FILO’s Inaugural St. Paul Oktoberfest

Guests of the 15th Annual St. Paul Oktoberfest will surely see some changes in this years’ edition. It is taking place in Rice Park on September 18th from 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm and September 19th from 10:00 am - 10:00 pm. The move from The Klub Haus on Rice Street to Rice Park was made in order to allow it to expand and grow. FILO is happy to partner with Bruce Larson, who has helped to organize the past events at The Klub Haus. With the success of GermanFest, it is a natural fit to organize another event that will celebrate German culture. However, the two events will offer many differences and it is important to embrace many of the traditions, such as bed races, that have made the St. Paul Oktoberfest as successful as it has been in the past.

It is a natural fit to have the event in a downtown St. Paul park. The more centralized location allows for more transportation options, such as taking a bus or Light Rail, besides driving to the area. The neighbors of Rice Park have all been great to work with and are happy to bring more people to the heart of the city.

One of the other major changes is to offer local brews at the event. This year, beer from Tin Whiskers Brewing Company, Insight Brewing, Indeed Brewing Company, and Bent Brewstillery will be selling their craft beer. There will be a variety of German foods, as well, and no Oktoberfest would be complete without polka. Various entertainers on the stage and TV’s near the beer garden will also be around to encourage people to make a day of it and enjoy the great fall weather.