature a biergarten with German beers from some of the World's oldest breweries and

Biergarten #2 at Upcountry will feature a biergarten with German-style beers from each of the Transylvania County Breweries: Brevard Brewing, Ecusta Brewing, Noblebräu Brewing, Oskar Blues and Upcountry.

Guests will have the option to pay for tastings for each Biergarten OR pay as they go for full beers.  Tastings will occur from 12PM-5PM.  After that window ends guests can still buy full beers for the rest of the event.

185 King Street will be serving house made beer-brats, pretzels and beer cheese along with some of their classic menu items and Smash NC will be serving up fresh grub in the Lumberyard Courtyard.

Games will occur in the Lumberyard Courtyard.  Sign up sheets will be located at the courtyard from noon until 15 minutes before the event.

Event Schedule:

12:00PM - Event begins and Biergartens are open - tastings begin

12:00-2:30PM  Music by The Harrows at 185 King Street

2:30PM - Games Begin in the Lumberyard Courtyard

2:30PM - Steinhoist

3:00PM - Keg Toss

3:30PM - Barrel Roll

4:00PM - Best Dressed, awards and prizes

5:00PM - Beer tasting window ends

4:00-6:00PM  Music  at 185 King Street John Trufant, Owen Grooms and JT Linville

$15 for commemorative stein, $15 for unlimited tastings at 185 King Street for the German Biergarten from 12-5PM, $15 for unlimited tastings at Upcountry for the local Biergarten from 12-5PM. Note that you do not need a ticket to attend the event.

Asheville Oktoberfest - October 7

One of the largest Oktoberfest festivals in North Carolina will be held in Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville.

Enjoy a big variety of beer and hard cider tastings from 20 breweries, with many featuring seasonal ales for Oktoberfest. Pair the brews with German staples like bratwurst, pretzels, and traditional sides.

Entertainment from yodeling to live polka music by the Mountain Top Polka Band. Fun Oktoberfest games return including the Brezel Toss (pretzel toss), Stein Hissen (stein hoist), Staffellauf (relay race), and Fass Roll (Keg Roll).

The Asheville Oktoberfest runs from 2-6 PM and is $55 per person. Admission fee includes a complimentary tasting stein and the opportunity to taste a variety of local and regional beers as well as local cider and select wine. VIP tickets are $100 per person and will include early access to festival (1-2PM), VIP tent with food and full pints, and even more. Buying advance tickets is recommended since they will probably sell out.

Breweries include:

• 12 Bones Brewing
• 7 Clans Brewing
• Archetype Brewing
• Bold Rock Cider
• Boston Beer
• Botanist and Barrel
• Burial Beer Co.
• Cultivated Cocktails
• Dalton Distillery
• DSSOLVR
• French Broad Brewery
• Ginger's Revenge
• Highland Brewing
• Noble Cider
• One World Brewing
• Pleb Urban Winery
• RAD Brewing Co.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing
• Sweeten Creek Brewing
• Sweet Water Brewing
• Terra Nova Brewing Co.
• Twin Leaf Brewery

Food Vendors include:

• Smasheville
• Blunt Pretzels
• Simply Hot Dogs (serving up brats)
• Dare Vegan Cheese

Live Music:

1:00PM-3:30PM Lagerhosen

4:00PM-6:00PM The Hillclimbers

Prost, y’all! Come stay with us at The Lion and the Rose Bed and Breakfast and start your Oktoberfest fun with a complimentary pint of our very own special beers, brewed just for our guests.