Everything you need to know, News, Parking

CINCINNATI – Cheers!

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati begins on Thursday, September 19th and runs through Sunday, September 22nd.

The annual festival, the largest Oktoberfest outside Germany, is bigger than ever before – and also in a new location.

Oktoberfest brings beer, food, Bavarian music and more to Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove this year.

Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce

Here's everything you need to know about this year's celebration:

What's new

With its new location, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is located on a larger and expanded site divided into the “West Zone” and the “East Zone,” separated by the Purple People Bridge.

In the “East Zone” there is the Weihenstephaner beer garden, the Krombacher festival tent and the Radeberger festival tent, as well as a playground, the Zinzinnati circus and more.

The West Zone includes the River Stage on the Serpentine Wall, several beer tents, the Sports Zone and the new Zinzinnati Festhalle. The Zinzinnati Festhalle is a 300-foot tent that can accommodate more than 1,000 people, according to the Oktoberfest Zinzinnati website.

Click here to view the full festival map.

Amy Fitzgibbons, vice president of marketing and communications for the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, said the move down to the riverfront allows for more opportunities than the previous location on Fifth Street.

“This is very reminiscent of the Munich Oktoberfest that people know,” Fitzgibbons said. “We wanted to try and bring that here. Here in the park was the place for it. Other places we've been in the past just haven't worked out for that.”

Entertainment

Oktoberfest features over 30 performances on multiple stages over the four days. In addition to musical performances, Oktoberfest has several main events that take place throughout the weekend.

• Gemütlichkeit Games — Thursday, 4:30-5:30 p.m. @ the River Stage
• The Run of the Viennese — Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. @ the River Stage
• Stone Lifting Competition — Friday, 6:00–6:30 p.m. @ River Stage
• The World's Largest Chicken Dance – Saturday, 4:00-4:30 p.m. @ the River Stage

Click here to view the full entertainment program.

Park

Because Oktoberfest is held at Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove, no roads will be closed for the festival this year. However, several roads will be closed from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday due to the Hudy 14K/7K race.

Nevertheless, it will be a busy weekend in the city center. Festival organizers recommend that festival-goers take more time to find parking, carpool with friends, or use ride-sharing services and public transportation.

For those looking for parking, there are several metered lots along Eggleston Avenue, which is a short walk to the east entrance of Oktoberfest. There are also metered and free parking lots along Riverside Drive.

Other measures proposed by the parking organizers are:

• Friendship Parking Lot, 1135 Riverside Drive
• Public Landing Parking, 435 E Mehring Way
• Eggleston Garage, 301 Eggleston Avenue
• The Banks, including Central Riverfront Garage and East Parking Garage

The Cincinnati Connector, the city's free streetcar, will also operate with extended hours during Oktoberfest.

• Monday to Friday — 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• Saturday — 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• Sunday — 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Metrobuses will also run near the festival, as will TANK in Northern Kentucky.
Rideshare pick-up and drop-off locations are located on either East Pete Rose Way or East Mehring Way.

Cincinnati family has been organizing German bands for Oktoberfest Zinzinnati for nearly 3 decades