4th Annual Lakeside Oktoberfest in Presented by Rustic Road Brewing Company

Rustic Road Brewing Company invites you to celebrate the return of one of Kenosha’s most anticipated events — the 4th Annual Lakeside Oktoberfest! This four-day celebration kicks off on Thursday, September 25, and runs through Sunday, September 28, at the picturesque Celebration Place at Harbor Park in downtown Kenosha. The festival will feature live music, delicious food, family-friendly entertainment, and, of course, Rustic Road’s very own Crafted Brews — a true celebration of German culture and community spirit.

Event Details:

• Thursday, September 25: 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• Friday, September 26: 4:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
• Saturday, September 27: 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
• Sunday, September 28: 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The festival will feature 4 days of live music from an eclectic lineup of local talent, starting with The Spirit Shakers at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Friday’s performances include Old Brown Shoes at 4:00 p.m., and the Allman Brothers Tribute Band, One Way Out at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, the festival kicks off with Kai Andersen at noon, followed by Nuke Plant Chickens at 1:00 p.m., and more tunes from Ben Mulwana at 4:00 p.m. Saturday closes with the energetic pop-punk band Revival at 7:30 p.m. The musical fun wraps up Sunday with Mistaken Identity at 11:30 a.m., and local favorite Ivy Ford at 3:00 p.m.

Delicious Food & Drink

No Oktoberfest celebration is complete without authentic German food, and Rustic Road Brewing Company is bringing the best to downtown Kenosha. Enjoy brats from local butcher Hometown Meats, served on fresh Paielli’s buns with all the classic fixin’s. Other offerings include giant German pretzels, homemade potato pancakes, schnitzel sandwiches, pickles on a stick, and fried cheese curds. Additionally, guests will enjoy offerings from local food vendors such as Cut Stone Foods, MB Sweet Treats, Sandy Poppers, The Polish Plate, and Fry Daddy’s.

Special Events & Activities

This year, the Oktoberfest fun includes something for everyone, from fun runs to charity tournaments:

• .1k Brat Trot: On Saturday at noon, join the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha for the .1k Brat Trot. Registration is $30 for adults and $15 for kids and includes a brat or hot dog, a beer (21+), and a commemorative event t-shirt. Costumes are encouraged! (Tickets available through Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha or at RusticBrewing.com)
• Presentation of the Colors and Tapping of the Ceremonial Keg: Join us Saturday morning at 11:45 a.m. for a Presentation of the Colors by the American Legion and the National Anthem sung by Morgaine Mellville. At 11:50 a.m. City of Kenosha Mayor Bogdala will make an announcement regarding a special 175th Anniversary Brew and tap the ceremonial keg.
• Veterans’ Day: Saturday is Veterans’ Day at Lakeside Oktoberfest! For every stein purchased, $2 will be donated to the Kenosha American Legion.
• Stein Hoisting Contest: Test your strength in this traditional Bavarian contest, where competitors hold a full beer stein in front of them with a straight arm. The longest holder wins! Stein Hoisting will take place on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. for both men and women.
• German Breakfast: Start Sunday morning with a traditional German breakfast featuring cold cuts, cheeses, jams, breads, sausages, and potato pancakes. This buffet-style meal is served under the big tent, and tickets are available for $20. Please purchase in advance at RusticBrewing.com.
• Family Day & Dog Costume Contest: Sunday is family day! Bring the kids to enjoy bounce houses, crafts, face painting, and more. Don’t forget to bring your pups for the Oktoberfest Dog Costume Contest at 2:30 p.m. — Dirndls and Lederhosen encouraged, but all dog costumes are welcome!
• Brat Toss & Meat Raffle: Wrap up the festival with some fun! Teams will compete in the second brat toss at 3:00 p.m. — it’s like an egg toss, but with bratwurst! Plus, the Meat Raffle will give participants a chance to win Oktoberfest prizes, followed by the Brat Slingshot, where Rustic Road will launch bratwurst over the tent for attendees to catch.

Gratitude to Our Sponsors

The 4th Annual Lakeside Oktoberfest would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Special thanks to Otto Nelson Moving & Storage, Visit Kenosha, Tavern on 6th, Church & Market, Briess Malts, Paielli’s Bakery, Hometown Meats, UW Parkside, Performance Food Group, Laura Stoner Keller Williams, LaMacchia Travel, Schaeffer Financial Group, Vizance, Weinbauer, Midwest Novelty, Sophisticatering, Palmen Auto Stores and Purple Cow Roofing. Join Us for the Celebration! Rustic Road Brewing Company invites you to raise a stein and experience the best of Kenosha at this year’s Lakeside Oktoberfest. For more information and to purchase tickets for the Brat Trot and/or the German Breakfast, visit RusticBrewing.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram. This is a free event to attend! Prost!

Lakeside Oktoberfest Gallery