Northside Oktoberfest

Saturday, September 28, 2024

Save the date! Your favorite beer festival returns to the Northside this fall on Saturday, September 28th. Northside Oktoberfest celebrates 28 years and will include BrewFest, Bier Hall, and SodaFest. Come enjoy the Bohemian nature of the Northside Marketplace with great craft beer, neighborhood food, beer games, live entertainment, and comical contests that you don’t want to miss.

Iowa City BrewFest, sponsored by Fly CID, will remain exclusive with only 700 BrewFest tickets available. BrewFest sells out each year, so we recommend purchasing your ticket as soon as possible to reserve your spot. Only those with an official BrewFest glass will be able to sample beer and wine from vendors on the street.

Bier Hall, sponsored by metronet and New Pioneer Food Co-op, is the general admission portion of the event. Bier Hall gives you a feel for the classic Oktoberfest where the community spirit is high, the food is authentic, and the drinks are flowing! Tickets include a Bier Hall mug that allows attendees to drink wine or beer in the street. You’ll also be welcomed into the event with a free beer pour!

SodaFest, led by the Iowa Children’s Museum, provides kiddos with soda samples so that they don’t miss out on the fun. Activities involve pumpkin decorating, balloon twisting, cardboard city building, inflatables, and so much more!

See you this fall, PROST!

When? 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Where? BrewFest check-in is on Gilbert Street next to Artifacts and across from John’s Grocery.

$72 Ticket Includes:

Exclusive access to unlimited samplings from 45+ beer and wine vendors from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Customized 2024 Northside Oktoberfest glass
$10 gift card to eat and shop at Northside businesses!
Access to beer games, contests, entertainment, and live music

Iowa Brews

Big Grove Brewery
Dimensional Brewing Company
Backpocket Brewing
Singlespeed Brewing
Five Cities
Confluence Brewing
Toppling Goliath
Field Day Brewing Company
Exile Brewing
Barn Town Brewing
Front Street Brewery
West O Beer
Full Fledged Brewing
Gezellig Brewing Company
Great Revivalist Brewery
House Divided Brewery
Lake Time
Lion Bridge Brewery
Millstream Brewing Co
ReUnion Brewery
Second State Brewing
Stompbox Brewing
John’s Grocery

Out-of-State Brews

Phase Three Brewing
Pipeworks Brewing Co.
Urban Chestnut Brewing
Abu Nawas
Surly Brewing Co.
Dimitri Wine and Spirits
Left Hand Brewing
Great Divide Brewing Company
Sam Adam’s
3 Floyds Brewing
Doll Distributing
Merchant du Vin
- Ayinger Brewery
- Samuel Smith Brewery
- Green’s Gluten Free
7G Imports

Cider/Non-Beer/Seltzers

Wild Culture
Arizona
F&S Cider
Emery Meadery
Hedge Apple Kombucha
7G Carbliss
Jefferson County Ciderworks
The Long Drink Company
Paha Cider
Wilson’s Orchard & Farm

When? 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Where? Bier Hall check-in will be on Linn Street close to Prairie Kitchen Store and Coffee Emporium.

$10 Ticket Includes:

Commemorative Bier Hall mug that can be filled with beer or wine and consumed on the street!
First beer pour free upon entering the event
Access to beer games, contests, entertainment, and live music

Please Note: Tickets increase to $15 day-of

2024 Schedule of Events

11:00 a.m. Bier Hall Begins!

12:00 p.m. Iowa Brass Ensemble

1:30 p.m. Brat Eating Contest

2:00 p.m. Lederhosen & Dirndl Contest

3:00 p.m. Maypole Performance + Comedic Skit

3:15 p.m. Root Beer Floats

3:15 p.m. Stein Holding Contests

3:45 p.m. Maypole Performance + Comedic Skit

4:00 p.m. The Brick Street Ramblers

2024 Games

The infamous Beer Slide
Beer Puppeteer
Bag Toss
Keg Toss

When? 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Where? Pagliai’s Pizza Parking Lot

SodaFest Programming:

Pumpkin Decoration
Balloon Twisting
Inflatable Fire Truck Bounce House
DJ Station with Sing-Alongs
Building Zone (Blue Blocks, Giant Legos, Lego Car Building/Track)
Toddler Tonka Truck Zone
Cardboard City
Chalk Zone

Please Note: Tickets for soda samples are purchased day-of in the Pagliai’s Parking Lot.

2024 Schedule of Events

11:00 a.m. – Blessing of the Beer + BrewFest Begins!

11:00 a.m. – SodaFest Begins!

11:00 a.m. – The Swampland Jewels (in BrewFest)

12:00 p.m. – Bier Hall Opens

12:00 p.m. – Iowa Brass Ensemble (Main Stage)

1:30 p.m. – Brat Eating Contest (Main Stage)

2:00 p.m. – Lederhosen & Dirndl Contest (FLY CID Stairs)

3:00 p.m. – Maypole Dance & Classic German Song

3:00 p.m. – Root Beer Floats!

3:15 p.m. – Stein Holding Contest (Main Stage)

3:35 p.m. – Maypole Dance & Classic German Song

4:15 p.m. – The Brick Street Ramblers

5:45 p.m. – Maypole Dance Performance

6:00 p.m. – Festival Concludes!

**Games and Contests are available to ALL attendees!

Beer Games

Keg Toss
Keg Bowling
Beer Slide
Bag Toss
Beer Puppeteering

Contests

Brat Eating
Stein Holding
Lederhosen & Dirndl (people chosen day-of)

Event FAQs

Go to your email
Search “2024 Northside Oktoberfest – Confirmation”
Scroll down to find your digital tickets (with a QR code)
Upon arrival on event day, please have this QR ready to be scanned.

Bier Hall tickets can be purchased day-of OR you can save $5 and purchase them ahead of time. Day-of tickets are $15.
$5 SodaFest wristbands (that allow for unlimited soda samples) can only be purchased day-of in the Pagliai’s Parking Lot.

Yes! This is a family friendly event. SodaFest, the kid’s portion of the event will be set up in the Pagliai’s Parking Lot.
The Iowa Children’s Museum programs SodaFest with activities such as pumpkin decorating, balloon twisting, building zone, inflatables, and so much more.
$5 wristbands can be purchased for those looking to indulge in unlimited samples of soda!

There are thousands of parking spots at our 5 major parking ramps. We suggest Tower Place Ramp, just a block away! Ramps are $2/hr and your first hour is FREE!

Yes! And plenty of it! Our Northside businesses will offer an array of German themed food and of course beer, for those looking to fill their mugs.

Many beer enthusiasts line up well in advance of the 11:00 a.m. sampling time. The line will move quickly if you have your ID out along with your digital ticket (the QR coded ticket that was emailed to you).

BrewFest is the sampling portion of the event! BrewFest attendees ONLY are allowed to sample from the beer and wine vendors. Whereas Bier Hall is a general admission ticket that allows you to drink in the streets. With Bier Hall, you’ll be purchasing your beer (or wine) at the Northside businesses.