Your Unofficial Guide to Amana Oktoberfest 2026

The Amana Colonies are gearing up to host their biggest celebration of the year! Their annual Oktoberfest is coming up this Thursday through Sunday!

According to the festival website, Amana Colonies Oktoberfest "is a four-day celebration rooted in German heritage and community tradition" that features "a full schedule of cultural entertainment, traditional activities, and special events taking place across the Amana Colonies." To prepare you for all the festivities, we put together a rundown of everything you need to know about admission, parking, live music, the parade, and more! For additional information, you can always visit the Amana Colonies website HERE.

Dates/Times

For the second year in a row, Amana Oktoberfest will happen for four days instead of just three! The event kicks off on Thursday, October 1st and runs through Sunday, October 4th. The Festhalle Barn serves as the main festival grounds, and the gates open at 3 p.m. on Thursday and at 11 a.m. Friday through Sunday.

Another popular spot during Oktoberfest is Millstream Brewing Co., which opens at 9 a.m. Friday through Sunday.

Parking

When it comes to Oktoberfest, one of the most asked questions is always, "where do I park?" While there is some public parking in the Amana Colonies, including next to and behind the Market Barn, your best bet during busy festival hours is to park off-site and take the free shuttle. There is parking available near the Amana RV Park and the Amana Performing Arts Center, with a shuttle stop right in between. Shuttle stops within the Amana Colonies can be found near the following locations:

Fireside Winery (Friday only)
Ox Yoke Inn
Amana Visitors Center
47th Ave & 220th Trail (near the Market Barn parking area)

The average shuttle route takes around 15 to 20 minutes to complete. It will run Thursday from noon to 11:30 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. There is no shuttle on Sunday.

Check out the 2026 Oktoberfest parking map HERE.

Admission

The only area of the festival that requires a ticket for entry is the main celebration at the Festhalle Barn, which is located near the corner of 220th Trail and D Street. A Single Day Pass is $15 and a Weekend Pass is $30. Admission on Sunday is free all day.

Tickets can be purchased online, but it's not necessary, as tickets will be available at the gate. There is also an additional fee for the purchase of online tickets, and they're non-refundable.

The Pre-Party

On Friday, October 2nd, the official Oktoberfest keg-tapping pre-party and parade is scheduled to take place beginning at 11 a.m. Because of the rainy weather we've been having this week, the location of the celebration has been changed. It will be held at the Amana Festhalle Barn, "the official festival grounds for the Amana Colonies Oktoberfest!"

Ticket sales will happen at the entrance to the Festhalle grounds beginning at 11 a.m., with the ceremony set to take place at 1:45 p.m. The tickets are limited, and are only available in-person at the pre-party. They cost $5, and also require the purchase of admission to the Amana Colonies Oktoberfest. The walking parade is dependent on the weather, so be sure to check the official event page for the latest updates.

Live Entertainment

There are various places in the Amana Colonies where you can enjoy live music and performances throughout the weekend! Here's a rundown of the schedules at each venue:

Festhalle Barn
- Thursday, October 1st
  - 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Johnny Wagner Band
  - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Amana Colony Folksingers
  - 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. - Johnny Wagner Band
- Friday, October 2nd
  - 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Barefoot Becky & The Ivanhoe Dutchmen
  - 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Malek’s Fishermen Band
  - 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Die Tiefen Keller Kinder
  - 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Amana Colony Folksingers
  - 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. - Alpensterne
- Saturday, October 3rd
  - 11 a.m. - Illuminate Dance Troupe
  - 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - Bavarian Musikmeisters
  - 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. - Alpensterne
  - 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Bavarian Musikmeisters
  - 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. - Alpensterne
- Sunday, October 4th
  - 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. - Collegium Tubum (Iowa Tubas)
  - 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. - Bavarian Musikmeisters
  - 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Alpensterne
Millstream Brewing Co. (outdoors)
- Thursday, October 1st
  - 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Brittany Sword Duo
- Friday, October 2nd
  - 10:30 a.m. - Joshua Sinclair
  - 2 p.m. - pFat Back Boys
  - 5 p.m. - Retro Rockits
- Saturday, October 3rd
  - 10 a.m. - Dave Zollo
  - 12 p.m. - Barry Boyce Polka Band
  - 5 p.m. - AirWaves
- Sunday, October 4th
  - 11 a.m. - DTKK German Band
  - 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Bigfoot Park

Millstream Brau Haus (patio)
- Thursday, October 1st
  - 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. - Late Shift
- Friday, October 2nd
  - 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. - New Jolly Germans
- Saturday, October 3rd
  - 9 p.m. to midnight - 80s DJ Patio Party: Chris Loyd
- Sunday, October 4th
  - 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Swampland Jewels

Hotel Millwright (outdoors)
- Thursday, October 1st
  - 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. - Cole Thomas (on the patio of Electric Thread)
- Friday, October 2nd
  - 12 p.m. - The Whiskey Fund
  - 4:30 p.m. - Well Lit
  - 8 p.m. - All Natural
- Saturday, October 3rd
  - 12 p.m. - The Remains
  - 4:30 p.m. - Dogs on Skis
  - 8 p.m. - Vicebox

Fireside Winery
- Friday, October 2nd
  - 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Fork in the Road
Ox Yoke Inn (lower level)
- Friday, October 2nd
  - 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Jeff Weimer & Jessica Mar
Ronneburg Restaurant (outdoors)
- Saturday, October 3rd
  - 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Barefoot Becky & The Ivanhoe Dutchmen

The Parade

The annual Oktoberfest Parade will take place Saturday, October 3rd at 10 a.m. on 220th Trail. The 2026 parade theme is 'Harvest Moon.'

Games, Competitions, & Kids' Activities

All of the official Oktoberfest games and competitions will take place on Saturday, October 3rd. Here is the 2026 schedule:

12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Market Barn
- Keg Toss Competition - free
- Log Sawing Competition - free
- Nagelhauen - free
4 p.m. - Eisenmann Competition at the Market Barn
- Teams of two - Women’s, Men’s, and Co-Ed Divisions
- Cost is $30 per team
4:30 p.m. - Brat Eating Contest at the Festhalle Barn
- Participant who finishes a foot-long brat the fastest wins
- Cost is $20 per person
5:45 p.m. - Yodeling Contest at the Festhalle Barn
- Participants get food/drink tickets and the winner gets a prize
- Free to enter

As far as kids' activities go, Fireside Winery will have kids' mocktails, an in-store scavenger hunt, and yard games throughout the weekend, plus a bouncy house on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and face painting from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Additional activities can be found in the 2026 Oktoberfest brochure HERE.

Food

Ox Yoke Inn
- Regular Hours
  - Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  - Friday & Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  - Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Oktoberfest Brunch - Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Ronneburg Restaurant
- Regular Hours
  - Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  - Friday & Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  - Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Lunch on the Lawn - Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Millstream Brau Haus
- Regular Hours
  - Thursday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  - Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- SchnitzenGiggle by Brau Haus
  - Friday & Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  - Serving brats, pretzels/pretzel necklaces, and hot dogs
Millstream Brewing Co. (food trucks)
- Thursday, October 1st from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
  - The Ronneburg Restaurant
- Friday, October 2nd from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  - T.C. Bonez BBQ
  - Millstream Brau Haus
  - Pitaz Mediterranean
- Saturday, October 3rd from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  - County Line BBQ
  - Millstream Brau Haus
  - Moys Food from the Streets
- Sunday, October 4th from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  - Keepin Up with the Joneses
Hotel Millwright (lawn)
- Serving pretzels with cheese, burgers, brats, corn dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, and grilled pork loin sandwiches throughout the weekend
Fireside Winery
- Born to Fry Food Truck
  - Friday, October 2nd from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  - Saturday, October 3rd from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  - Sunday, October 4th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Additional snack options available at the patio bar
- Special Store Hours
  - Thursday, October 1st from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  - Friday, October 2nd from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  - Saturday, October 3rd from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  - Sunday, October 4th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Wine & Beer Tent Hours
  - Friday, October 2nd from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  - Saturday, October 3rd from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  - Sunday, October 4th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For a full rundown of 2026 Oktoberfest activities in the Amana Colonies, you can check out the official brochure HERE.

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