Imagine a Wedding Reception So Lit, the World Has Kept the Party Going for 216 Years
Imagine a wedding reception so spectacular that the entire country got invited and had such a good time that they decided to keep the party going for more than two centuries!
That, more or less, is the origin story of Oktoberfest.
On October 12, 1810, Bavaria celebrated the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig, later King Ludwig I, to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen with a five-day celebration centered around, of all things, a horse race. The party was so successful that the city repeated it the following year, and the meadow where the festivities took place was named Theresienwiese (“Therese’s Meadow”) in honor of the bride. More than two centuries later, that location is still the heart of Oktoberfest, and Munich locals generally call the festival itself "the Wiesn."
Today, Oktoberfest is the largest folk festival in the world.
More than six million people descend on Munich each year for more than two weeks of beer, food, music, rides, dancing, traditional dress, and spectacular quantities of Bavarian beer-soaked revelry.
Six Breweries. Six Million People. One Very Big Party.
Despite being the world's largest beer festival, all of the beer served at the Wiesn comes from just six breweries: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten.
Only the six historic breweries that still produce within the Munich city limits are allowed to participate. In other words, millions of people from around the world gather in Munich each year to drink nearly two million gallons of beer, made by just six breweries based within the same four-mile radius.
When Munich Raises Its Steins, the World Joins In
Over the years, Oktoberfest has grown far beyond the single massive festival on the Theresienwiese.
From Brazil to Japan, Australia to Alaska, communities around the world have adopted Oktoberfest as an annual excuse to celebrate Bavarian food, music, dress, beer, and—perhaps most importantly—the simple pleasure of gathering around a big glass filled with fresh beer.
Increasingly, Oktoberfest celebrations outside of Germany aren't simply importing German beer. They are taking after the original celebration and using the fest to celebrate our own local breweries and what they mean to our local communities.
Oktoberfest began as a wedding celebration. More than 200 years later, it has become a celebration of the community-building power of beer that looks a little different everywhere it goes.
Including here in the Bay Area.
Oktoberfest Season Begins This Weekend In the Bay Area
Over the next several weeks, breweries, beer gardens, restaurants, cultural organizations, and communities across the Bay Area will be raising their own steins in celebration.
Here are some of the places where you can join the party:
Brix Factory Brewing — Oakland
THIS SATURDAY | 4–8 PM
Oktoberfest season gets underway at Brix Factory this Saturday with the tapping of its fresh Oktoberfest, Underbergs, and amazing soft pretzels from Squabisch. Come kick off the season with them.
MORE INFO: https://www.instagram.com/p/DcwuwomhN1k/
Original Pattern Brewing — Oakland
Saturday, September 12 | 12–8 PM
Original Pattern's biggest beer bash of the year returns with four house-brewed German beers, including its Oktoberfest Festbier, Helles, and German Pilsners. There will be bratwurst and schnitzel from Vana Maria BBQ, German-inspired pizza from Citizen Pizza Co., live polka from Polkageist West, a stein-holding competition, costume raffle, and commemorative steins.
TICKETS & MORE INFO: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oktoberfest-2026-tickets-1992512413265
Temescal Brewing — Oakland
Saturday, September 19 | Starting at noon
Temescal's annual Oktoberfest celebration brings limited German-style lagers, collectible glassware, DJs, and a classic stein-holding competition to Telegraph Avenue. The party is family- and dog-friendly.
MORE INFO: https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfDNJbgJzS/
The Oktoberfest Roadshows by Fieldwork & Headlands
One of the best things about Oktoberfest in the Bay Area is that you don't necessarily have to pick one.
Fieldwork Brewing is taking the celebration on the road, with Oktoberfest festivities beginning at its Berkeley flagship location on September 19, and continuing at Mission Rock & Santa Rosa on September 20, San Mateo on September 26, San Leandro on September 27, Mission Rock again on October 3, and San Ramon on October 4.
Fieldwork is also hosting guided Oktoberfest flight tastings at Berkeley on September 22, San Leandro on September 23, San Ramon on September 24, Sacramento on September 29, Santa Rosa on September 30, and Mission Rock on October 1. Each tasting features four classic German beers paired with a pretzel.
MORE INFO: https://fieldworkbrewing.com/oktoberfest/
Headlands Brewing is taking a similar East Bay-to-Bavaria approach, with its Oktoberfest running from September 19 through October 4 across all four of its beer gardens. Expect Haná Munich Helles and Bierstiefel Festbier, German imports and special East Bay guest beers, liter pours, pretzel pairings, commemorative steins, and music.
Its signature Saturday celebrations land in Walnut Creek on September 19, Berkeley Westbrae on September 26, and Berkeley On Campus and Lafayette on October 3.
MORE INFO: https://www.headlandsbrewing.com/
Alvarado Street Brewery — Monterey County
September 19–20
Alvarado Street is celebrating Oktoberfest at all of its restaurant locations with guest taps from some of the country's best lager brewers, including Bierstadt, Human Robot, Schilling, Chuckanut, Heater Allen, Wayfinder, Wondrous, and more. Bavarian-inspired food specials will feature sausages from The Meatery.
**$10 **gets you a custom 2026 Oktoberfest tankard mug and your choice of draught lagerbier.
MORE INFO: https://www.instagram.com/p/DckI7_5iVEl
San Francisco Brewing Co. — San Francisco
Saturday, September 19 | Starting at noon
San Francisco Brewing Co. brings Oktoberfest to Ghirardelli Square with a traditional Bavarian keg tapping, German food specials, custom steins, and live music from Big Lou's Polka Party. Dirndls and lederhosen are strongly encouraged.
TICKETS & MORE INFO: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/san-francisco-brewing-co-oktoberfest-2026-tickets-1998261776766
Epidemic Ales — Concord
Saturday, September 26
Epidemic Ales is celebrating with a triple Oktoberfest beer release, a ceremonial keg tapping with the Mayor of Concord, limited-edition 2026 steins, giant turkey legs, German food, and karaoke.
MORE INFO: https://www.instagram.com/p/DctvUWmmYc5/
Fifty Vara — San Francisco
Friday, October 2 – Sunday, October 4
Fifty Vara is teaming up with the Sunset Merchants Association for a three-day neighborhood Oktoberfest celebrating the Outer Sunset through local beer, food, music, makers, and community.
Friday kicks things off at the brewery with the tapping of Fifty Vara's special Oktoberfest beer. This beer is the contemporary version of the original FEST lager recipe that powered Reccow Brewing throughout the 1990s. Fifty Vara founder Brian Reccow has been a fixture in the San Francisco beer scene ever since.
Saturday brings the centerpiece: a Noriega Street block party from noon–6 PM with local beer and food, live music, family entertainment, makers, and neighborhood merchants.
The weekend wraps Sunday with a traditional Brewers Brunch at Fifty Vara.
Three days. One neighborhood. One big Oktoberfest celebration.
MORE INFO: https://www.fiftyvarasf.com/
Pond Farm Brewing Co. — San Rafael
October 3–4
Over the years, Pond Farm's annual celebration has become a popular weekend fixture. Two days of German beer, food, games, and music at Pond Farm's San Rafael taproom.
MORE INFO: https://www.instagram.com/p/DcVGPzROwLk/
Other Brother Beer — Seaside
Saturday, October 3
Other Brother is celebrating with fresh Workhorse Lager, Festbier, a limited-edition one-liter stein, a stein-holding competition, German-inspired food, and plenty of beer.
TICKETS & MORE INFO: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oktoberfest-stein-holding-competition-at-other-brother-tickets-1999002745022
Geektoberfest at The Tech Interactive — San Jose
Thursday, October 8 | 7–11 PM
Beer meets science at The Tech Interactive's adults-only Tech at Nite: Geektoberfest. Several Bay Area Brewers Guild member breweries will be pouring as part of the celebration, which includes not only a bunch of delicious local beer, but access to all of the museum's incredible programming!
MORE INFO AND *****A BREW DECK EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT CODE**** COMING SOON!!
More Oktoberfest, More Places, More Steins
And that's only the beginning.
Across the Bay Area, Oktoberfest is being adapted to fit the places and communities where it lands: a brewery taproom in Oakland, a neighborhood block party in the Sunset, a beer garden in Walnut Creek, a science museum in San Jose, a series of celebrations stretching from Santa Rosa to San Ramon, or a selection of world-class lagers on tap in Salinas.
What started with one wedding reception in Munich today belongs to anyone who wants to gather with their neighbors, drink some beer, eat something delicious, listen to some music, and raise a glass to being together.
Prost!