Oktoberfest in Wisconsin 2026: La Crosse & New Glarus Guide

Wisconsin Oktoberfest 2026 — La Crosse and New Glarus Complete Guide

Wisconsin hosts two of the most celebrated Oktoberfest events in the United States — and in 2026, both fall on the same weekend. La Crosse’s Oktoberfest USA, nicknamed Das Beste and running continuously since 1961, draws up to 150,000 visitors over four days with two major parades, multiple beer tents, and a calendar of events that fills every hour from Thursday evening through Sunday. New Glarus, Wisconsin’s Swiss village, offers a smaller, warmer, and entirely free alternative with its own distinct character rooted in Swiss-German heritage and the craft beer of New Glarus Brewing Company.

Choosing between them — or combining both into a single Wisconsin weekend — depends entirely on what kind of experience you want. This guide covers everything you need for both events: confirmed 2026 dates, ticket and wristband information, the parade schedules, what makes each festival unique, how to prepare your attire, and practical logistics for getting there and finding accommodation.

One important correction to other guides circulating online. La Crosse Oktoberfest USA 2026 runs September 24-27, not September 25-28 as some sources incorrectly state. Arriving a day late means missing the Torchlight Parade opening night entirely.

La Crosse Oktoberfest USA 2026 — Das Beste

Confirmed 2026 Dates and Location

La Crosse Oktoberfest 2026 runs Thursday, September 24 through Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 1 Oktoberfest Strasse, La Crosse, WI 54602. The festival is the longest-running Oktoberfest in the Midwest, nicknamed Das Beste, and ranked in the Top 10 Oktoberfest celebrations by USA Today. This is the 65th edition of the event.

La Crosse sits on the Mississippi River in western Wisconsin, approximately two hours from Milwaukee, three hours from Minneapolis, and three and a half hours from Chicago. The festival grounds transform the heart of the city for four days, with multiple venues operating simultaneously across the downtown area. Sunday is free admission for all visitors — a detail that makes Sunday an excellent option for families on a budget or visitors who want to experience the festival without the wristband requirement.

The History Behind Das Beste

The first Oktoberfest in La Crosse was held October 13-15, 1961, with origins rooted in a partnership between G. Heileman Brewing Company officials and the La Crosse Chamber of Commerce. The idea was suggested by two employees of German origin who proposed an autumn festival similar to the Munich celebration. Civic leaders set five objectives: promote city pride, obtain national publicity, promote tourism, involve a lot of people, and make the festival financially successful.

The 1961 parade drew an estimated 30,000-50,000 spectators. By 1963, it drew 200,000. In 1965, the name Oktoberfest USA was registered as a federal trademark, and La Crosse Festivals, Inc. became the sponsoring organisation. Over six decades of continuous operation, Das Beste has become woven into the identity of La Crosse itself — not an imported cultural event but a homegrown celebration of German-American heritage that the city genuinely claims as its own.

The Tapping of the Golden Keg — The Official Opening

The traditional Tapping of the Golden Keg ceremony officially begins Oktoberfest USA each year. The golden keg is then accompanied by the Edelweiss Parade to the festival grounds. This opening ceremony on Thursday evening sets the tone for the entire weekend — a deliberate act of community ritual that mirrors the Munich tradition of the Lord Mayor tapping the first keg at the Schottenhamel tent.

For visitors attending for the first time, arriving in time for the opening ceremony on Thursday evening is strongly recommended. The atmosphere during the Tapping of the Golden Keg is specific to that moment — the crowd gathered, the ceremony observed, the first formal toast of the festival raised — and it does not repeat. Every subsequent session builds on this opening, but nothing replaces being present for it.

The Two Parades: Torchlight and Maple Leaf

La Crosse Oktoberfest organises two distinct parades across the festival weekend, each with its own character and purpose. Together they represent one of the most substantial public parade programmes at any Midwest festival event.

The Torchlight Parade runs on Thursday evening, September 24, 2026, lighting up the opening night with illuminated floats, marching bands, and the festive energy of a crowd that has just arrived for the weekend. A second parade, named the Torchlight parade, was added in 1965 to showcase the north side of La Crosse. The evening setting creates a visual spectacle that differs completely from the daytime Maple Leaf Parade — darker tones, glowing lights, and the specific warmth of an opening night crowd.

The Maple Leaf Parade runs on Saturday morning, September 26, 2026, at 10:00 AM through downtown La Crosse. The parade name was suggested in 1962 by Terry Witzke, a teacher at Emerson Elementary school, in appreciation for La Crosse’s landscape. This is the larger and more photographed of the two parades — community floats, traditional keg tapping, costumed performers, and marching contingents from organisations across the region. Families and photographers consistently cite this as the highlight of the entire festival weekend.

Both parades route through downtown La Crosse. Arrive at least 45 minutes before each parade begins to secure good viewing positions along the route. Spots directly at the curb along the main route fill quickly — side streets with sightlines to the parade are a useful alternative when the primary positions are taken.

The Full Event Calendar: What Happens Each Day

La Crosse Oktoberfest is structured across four days with distinct events at each stage of the weekend. The full event schedule for 2026 will be published on the official website in late spring — the categories below reflect the consistent annual structure that has defined Das Beste for decades.

Thursday, September 24: Opening day. Tapping of the Golden Keg ceremony and the Edelweiss Parade. Torchlight Parade in the evening. Beer tents open. The Medallion Hunt begins — clues released daily for the hidden medallion somewhere in the city.

Friday, September 25: Full festival day. Beer tents and entertainment in operation. Special ticketed events including the Festmaster’s Ball. Craft Beer Night — a specific event added to the programme in later years — showcases regional and specialty brewing alongside the traditional Oktoberfest lagers.

Saturday, September 26: The busiest and most attended day. Maple Leaf Parade at 10:00 AM. The YMCA Maple Leaf Walk-Run Half Marathon takes place on Saturday morning — an athletic event that draws runners from across the region and adds to the already substantial Saturday crowd. All beer tents and entertainment at full capacity. The Dachshund Dash and Viener Vogue — beloved novelty events featuring dachshunds competing in costume and racing competitions — reliably produce crowd engagement that cannot be replicated by any other festival activity.

Sunday, September 27: Free admission for all visitors. A more relaxed concluding day with the community feeling of locals making a final appearance before the festival ends for another year. The atmosphere on Sunday has a specific warmth that regular attendees value — less crowded, more reflective, still fully festive.

The Medallion Hunt: La Crosse’s Secret Festival Game

A Medallion Hunt was established in 1971 and has become one of the most beloved traditions specific to La Crosse Oktoberfest. A medallion is hidden somewhere within the city before the festival begins. Starting on Thursday, clues are released daily — typically on the festival’s official website and social media — guiding hunters progressively closer to the hidden location. The finder receives a prize.

The Medallion Hunt generates daily engagement throughout the festival that extends beyond the grounds themselves. Visitors who have discovered it once plan their subsequent visits partly around the Hunt — it adds a layer of local exploration and problem-solving to the festival experience that brings people into parts of La Crosse they would otherwise never visit. For first-time attendees, following the clues is a genuine way to explore the city while participating in something deeply local.

Hammerschlagen and Traditional Games at La Crosse

Hammerschlagen was added to the La Crosse Oktoberfest programme and has become one of its most popular competitive activities. The nail-hammering game — where players attempt to drive a nail into a tree stump using only the flat face of a hammer held with the blade away from the nail — creates the same kind of concentrated, public competitive energy that makes beer tent games so compelling to watch and participate in.

Fingerhakeln, Kartenspiele (card games), and the Lederhosen Luncheon are also part of the established La Crosse programme. The Lederhosen Luncheon specifically reflects the connection between the festival and the traditional attire culture — an event that celebrates Trachten dress in a community social context rather than purely as festival costume. For an overview of all the traditional Bavarian festival games that appear at events like La Crosse, our complete games guide covers every competition in detail.

La Crosse Tickets and Wristbands

Wristbands are required for entry to the main La Crosse festival grounds Thursday through Saturday for all visitors aged 13 and older. Sunday remains free for all visitors. The wristbands use RFID technology that functions as a cashless payment system inside the grounds — food, drinks, and merchandise are all purchasable directly through the wristband without carrying cash.

Sign up to be notified when tickets for the 65th Oktoberfest USA go on sale. Based on the consistent annual pattern, wristbands become available for online purchase in July 2026. Online purchase before the early September deadline ensures delivery to your address. In-person wristband sales begin at the Oktoberfest Office in late July and continue at select local outlets throughout the lead-up to the festival.

Special event tickets — for the Festmaster’s Ball, Mrs. Oktoberfest Luncheon, Lederhosen Luncheon, and other ticketed gatherings — sell separately from general wristbands and have limited capacity. These events sell out faster than general admission. If any specific event is part of your La Crosse plan, purchase those tickets as soon as they become available rather than leaving them until wristband purchase.

For the complete current ticket pricing and online purchase portal, visit the official website at oktoberfestusa.com. The phone number for the Oktoberfest Office is (608) 784-3378.

New Glarus Oktoberfest 2026 — America’s Little Switzerland

Confirmed 2026 Dates and Location

New Glarus Oktoberfest 2026 runs Thursday, September 24 through Sunday, September 27, 2026 in downtown New Glarus, WI 53574. Admission to the festival tent is free all weekend.

New Glarus sits in Green County, approximately 30 miles south of Madison and 90 miles northwest of Chicago. The town of approximately 2,200 people was founded in 1845 by Swiss immigrants from the canton of Glarus and has maintained its Swiss cultural identity with unusual consistency across nearly 180 years. The streets, architecture, and cultural calendar of New Glarus reflect this heritage in ways that go beyond festival decoration — the Swiss character of the town is structural and genuine.

What Makes New Glarus Different

New Glarus Oktoberfest is not trying to be La Crosse. It is not trying to be Munich. It is a small-town celebration of Swiss-German heritage that happens to have one of the best craft breweries in the Midwest as its resident producer of festival beer. Understanding this helps visitors calibrate expectations correctly — and appreciate what New Glarus does exceptionally well.

The festival occupies downtown New Glarus, which is walkable in its entirety. The entire festival area is open container, so guests move freely through the downtown with their drinks. There are no wristband requirements. No queue for a specific beer tent. No crowds so large that movement becomes difficult. This accessibility is the defining characteristic of New Glarus — it delivers an authentic festive atmosphere with none of the logistical complexity of larger events.

The New Glarus Brewing Company’s Staghorn Oktoberfest

New Glarus Brewing Company is the centrepiece of the festival’s beer programme and one of the most acclaimed regional craft breweries in the United States. Their Staghorn Octoberfest — a traditional Märzen-style amber lager brewed specifically for the season — is tapped during the festival and represents the kind of regional brewing specificity that the Munich tradition values in its own context.

On Saturday evening at 7:00 PM, New Glarus Brewing Company taps a wooden keg of Staghorn Octoberfest in the annual keg tapping ceremony. This ceremony mirrors the Munich tradition of the ceremonial first tapping and generates the kind of collective anticipation and celebration that defines a genuine festival moment. Being present for the wooden keg tapping on Saturday evening is the single event most likely to make a first-time visitor understand why people return to New Glarus every year.

The brewery’s Hilltop production facility operates separately from the downtown festival area. The giftshop is located at 218 Hoesly Drive and is worth visiting for anyone interested in the brewing tradition beyond the festival context.

The Full New Glarus Programme

Thursday evening: The festival tent opens at 6:00 PM with polka music from the Steve Meisner Legacy Band. The King and Queen Contest — a costume competition rewarding the most authentic Trachten attire — runs Thursday evening with cash prizes and festival beer for winners. This opening night is quieter than the weekend sessions and offers the most relaxed introduction to the festival.

Friday: Beer tent, food stands, and craft vendors open at 4:00 PM. The wooden keg tap ceremony runs at 7:00 PM Friday, in addition to the Saturday ceremony. Live music through the evening. The entire festival is a rain-or-shine event — all events and music take place under the big Oktoberfest tent.

Saturday: Activities begin at 9:30 AM with children’s crafts and free cookie distribution from New Glarus Public Library. The beer tent and food stands open at 11:00 AM. Horse-drawn wagon rides run free from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM on 5th Avenue and 2nd Street. Chainsaw wood carving demonstrations by Zoli’s Woodcarving run from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at 6th Avenue and Highway 69. The wooden keg tapping ceremony runs at 7:00 PM, followed by live music through midnight.

Sunday: Free cheese tasting by Chalet Cheese Haus and Alp and Dell Cheese begins at 10:30 AM until supplies are gone. Beer tent and food stands open at 11:00 AM. Horse-drawn wagon rides continue through the afternoon. Sunday is the most family-oriented day of the New Glarus festival, with the cheese tasting, wagon rides, and the relaxed atmosphere of a final day creating a gentle conclusion to the weekend.

The Alphorn Tradition and Swiss Cultural Activities

Try an Alphorn sessions run on Saturday afternoon, with proceeds going towards buying new instruments for the local high school. The alphorn — the long, wooden horn associated with Swiss mountain culture — is not a standard element at replica Bavarian festivals. Its presence at New Glarus reflects the town’s genuine Swiss heritage rather than a generic Germanic festival overlay. Playing one, even briefly and badly, produces a specific kind of delight that visitors consistently cite as a highlight.

The Swiss Church Kilby Supper runs on Saturday evening with ticketed entry — a traditional community meal hosted by the local church that predates the festival itself and represents the Swiss community gathering tradition that New Glarus has maintained since its founding.

La Crosse vs New Glarus: Choosing the Right Festival for You

Both festivals run the same weekend in 2026, making a direct comparison the most practical decision framework for Wisconsin visitors planning their September trip.

The festivals are approximately 90 minutes apart by road. A visitor based in Madison could realistically attend New Glarus on Thursday and Friday, then drive to La Crosse for the Saturday Maple Leaf Parade and Sunday free admission. This combination delivers the intimate craft beer culture of New Glarus alongside the parade spectacle and scale of La Crosse — the two experiences complement rather than duplicate each other.

For visitors coming from further away and choosing only one: La Crosse suits those who want a full, structured festival programme with multiple venues, parades, and organised events at scale. New Glarus suits those who want a walkable, free, community-rooted celebration where the beer is exceptional and the crowd is manageable. Neither is the wrong choice — they are genuinely different experiences answering different needs.

If Munich is on your horizon as a future travel goal, our Munich Oktoberfest tickets guide covers the original festival’s reservation system in full.

What to Wear: Traditional Trachten at Wisconsin Festivals

Both festivals actively celebrate traditional Bavarian and Swiss-German attire. At La Crosse, the Lederhosen Luncheon formally recognises Trachten dress. At New Glarus, the Thursday evening King and Queen Contest awards cash prizes specifically for authentic costume. Arriving in genuine Lederhosen and Dirndl is not eccentric at either event — it is entirely consistent with the cultural spirit both festivals are designed to celebrate.

For men, German Oktoberfest Lederhosen in brown or black leather with embroidered suspenders represent the correct traditional look. A checked Trachtenhemd tucked fully in, knee-high socks, and Haferlschuhe complete the outfit. Our complete guide to the traditional Lederhosen outfit covers every component. For women, a properly fitted Dirndl with the apron bow tied correctly signals genuine familiarity with the tradition — browse our ladies’ Oktoberfest dress collection for authentic options. For everything women wear at this type of event, our guide on what women wear at the festival covers the complete outfit from blouse to shoes.

Order your attire by early September at the latest. Both festivals attract buyers shopping for Trachten clothing in August and early September — popular sizes in our men’s Lederhosen collection sell out during this period. Ordering in July or early August ensures full availability and comfortable delivery time before the festival weekend.

Practical Guide: Getting There, Staying, and Planning

Getting to La Crosse

La Crosse is accessible by car on Interstate 90, which runs directly through the city. Driving distances: Milwaukee, approximately 2 hours, Minneapolis, approximately 3 hours, and Chicago, approximately 3.5 hours. Amtrak’s Empire Builder route stops in La Crosse — a useful option for visitors from Milwaukee and Chicago who prefer not to drive and find accommodation within the city.

During the festival weekend, parking in central La Crosse fills quickly. The festival organizes park-and-ride shuttle services for visitors arriving by car — check the official oktoberfestusa.com website for the 2026 shuttle locations and schedule when they are published in the summer. Using the shuttle removes the parking problem entirely and adds to the festival atmosphere of arriving alongside other visitors.

Getting to New Glarus

New Glarus sits on State Highway 69, approximately 30 miles south of Madison. From Madison, the drive takes approximately 30 minutes. And from Milwaukee, approximately 90 minutes. From Chicago, approximately 2.5 hours.

Parking in downtown New Glarus during the festival is limited — most roadways are open for parking but fill quickly on Saturday. Shuttle service runs to and from Verona and Monroe — the Verona shuttle is particularly useful for visitors driving from Madison or arriving via Madison airport. The downtown area is entirely walkable once you have parked or arrived by shuttle, which makes the limited parking less of a problem than it initially appears.

Accommodation: Book Early

Both La Crosse and New Glarus are popular enough festival destinations that accommodation in the immediate area sells out months in advance for the festival weekend. La Crosse has a range of hotels, motels, and B&Bs that fill from July onwards for the September weekend. Book by July at the latest for the best selection at reasonable prices.

New Glarus has very limited accommodation within the town itself — the village is small and the number of rooms finite. Visitors typically stay in Monroe (20 minutes south), Madison (30 minutes north), or Janesville (30 minutes east) and drive or shuttle in for each day. The New Glarus Brewing Company’s local profile generates significant accommodation demand beyond the festival itself, so the same booking-early principle applies.

For visitors combining both festivals: La Crosse and New Glarus are approximately 95 miles apart — a 90-minute drive. Staying in a central location between them is not practical given the distance. The more realistic approach is to stay near each festival for the days you attend it, or to choose one as your base and make a day trip to the other.

What to Budget

La Crosse entry costs: wristbands for Thursday through Saturday cost approximately $10-15 per day based on historical pricing (2026 prices will be confirmed when tickets go on sale). Sunday admission is free. Special events (Festmaster’s Ball, luncheons) are separately priced at higher tiers — check the official website for current pricing when published. Food and drink inside the grounds are priced at festival rates — budget approximately $40-80 per person per day for a full food and drink experience.

New Glarus entry is entirely free. Festival beer and food cost what they cost at a well-run community event — reasonable by any comparison. Budget approximately $30-50 per person per day for food and drinks at New Glarus, with the understanding that you are supporting local vendors and community organizations rather than corporate festival operators.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the confirmed dates for La Crosse Oktoberfest 2026?

La Crosse Oktoberfest USA 2026 runs Thursday, September 24 through Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 1 Oktoberfest Strasse, La Crosse, WI 54602. This is the 65th edition of the festival. Note that some sources incorrectly list September 25-28 — the confirmed dates from the official festival are September 24-27. Sunday is free admission for all visitors regardless of age.

Is New Glarus Oktoberfest free?

Yes — New Glarus Oktoberfest is completely free to attend all weekend. There are no wristbands, no entry fees, and no ticket requirements for the festival tent or any general activity. Festival beer and food are purchased from vendors and community organisations inside the grounds. The entire downtown area is open container during the festival, and shuttle services run from nearby Verona and Monroe for visitors who prefer not to drive.

Do you need a wristband for La Crosse Oktoberfest?

Yes — visitors aged 13 and older need an official wristband to enter the main La Crosse festival grounds on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The wristbands use RFID technology that also functions as a cashless payment system inside the grounds. Sunday is free admission for everyone without a wristband. Wristbands are purchased online through the official oktoberfestusa.com website or in person at the Oktoberfest Office from late July onwards.

When is the Maple Leaf Parade in 2026?

The Maple Leaf Parade runs on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 10:00 AM through downtown La Crosse. It is the larger of the two La Crosse parades and the one most widely attended by families and photographers. Arrive at least 45 minutes early to secure a good viewing position along the route. The Torchlight Parade runs on Thursday evening, September 24, to open the festival.

How far apart are La Crosse and New Glarus?

La Crosse and New Glarus are approximately 95 miles apart — roughly a 90-minute drive on Highway 14 west. Since both festivals run the same weekend in 2026 (September 24-27), a visitor could attend New Glarus on Thursday and Friday then drive to La Crosse for Saturday and Sunday, or vice versa. Madison, which sits approximately 30 miles north of New Glarus, is the most practical midpoint for visitors attending both.

What is the Medallion Hunt at La Crosse Oktoberfest?

The Medallion Hunt is a La Crosse festival tradition running since 1971. A medallion is hidden somewhere within the city before the festival begins, and daily clues are released on the official festival website throughout the weekend. The person who finds the medallion wins a prize. The Hunt generates daily engagement and encourages visitors to explore parts of La Crosse beyond the festival grounds, adding a puzzle-solving layer to the festival experience that many repeat visitors plan their trips around.

What beer is served at New Glarus Oktoberfest?

New Glarus Oktoberfest features beer from New Glarus Brewing Company, one of the most acclaimed regional craft breweries in the United States. Their Staghorn Oktoberfest — a traditional Märzen-style amber lager brewed specifically for the season — is the signature festival beer. The wooden keg tapping of the Staghorn Oktoberfest runs as a ceremony on both Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:00 PM. New Glarus Brewing’s other year-round and seasonal releases are also available throughout the festival weekend.

Planning Your 2026 Wisconsin Festival Weekend

The September 24-27 weekend in 2026 offers two genuinely distinct festival experiences within a single Wisconsin road trip. La Crosse delivers scale, heritage, two major parades, a Medallion Hunt, and the full range of traditional Oktoberfest activities that have defined Das Beste for 65 years. New Glarus delivers intimacy, exceptional craft beer, Swiss cultural character, and the ease of a free, walkable event in a village that has been celebrating its heritage since its founding.

Both reward preparation: wristbands purchased in advance for La Crosse, accommodation booked by July for both, and traditional Trachten attire organized well before August when availability tightens. Arriving dressed in authentic Lederhosen or Dirndl at either festival is not only appropriate — it is welcomed, celebrated, and at New Glarus specifically rewarded with a cash prize if your outfit is good enough.

German Attire supplies authentic Bavarian Lederhosen, Dirndl, and traditional German attire to customers across the UK, US, and Australia. Browse our complete men’s Lederhosen collection and ladies’ Oktoberfest dress collection — and order before August to guarantee your size is available for the September 2026 festival weekend.

Anna Bauer

Anna Bauer is a seasoned Bavarian fashion expert, cultural consultant, and heritage stylist with over a decade of hands-on experience in traditional German clothing. Born in Munich, the heart of Bavaria, Anna grew up surrounded by the rich traditions of Trachten fashion. Her passion for cultural attire led her to pursue a degree in Fashion and Textile Design at the prestigious University of the Arts Berlin, where she specialized in European folkwear.
Over the past 12+ years, Anna has collaborated with renowned Trachten designers, styled outfits for Oktoberfest events across Germany, and contributed articles to top fashion and culture magazines across Europe. Her work focuses on preserving the authenticity of Lederhosen and Dirndl wear while helping modern audiences style them with confidence and flair.
As the lead content contributor for German Attire, Anna combines her academic background, professional styling experience, and deep cultural roots to provide readers with valuable insights into traditional German fashion. Her blog posts cover everything from historical origins and styling guides to care tips and festival outfit planning—making her a trusted voice for anyone looking to embrace Bavarian heritage in a stylish, modern way.