Three things to do in & around La Crosse this weekend – Oktoberfest edition!
After a brutal summer with entirely too much heat, Fall has finally arrived! Bringing with it cooler temps, better beers, and OKTOBERFEST!!!!!
I’ve lived here for two decades now and some of my favorite memories from the last twenty years are from our times at the Festgrounds with friends. We’ve actually got some friends coming up from Iowa to stay with us and do some festing.
Had someone text the station the other day asking what they should do during ‘Fest as it’s their first time festing as an adult.
So, here’s a few suggestions:
- Do NOT drive drunk. Get a sober friend or family member to drop you off & pick you up. Get a cab. Grab an Uber or Lyft. Ride the FREE Oktoberfest shuttle bus! PLEASE don’t drive drunk this weekend!
- Hydrate!!!!! I like to drink all the beers. I get it. But throw a water or two in there for good measure to help keep you upright & celebrating all weekend long.
- Take advantage of the 3rd St. aid station at the Subway on the corner of Pearl St. & 3rd St. It’s staffed by Police & volunteers on Friday & Saturday nights during ‘Fest from 7pm until 3am and they offer medical care, phone charging, reporting lost/found items, & directions for taxis/Ubers/Lyfts/etc.
- Stay in touch/keep and eye on your friends. Look, let’s not mince words…Oktoberfest can be a great time, but there’s also a lot that can go wrong. Watch out for one another…keep and eye on your friends’ drinks…make sure you’ve got everyone before heading to the next stop…use the resources provided by the city & Oktoberfest to stay safe!
Now, here’s a list of the things I’m most looking forward to this weekend at Oktoberfest:
THURSDAY – THE 15TH ANNUAL CRAFT BEER NIGHT
My ONLY issue with this event is that it’s on Thursday night, and I always have to get up early on Friday to broadcast live from the State Room in downtown La Crosse. But, I’m a trooper, so let’s do this thing!
Hard to believe that this is the fifteenth annual Craft Beer Night at ‘Fest, but here we are! You can buy your Craft Beer Night tickets online here, or grab them at the door at the Festgrounds. Don’t forget, your GA or VIP ticket also includes a 3-day pass for Oktoberfest!!!!!!
Everyone at Craft Beer Night gets a commemorative glass, a souvenir button, and unlimited sampling from dozens of breweries. VIP tickets also include free pizza from Big Al’s in the Sam Adams lounge area, VIP beer offerings, free bottled water, and VIP bathrooms!
Find out more about this event here.
FRIDAY – THE TAPPING OF THE GOLDEN KEG
By far, my FAVORITE part of Oktoberfest. I love this even more than I love seeing Pat McCurdy! The Festgrounds open at 9:30am, and I’ve been assured that they fixed the ticketing issue from last year, so everyone should be able to get into the grounds with plenty of time to get a beer, a brat, and line up for the tapping!
Join me in line as we boo the mayor!!
And stick around for the absolute BEST part of ‘Fest…Karl Friedline’s speech and singing of the German National Anthem. It’s a wonderful way to kick things off.
You’ve got the weird Canadians, the finale of the stein-hoisting competition, and then….the tapping of the Golden Keg!!! Everyone is in such a good mood, the beer is flowing, and this year’s weather looks to be perfect!
FRIDAY – PAT MCCURDY ON THE ALTRA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FESTPLATZ @ 3PM – 5:30PM
Did you know that Pat’s birthday is on Friday???????
Pat McCurdy at Oktoberfest is a tradition unlike any other and presents for the big guy are welcome & appreciated! I’m sure he’s going to play all your favorites like “Monkey Paw”, “Toast”, and of course, “Sex & Beer”…but will it be 80’s or 90’s???
Get to the Festgrounds on Friday afternoon to find out!
SATURDAY – MAPLE LEAF PARADE FROM THE NORTHSIDE TO DOWNTOWN
I’ll be perfectly honest, I’m glad we aren’t in the parade anymore with a 95.7 The Rock float. It was a lot of work, a REALLY long day, and as a person who didn’t grow up here, I never got to actually watch the parade until a few years ago.
Yes, I miss messing with Bill Graul & Jennifer Livingston along the parade route, but partying in our parking lot on the corner of State & 2nd streets is also a LOT of fun! Wherever you set up shop to witness the Maple Leaf Parade, I hope you’ve got plenty of Jell-O shots & brats!
Just keep an eye on those kids as they love to run around & grab candy that’s thrown from the vehicles in the parade!
SATURDAY – 62ND OKTOBERFEST FIREWORKS CELEBRATION
Do I really need to explain this for you?
Fireworks, dude!
SUNDAY – CARNIVAL @ OKTOBERFEST
I’ll most likely be at home on Sunday, recovering from a hell of a good time at the Festgrounds & watching football all afternoon. But if you still wanna do a bit more ‘Festing on #SundayFunday, the carnival opens at Noon!
Rides, food, and NO Oktoberfest admission pass is required to get into the park. Carnival ride tickets available on site.
Find more info on this event here.
There’s so many other things happening this weekend at Oktoberfest & in the area.
Please remember to be safe, don’t drive drunk, and if you’re looking for a full line-up of everything happening at Oktoberfest, you can click here.
And if you’re not into ‘Fest, and you’re looking to do something else this weekend, check out AroundRiverCity.com!
