We’re excited to announce that our two-day KC Oktoberfest will return to Crown Center in 2019 and transform one of Kansas City’s most iconic venues into a “Munich of the Midwest” on Oct. 4-5!
One of Kansas City’s fastest-growing traditions, KC Oktoberfest started in our Biergarten in 2014, where it became a local favorite with its exciting atmosphere showcasing our fresh German-style bier, exceptional local food and lively entertainment. To accommodate the growing crowds and excitement surrounding KC Oktoberfest, we relocated the event to Crown Center in 2018, where we enjoyed the company of nearly 10,000 people for the two-day event!
KC Oktoberfest is solidifying itself as a signature Kansas City event and as a major regional festival that is comparable in size and authenticity to other Midwestern cities. Our city, and the Midwest on a larger scale, were widely settled by German immigrants, and we’re excited to celebrate that heritage by providing a true Oktoberfest experience in an iconic Kansas City location.
Festival Amenities and Entertainment
Modeled after the traditional Munich Oktoberfest in Germany, KC Oktoberfest will again feature our German-style bier, local food vendors, a free Kids & Family Activity Zone, games and competitions, a marketplace/vendor square and entertainment by local and national performers.
We’ve confirmed headline performances by national acts Die Schlauberger (New York) and Das ist Lustig (Texas), in addition to returning Kansas City performers Polka on Steroids and The Happy Wanderers. Other entertainment will be announced at a later date.
We’ll have seating for thousands of guests under two large tents with benches and tables, including the main Crown Center terrace tent and a second German Bierhalle-style tent. Grünauer, a popular local restaurant serving Austrian and central European cuisine, will return as a main food vendor along with Scimeca’s Sausages and other vendors to be announced.
Bier and Wein
As is tradition, we’ll provide a range of authentic German-style bier for the event, including the awarding winning Festbier, a Vienna-style lager, the official bier of KC Oktoberfest. In 2018, The Beer Connoisseur magazine rated Festbier “World Class” based on its 96 rating, which also earned it the position of #10 on the magazine’s list of the top 250 beers of 2018.
Festbier joins the brewery’s list of acclaimed year-round offerings at Oktoberfest that include Helles Lager (94 rating) and Hefeweizen (93), both rated by The Beer Connoisseur magazine as well as Pils (92) and Dunkel (92), both rated by Craft Beer & Brewing magazine.
Read more about the bier reviews here.
In addition to German-style bier, the festival will offer wine, cider, water and soft drinks at several beverage stations throughout the festival grounds. For ongoing KC Oktoberfest updates and announcements, including information on tickets and hotel packages, vendor applications, sponsorship opportunities, FAQs and other details, stay tuned to www.kcoktoberfest.com.
