Frohe Oktober, Moravian! ArtsQuest held its 15th Annual Oktoberfest presented by Lehigh Valley International Airport across the river at SteelStacks, the weekends of Oct. 3-5 and Oct. 10-12. Safe to say, it was a blast!
The official German Oktoberfest website lays out the history of the festival. It originated in Munich, Germany in 1810 as a celebration of the wedding between Crown Prince Regent Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The festivities lasted for five days, filled with exciting horse races, children dressed in traditional Bavarian clothing, and celebrations of food.
When townsfolk got a taste of the fun, they wanted more! And thus, Oktoberfest became an annual festival. The celebration evolved over the decades to resemble what we know it as today, with biergartens, games, and live music. Oktoberfest in Munich, brings in about six million people each year and is considered the largest folk festival in the world!
Bethlehem has been honoring its German roots with Oktoberfest now for fifteen years. This year, the festivities spanning two weekends included four different biergartens featuring beers and ciders from major distributors like Yuengling and Samuel Adams, as well as various independent brewers across the Lehigh Valley. The Hofbräu Biergarten served house brews from the iconic Hofbräuhaus in Munich. The Hofbräu-Festzelt, hosted by the Hofbräuhaus, is the second largest party tent at the festivities there!
Each biergarten tent hosted continuous live music, featuring both local bands and traditional German music. For those under 21, there were plenty of nonalcoholic options, including sodas, lemonades, and mocktails.
Dozens of vendors served traditional Bavarian fare, including traditional Bavarian foods, featuring dishes that included bratwurst, sauerkraut, schnitzel, and sauerbraten. And it wouldn’t be a true German-style street festival without soft pretzels! For those afraid to venture out of their food comfort zone, there were other dishes available, like chicken fingers and hamburgers.
One of the best parts about Bethlehem’s Oktoberfest is that admission and activities are free to watch. Games and activities included Steinholding contests, bratwurst-eating contests, bratwurst eating competitions, and karaoke. You could also spend your weekend watching dogs being super cute if you wanted. For free! The Oktoberfest Pup Parade was held at various points throughout the festival, starring pups donning their favorite costumes trotting around the venue. The fan-favorite weiner dog races drew huge crowds cheering on their short, four-legged friends.
Undoubtedly, my favorite part of Oktoberfest is Dragtoberfest! I attended the night of Saturday, Oct. 11, when a light rain made the stage a bit too slippery for the drag queens. They were undeterred, though, and moved the show under a biergarten tent and still brought amazing energy. The queens knew how to rile up the crowd and had my friends and me dancing and singing along. The best part of the show is when middle-aged men get into the performance, dancing with the queens and waving their dollar bills. Drag truly is a unique art form that unites us in dancing, whimsy, and fun.
I am truly grateful to go to a school in a city that is constantly holding festivals and events. I always have something exciting and enjoyable to look forward to. It’s a chance to take a break from schoolwork, connect with other Lehigh Valleyians, and have lots of fun. From Oktoberfest to Celtic Fest, Musikfest to Christkindlmarkt, there is never a shortage of things to do in Bethlehem.
Whether you have German heritage or not, Bethlehem’s Oktoberfest is a must-attend event for those living in the Lehigh Valley. Oktoberfest 2026 is set for Oct. 2-4 and Oct. 9-11 at SteelStacks. Don’t miss out!
