Northern Minnesota’s Largest Oktoberfest Celebration Is This Week! Here’s What To Know

Here we are, entering mid-September in the Northland. That means it is time once again for the annual Oktoberfest celebration at Duluth's Bayfront Festival Park, the largest celebration of its kind in the region!

This year marks the fifth Duluth Oktoberfestival, bringing more than just a small taste of Germany to the Twin Ports area.

While you might just think "beer" when you think of an Oktoberfest event, there is way more to it than that for Duluth's celebration. There are plenty of things for everyone, including the kids!

We're talking authentic food, live music, games, and activities for three whole days!

Here's what to know about this year's event:

When is the 2024 Duluth Oktoberfestival?

This year's event starts on Friday, September 13, and runs through Sunday, September 15, 2024 at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth.

• Friday, the event kicks off with gates opening at 4:00 pm, with the day's events going until 11 pm.
• Saturday, gates open at 11 am, with festivities going until 11 pm.
• Sunday, gates open at 11 am and things wrap up for the weekend at 4:00 pm.

What's going on at this year's Duluth Oktoberfestival?

In short, a lot! Here's a look at the various music and entertainment highlights, food & beverage information, kids' activities, and more.

2024 Music & Entertainment

Live music is one of the big draws for the Duluth Oktoberfestival, with music from 4 pm until 11 pm on Friday, September 13. Music gets underway once again at 11 am on Saturday, September 14, going all day until 11 pm that night. Sunday will see music from 11 am until 4 pm. Some of the performers include rock/polka band Alpensterne, punk rock-polka band Winzgie Hosen, and world-famous yodeler Kerry Christensen.

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In addition to music, there will be stein holding competitions through the weekend, along with the Dachshund Derby (more on that in a bit).

You can see the full schedule of music and entertainment here.

Dachshund Derby

The Dachshund Derby returns, happening outside of the tent on the Bayfront grounds. Members of the public can enter your weiner dog into the competition for the third annual race, with dogs of all ages welcome to participate.

The entire event is held on Sunday, September 15, with the quarterfinals getting underway at 12:30 pm, semifinals at 1:30 pm, and finals immediately following the semifinals.

You can learn more about the race and how to enter your dog here.

Der Kinderplatz (Children's Activities)

Der Kinderplatz, which translates to "the children's place", will feature free activities for the kids throughout the weekend. Some of the fun includes cookie decorating, arts & crafts, German games, inflatables, and a petting zoo.

The inflatables and bouncy house will be open Friday from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm Saturday from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm, and Sunday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The remainder of the Kinderplatz will be open Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4:00 pm.

Sunday, September 15 is Essentia Health Family Day, which will feature a petting zoo, pony rides, kids stein holding competition, and a kids passport to win prizes.

You can learn more about the kids activities and schedule here.

Adult Games & Activities

The kids can't have all of the fun! This year's roster of adult games and activities includes corn hole, the aforementioned stein-holding contests, barrel rolling, and a barrel toss.

Food & Beer

What would an Oktoberfest celebration be without food and 'bier'? The Duluth Oktoberfestival offers authentic German fare around the grounds, including Paulaner Bier and Jagermeister.

There will be a handful of beer varieties from Paulaner on tap, which you can see here. There will also be non-alcoholic options on-site, too!

On the food side of things, Black Woods Grill & Bar has partnered with Duluth Oktoberfestival to offer a range of authentic German good items like bratwurst, chicken schnitzel, spaetzle, Black Forest Stew, pork wings, pretzels, schnitzel, and apple crisp. You can learn more about the food options here.

2024 Duluth Oktoberfestival Tickets

Tickets are on sale now in a few varieties:

• Youth Day Pass (15 & under) - Free, must be accompanied by an adult
• Designated Driver/Underage Day Pass - $5 in advance & week of the event
• Single-day Pass (21+) - $10 in advance, $20 week of event
  • Comes with 1 Bier Token & Limited Edition ½ Liter Super One/Jagermeister Plastic Stein
• Upgraded Day Pass (21+) - $55 in advance, $65 week of event
  • Comes with 2 bier tokens, 1 Limited Edition 1 Liter Ceramic Paulaner Collector Stein, 1 Limited Edition Collector Coin

A couple of additional notes:

• All College Students (18+) are FREE at this year's event with a student ID (general admission)
  • College Students 18-20 years old will receive admission only while college Students 21+ will receive a free ½ Liter Paulaner Cup which can then be used for bier.

Learn more about the tickets or buy them here.