Rachel Bernhard shares great eats from Milwaukee-area beer gardens
These great beer garden bites go beyond the typical giant pretzel and brat fare.
Willkommen to Oktoberfest season. Beer tents and benches are springing up all over southeastern Wisconsin to celebrate the state’s German heritage with beer, food, music, dancing and games from September through early October. Reserve your table, raise a stein, and join the Bavarian party. Prost!
Milwaukee’s Original Oktoberfest
Steins will be swinging at the Bavarian Bierhaus in Heidelberg Park, 700 W. Lexington Blvd., Glendale, for Oktoberfest weekends from Sept. 5 through Oct. 5. The authentic German menu includes Usinger’s sausage, Bavarian pretzels, schnitzel, spanferkel and house-brewed beers. There is bierhall and outdoor seating with live bands, folk dancing, and a midway for the kids. Gates open at 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with $5 admission on Friday and $10 admission on Saturday. If you have the Bavarian Bierhaus app on your phone, you can get five dollars off on a Friday or a Saturday. Gates open at 11 a.m. Sunday, with free admission. Table reservations are available for groups, with each picnic table seating up to eight people. thebavarianbierhaus.com/oktoberfest
Ervtoberfest
Get under the tent in the parking lot at Erv’s Mug, 130 W. Ryan Road, Oak Creek, from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 6 for unlimited beer tastings alongside a Bavarian-style German buffet featuring bratwurst, schnitzel, pretzels and other snacks. Tickets are $50, which includes beverages and the buffet. ervsmug.com/ervtoberfest
School Sisters of St. Francis
The international community of Catholic sisters based in Milwaukee will host their annual Oktoberfest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 on the grounds of the St. Joseph Center. The event includes polka legends Vern and the Originals followed by the classic rock, sing-along pop and country of the Hot Off the Grill band. Oktoberfest beverage offerings include craft beers from Lakefront Brewery, German wines, and root beer. Food options include a selection of German-style bratwurst, hot dogs, hot pretzels and homemade bakery. The beer garden includes plenty of space for outdoor games like hammerschlagen, cornhole, giant Jenga, and Connect Four. Guests are permitted to bring their own lawn chairs, but must leave pets and personal beverages at home. Enter the beer garden at 29th and Orchard streets. sssf.org
Greendale Lions’ Family Oktoberfest
Bring the whole family to Gazebo Park, 5710 Broad St., Greendale, from 3 to 11 p.m. Sept. 19 and 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sept. 20 for live bands, a beer tent, food stands and Oktoberfest games. Admission is free. For the schedule of events, visit greendalelions.org/oktoberfest.
Elm Grove Oktoberfest
The Elm Grove Community Foundation Oktoberfest is held from 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 19 and 4 to 10 p.m. Sept. 20 at the north end of Elm Grove Village Park, 13600 Juneau Blvd., Elm Grove. Gather under the Oktoberfest tent for local and German beers, live music and games, with food trucks on-site offering dinner and snacks. The beer tent also will feature wine, cider and seltzers. elmgrovefoundation.org/oktoberfest
Waukesha Oktoberfest
Get a taste of Deutschland from 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 19 and noon to 10 p.m. Sept. 20 in Frame Park, 1150 Frame Park Drive, Waukesha. Oktoberfest brings both community and visitors together to celebrate all things German, complete with traditional music, food and plenty of beer. Attending the event is free; however, a $2 wristband purchase is required to purchase and consume beer. waukesha-wi.gov/residents/oktoberfest.php
Oktoberfest of Greater Racine
The Franksville Craft Beer Garden will host Oktoberfest from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 25, 1 to 9 p.m. Sept. 26, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 27, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 28 at Franksville Memorial Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave., Franksville. The Lakefront Brewery Oktoberfest Tent will feature over 30 beers on tap, including Lakefront’s official Oktoberfest brew. The weekend includes stein hoisting, hammerschlagen and yard games, with a pig roast and food trucks. Admission is free. visitracinecounty.com/events/8th-annual-oktoberfest-of-greater-racine
Germantown Hunsrucker Oktoberfest
Dheinsville is Germantown’s oldest European settlement, and the Germantown Historical Society will present its annual Oktoberfest at the historical park from noon to 11 p.m. Sept. 27 and noon to 7 p.m. Sept. 28. The free festival features German entertainment with traditional dancing, a crafts show, a dachshund dash, hearty food and cold beer. Admission and parking are free. The park is on Holy Hill Road, at Highway 145 and Maple Road, in Germantown. germantownhistoricalsociety.org/oktoberfest
St. Augustine of Hippo
Party in the parish parking lot at 2530 S. Howell Ave. from noon to 8 p.m. Sept. 28 with a beer blessing at 12:15 p.m. and continuous music by Jeff Winard & His Polka Party and New Generation Polka Band. The biergarten will have Oktoberfest beers on tap and a traditional German menu featuring a beef rouladen dinner, sauerbraten pulled pork sandwiches, bratwurst, franks, potato salad, Bavarian pretzels and apple streusel. staugies.org/oktoberfest
Milwaukee Oktoberfest
The 15th annual event returns to Maier Festival Park from 4 to 10 p.m. Oct. 3, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 4 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 5. Free entry is offered from 4 to 5 p.m. Oct. 3 and from 11 a.m. to noon Oct. 4. The weekend features a covered main stage with a variety of entertainment; traditional German food provided by Kegel’s Inn; a beer garden, with beers including Hofbrau, Haacker-Pshorr, Paulaner, Leinenkugel’s and more German-style beverages from local craft breweries. Shop the vendor market, watch German cultural performances or play traditional yard games. Gate admission is $12, or purchase an early-bird ticket for $6 until Oct. 1. Table reservations for the covered Oktoberfest stage and VIP tickets are available for purchase online. milwaukeeoktoberfest.com
Cedarburg Oktoberfest
Historic Cedarburg is raising the tent in the Community Center parking lot, W63 N641 Washington Ave., Cedarburg, for Oktoberfest from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 4 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 5. The event is free to attend, with German polka music, traditional Bavarian dancers, a wooden dance floor and plenty of tables for family and friends. Games and contests, a live glockenspiel show, and a shopping marketplace also are part of the weekend. Purchase a collectible stein, or bring your own, and have them filled with a variety of Oktoberfest brews such as Hofbräu Oktoberfest, Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest, Paulaner Pilsner or specialty craft beers. Enjoy authentic German dinners, warm pretzels and sweet treats. cedarburgfestivals.org/oktoberfest
Our Lady of Lourdes Milwaukee
Bring your appetite and dancing shoes to Oktoberfest from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 10, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 11, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 12. The beer garden menu has brats, Polish sausage, hot dogs, and vegetarian soup, or start with dessert in the Black Forest Cafe and a serving of homemade apple strudel. Enjoy live music by the Ed Hause Polka Band, The Squeezettes, and Dino the Lounge Lizard and The Yankovic Tradition. Oktoberfest includes a juried Artisan Fair on Oct. 11 and 12, with hand-crafted jewelry and art. 3722 S. 58th St. ololmke.org/oktoberfest
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