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Toasting Oktoberfest

Festive tributes to Bavarian tradition put the oompah into fall.

When fall arrives, we get a sudden urge to hoist a stein of beer, eat a grilled bratwurst and listen to red-cheeked men in little felt hats play the accordion.

Fall belongs to the Germans, who streamed into the Upper Midwest in the 1850s and still are the largest ethnic group in every state. Which is a good thing, because Germans like to have fun.

In October 1810, they had so much fun at the wedding of Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen and Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, held in a meadow near Munich, that they decided to do it every year.

Emigrants to America brought the tradition with them, along with their recipes for beer and sausage, and started hundreds of smaller Oktoberfests all across the Midwest.

The closest in spirit to Munich's beer-drinking bacchanalia is La Crosse's nine-day celebration, held since 1961 in a city that once had seven breweries. But like most Oktoberfests, it's more of a family event now. Dachshund races have become popular, along with such American staples as wagon rides and pumpkin decorating.

You'll also find typical German strength competitions, such as Hammerschlagen and Maßkrugstemme (holding up full mugs of beer)

Some Oktoberfests, such as the one in Iowa's Amana Colonies,

To catch the best weather, Munich's Oktoberfest now starts in September, and so do most in the Midwest. Here are 17 of the best.

Trip Tips: Oktoberfest celebrations in the Upper Midwest

Admission to most Oktoberfests is free, but some charge a small fee. If you don't like to drink out of plastic cups, bring your own stein. For more about German traditions, see Heritage travel: Germany.

Sept. 11-13, Sept. 18-20 and 25-27, Oktoberfest in Glendale, Wis. This festival on the northern edge of Milwaukee, held by the United German Societies, is the oldest in the Midwest. It includes folk dancing, sing-alongs, yodeling and brass bands.

Typical German festival foods are served, including spanferkel, or spit-roasted young pig, and rollbraten, sliced roast pork on a Kaiser roll. It takes place in a large pavilion on the grounds of the Bavarian Inn and Heidelberg Park.

Sept. 17-19, Oktoberfest in Frankenmuth, Mich. There's dancing, singing, food and wiener-dog races in this German-theme town north of Flint.

Sept. 18-20, Oktoberfest in Minneapolis. On the Minneapolis riverfront, across from downtown, enter a Hammerschlagen, wiener-eating or barrel-rolling tournament and take polka lessons. For dogs, there's a Dachshund Dash.

Sept. 18-20, Oktoberfest in Chippewa Falls, Wis. On the fairgrounds, there will be a kids' costume contest, card tournaments, a German car show, dumpling demonstrations and parades at 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

Sept. 18-19, Oktoberfest in Plymouth, Wis. Dancing, food and music, with Copper Box playing the Pink Floyd Polka Friday evening.

Sept. 19, Oktoberfest at Mill City Museum in Minneapolis. On the west side of the Mississippi, there will be beer sampling, German cooking demonstrations and appearances by the Narren of New Ulm. It's 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free.

Sept. 25-26, Octoberfest in downtown Appleton, Wis. This large festival is more general civic celebration than heritage festival, with an arts and crafts show, car show and music on five stages.

Sept. 25-Oct. 3, Oktoberfest in La Crosse, Wis. There's non-stop music, food and carnival rides at this large festival on riverside fairgrounds, plus the Maple Leaf Parade at 10 a.m. Sept. 26, German Heritage Day Sept. 29 and the Torchlight Parade at 7 p.m. Oct. 1.

Sept. 25-27, Octoberfest in New Glarus, Wis. The festival in this Swiss town southwest of Madison features an antique tractor pull, horse-drawn wagon rides, a giant pot of cheese fondue and, of course, New Glarus beer. For more, see Swiss at heart.

Sept 26-27, Oktoberfest in Milwaukee. On Old World Third Street, the city's traditional German hub, there's food and music in tents and on stage, plus a brat-eating contest Saturday.

Oct. 2-3 and 9-10: Oktoberfest in New Ulm, Minn. Minnesota's most German town offers food and music from homegrown and regional bands at the Holiday Inn, with other activities around town, including picturesque Schell's Brewery.

For more, see Where the Germans are.

Oct. 2-4, Oktoberfest in Amana, Iowa. This formerly communal village in eastern Iowa features a brat-eating contest and the Eisenmann (Iron Man) competition, in which teammates roll kegs, walk a balance beam with full steins of beer, saw logs and keep full steins of beer lifted. There's a parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, plus artisan demonstrations, music and a lot of food, beer and wine.

Oct. 2, 2010, Oktoberfest in Galena, Ill. The Lions Club puts on this riverfront festival, which includes wiener-dog races, polka lessons, hammerschlagen, pumpkin-decorating and a beanbag tournament.

Oct. 3, OktoberFest in Manitowoc, Wis. A six-mile Volksmarch kicks off the downtown festival in this Lake Michigan port town.

Oct. 10, Oktoberfest in St. Paul. There will be dachshund races and cannon firing in addition to folk dancing and music on Rice Street, on the grounds of St. Bernard's Parish.

Oct. 10-11, Oktoberfest in Lake Geneva, Wis. Wagon rides, crafts and free pumpkins are part of the fest in this southeast Wisconsin vacation town.

Oct. 16-18: Oktoberfest at Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge in Deerwood, Minn. The oldest family-operated lake resort in Minnesota, founded in 1898 by German immigrants, holds an annual festival with German buffet dinners, an arts and crafts fair, a children's pedal tractor pull, hammerschlagen and appearances by the Narren of New Ulm as well as well-known bands. It's open to the public as well as guests.

Oct. 17-18, OktoberFest in Long Grove, Ill. There will be carriage rides and pumpkin decorating in addition to food and music in this northern suburb of Chicago.

Last updated on February 12, 2010