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- Oktoberfest
Monday, March 20, 2023
Oktoberfest is right around the corner! Before you dawn your Dirndls and Lederhosen, join Southlake Sister Cities and guest speaker, Dr. Cindy K. Renker, to learn more about German culture and life behind the Iron Curtain.
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 11 at 6:30 PM in the Town Hall 3rd Floor Meeting Rooms. There’s more to Germany than pretzels and beer! Southlake Sister Cities invites you to listen to UNT Senior Lecturer and German Program Coordinator, Dr. Renker speak about her experiences growing up in East Germany.
Dr. Renker was born and grew up in East Germany. She currently lives in McKinney and teaches German Language, literature, and film, and is a fellow for the Israeli Studies Program at the University of North Texas. Her work focuses on German fairy tales and legends, German-Jewish poets, Holocaust films, and German women writers from the 18th and 19th centuries. She also writes and publishes novels about the Cold War, WWII, and the Holocaust under her pen name C. K. McAdam. Her novel, No Man’s Land was published in September of this year, and her next book will come out in February 2023.
Traditional German food will be available for attendees to sample. Don’t miss out on this fun, educational, and free event for the Southlake Community!
Southlake Sister Cities promotes peace through cultural education and understanding. Learn more about their mission here.
It’s almost time to don your lederhosen, Oktoberfest Southlake will return to Southlake Town Square Friday, October 6, through Sunday, October 8. Back for its 16th year, the German-inspired festival will once again offer live entertainment, authentic German food, activities for the whole family, and widely popular wiener dog races. Hosted by the Southlake Chamber of Commerce, the community event will offer both free parking and free admission.
Guests can expect many of the same exciting elements that have become traditions over the years. The sound of Swiss Longhorns will kick off a weekend of festivities, including live entertainment on three stages. In keeping with the theme, expect performances by The German Band of North Texas and Alpine Dancers, in addition to sounds from popular headliners, Downtown Fever and Walk This Way.
Numerous dining options will surround Southlake Town Square and will also be offered in Die Festalle, the centrally located festival hall tent, which will also serve beer and wine.
“We are excited to offer a wide variety of authentic German food at Oktoberfest Southlake. Guests will find unique dishes they may have never heard of before,” stated Mark Guilbert, the president of the Southlake Chamber of Commerce, adding that nearly 30 food vendors in total will be on site.
With something for everyone, there will be nearly 90 arts and crafts vendors, a Family Fun Zone with various activities for all ages and a petting zoo, and a Sports Zone, which will be home to a football-shaped mechanical bronco, a jumbo screen showing college and NFL football games, and the popular Biergarten. Throughout the weekend, also expect a German costume contest, a yodeling contest, and a stein hoisting competition.
The wiener dog events, a crowd favorite, will take place on Saturday morning of the festival, and include a dog costume parade and the highly anticipated Wiener Dog Races. Dachshund owners are encouraged to register their dogs online prior to the event.
Although parking at the event is free, additional parking and a shuttle service will be available at White’s Chapel United Methodist Church over the weekend. Shuttles will run continuously to and from Southlake Town Square.
For additional information, including event hours, visit www.OktoberfestSouthlake.com.
From authentic German food to live entertainment and wiener dog races, Southlake Oktoberfest is back for its 15th year in Southlake Town Square October 7-9.
In a perfect, walkable location, the family friendly event is one of the largest German-inspired festivals in the area and the largest annual event in Southlake, having grown from an estimated 15,000 in attendance during its first year to an expected 100,000 people this year. With free parking and admission, guests are encouraged to come and enjoy what has developed into a favorite fall attraction for the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area.
With a variety of exciting elements, here are a few don’t-miss activities at Southlake Oktoberfest:
Hosted by the Southlake Cha
mber of Commerce and presented by Grubbs Infiniti, the City of Southlake has also been a dedicated partner in the event since its inception in 2001 – providing financial support and police and fire department presence throughout the festival. With many City staffers volunteering their time on the planning committee and during the event, Southlake Oktoberfest truly is a community-wide effort.
Southlake Oktoberfest hours of operation are Friday 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Although parking at the event is free, additional free parking and a shuttle service will be available at White’s Chapel United Methodist Church over the weekend. Shuttles will run continuously to and from Southlake Town Square.
For additional information, contact the Southlake Chamber of Commerce at 817-481-8200 or visit www.OktoberfestSouthlake.com.
The 14th annual Oktoberfest of Southlake returns to Town Square from October 2 – 4, 2015. Hosted by the Southlake Chamber of Commerce and presented by Millennium Title and Grubbs Infiniti, the family friendly event is one of the largest German-inspired festivals in the area.
Attendance for the weekend is expected to exceed 100,000 this year. With free parking and admission, everyone is encouraged to come and enjoy this community event that offers everything from live entertainment, food and beverages to wiener dog races.
Live entertainment will take place all weekend on two stages. Micah Blalock, Brave Combo and School of Rock return, joining other performers like The German Band of North Texas, the Alpine Dancers and the Carroll Jazz Band, just to name a few.
Food vendors will be stationed throughout the event offering a wide variety of concessions including everything from authentic German cuisine to traditional fair food. Up to 100 area arts and crafts exhibitors will offer hand-crafted products for sale, including jewelry, furniture and artwork. There will also be a special area for children, which will feature bounce houses, rock climbing, an obstacle course and much more.
Oktoberfest Wiener Dog Race – Photo courtesy of Southake Chamber of Commerce
The wildly popular wiener dog races will take place on Saturday morning of the festival, beginning with the costume parade at 9:30 AM and races at 10:00 AM. Dachshund owners may register their dogs online for a $20.00 entry fee or on site for a $25.00 entry fee.
Hours of operation for Oktoberfest Southlake are Friday 5:00 to 11:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM, and Sunday 12:00 to 5:00 PM. For additional information, contact the Southlake Chamber of Commerce at 817-481-8200 or visit www.OktoberfestSouthlake.com.
The 13th annual Oktoberfest Southlake will soon return to Southlake Town Square during October 3-5. Hosted by the Southlake Chamber of Commerce and presented by Texas Nissan of Grapevine, the family friendly event is one of the largest German-inspired festivals in the area. Attendance is expected to exceed 80,000 people this year. With free parking and admission, everyone is encouraged to come and enjoy this community event that offers everything from live entertainment to wiener dog races.
Live entertainment will take place throughout the weekend on two stages. Several of last year’s entertainers will perform, including as Micah Blalock, Brave Combo and School of Rock, as well as newcomers The Space Rockers, Blue Finger Disco and Back in Black.
Located in the middle of the festival, Die Festalle, or the Festival Hall Tent, will provide seating, food, beer and wine, and will house one of the entertainment stages. Offering everything from authentic German cuisine to traditional fair food, a total of 18 food vendors will be stationed throughout the event.
Nearly 60 area arts and crafts exhibitors will offer hand-crafted products for sale, including jewelry, furniture and artwork.
The Sports Zone will offer numerous activities, including football tosses, scooter races, free throw contests, snag golf and athletic tests. There will be multiple video gaming stations inside the GameStop tent. College and NFL games will be aired on the 9×16 foot GoVision big screen outdoors. The Sports Zone will also be home to the Biergarten, or Beer Tent, where popular radio personality Adam Bomb will emcee contests from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 4.
The Kid Zone will provide entertainment for children, including games, train rides, a bounce house, face paintings, and a towering rock climbing wall. Although the festival as a whole offers free admission, admittance to the Kid Zone requires a wrist band, which may be purchased for $10 at any ticket booth during the event.
Street performers, including a magician, a juggler, a clown, a flag twirler and a stilt walker will make their way through the festival streets, providing amusing entertainment for all guests.
The wildly popular wiener dog events will take place on Saturday morning of the festival, beginning with the costume parade at 9:30 a.m. and races at 10:00 a.m. Dachshund owners may register their dogs online for a $20.00 entry fee or on site for a $25.00 entry fee.
Oktoberfest Southlake hours of operation are Friday 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For additional information, contact the Southlake Chamber of Commerce at 817-481-8200 or visit www.OktoberfestSouthlake.com.
Southlake Oktoberfest Competitors
One of the area’s largest Oktoberfest celebrations is gearing up for its 12th year during October 4-6 at Southlake Town Square. Highlighting this year’s German-inspired festival are the wildly popular wiener dog races, live entertainment all weekend, and bratwurst and beer will be served in the Die Festalle tent. Presented by the Southlake Chamber of Commerce and Texas Nissan of Grapevine, approximately 75,000 people are expected to attend the three-day event. Admission and parking are free.
As one of the most popular Oktoberfest celebrations in Dallas-Fort Worth, Southlake Oktoberfest is a fun family event with activities for both adults and children:
More than 180 dogs participated in the wiener dog races last year, which will take place Saturday, October 5, beginning with the costume parade at 9:45 a.m. and races start at 10:00 a.m. Registration can be done online or onsite starting at 8:30 a.m.
Swiss alpine horns will kick-off the festivities Friday at 5:00 p.m. on the steps of Southlake Town Hall. Live entertainment will take place throughout the weekend on two stages, including both local performers and regional bands:
New this year is “Battle of the Bands” presented by School of Rock in Southlake. Six bands, comprised of School of Rock student musicians, will perform 15 minute sets beginning at 2:00 p.m. Saturday on the Festival Hall Stage (next to Tyler’s). The audience will vote for its favorite via a Twitter hash tag and the winning band will be announced that evening.
Southlake Oktoberfest is free admission to the public. Hours of operation are Friday 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For additional information regarding Oktoberfest, contact the Southlake Chamber of Commerce at 817-481-8200 or visit www.OktoberfestSouthlake.com.
Just a few weeks away is the biggest annual event in Southlake in Town Square — get ready for Oktoberfest October 4-6! Presented by Texas Nissan of Grapevine and hosted by Southlake Chamber of Commerce, this year marks the festival’s 12th anniversary and volunteers are needed to help with operations and welcome the anticipated 50,000 people who will attend the three-day event from throughout the Metroplex.
Volunteer shifts are available throughout the day for both adults and teens in the following areas:
As an incentive to recruit volunteers, the Southlake Chamber of Commerce will give away an iPad Mini—courtesy of i5 webworks, a gaming system—courtesy of GameStop, and an eReader. Each volunteer’s name will be entered into the drawing for each shift they work; the more shifts you volunteer, the greater your chances to win! Winners will be announced at the conclusion of Oktoberfest (do not have to be present to win).
In addition, any company or organization that covers 10 or more volunteer shifts will receive on-site recognition and advertising opportunities.
Carroll ISD students who volunteer will receive volunteer credit for the event as well. However, if the volunteer is under the age of 15, they must be accompanied by an adult volunteer.
Each volunteer will receive a free commemorative Oktoberfest t-shirt at the completion of their shift.
Both park and admission for Southlake Oktoberfest are free to the public. Hours of operation are Friday 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For additional information or to register as a volunteer online, go to www.OktoberfestSouthlake.com.
Just a few weeks away is the biggest annual event in Southlake in Town Square — get ready for Oktoberfest October 5-7! Presented by Texas Nissan of Grapevine and hosted by Southlake Chamber of Commerce, this year marks the festival’s 11th anniversary and volunteers are needed to help with operations and welcome the anticipated 50,000 people who will attend the three-day event from throughout the metroplex.
Volunteer shifts are available throughout the day for both adults and teens in the following areas:
As an incentive to recruit volunteers, the Southlake Chamber of Commerce will give away an iPad2 provided by i5 web works, Wii Gaming System provided by GameStop, and Kindle e-reader. Each volunteer’s name will be entered into the drawing for each shift they work; the more shifts you volunteer, the greater your chances to win! Winners will be announced at the conclusion of Oktoberfest (do not have to be present to win).
In addition, any company or organization that covers 10 or more volunteer shifts will receive on-site recognition and advertising opportunities.
Each volunteer will receive a free commemorative Oktoberfest t-shirt at the completion of their shift.
Southlake Oktoberfest is free admission to the public. Hours of operation are Friday 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For additional information or to register as a volunteer online, go to www.OktoberfestSouthlake.com.
Just a few weeks away is the biggest annual event in Southlake in Town Square — get ready for Oktoberfest October 5-7! Presented by Texas Nissan of Grapevine and hosted by Southlake Chamber of Commerce, this year marks the festival’s 11th anniversary and volunteers are needed to help with operations and welcome the anticipated 50,000 people who will attend the three-day event from throughout the metroplex.
Volunteer shifts are available throughout the day for both adults and teens in the following areas:
As an incentive to recruit volunteers, the Southlake Chamber of Commerce will give away an iPad2 provided by i5 web works, Wii Gaming System provided by GameStop, and Kindle e-reader. Each volunteer’s name will be entered into the drawing for each shift they work; the more shifts you volunteer, the greater your chances to win! Winners will be announced at the conclusion of Oktoberfest (do not have to be present to win).
In addition, any company or organization that covers 10 or more volunteer shifts will receive on-site recognition and advertising opportunities.
Each volunteer will receive a free commemorative Oktoberfest t-shirt at the completion of their shift.
Southlake Oktoberfest is free admission to the public. Hours of operation are Friday 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For additional information or to register as a volunteer online, go to www.OktoberfestSouthlake.com.