OKTOBERFEST TO FEATURE BEER CRAWL, OTHER NEW ACTIVITIES
In addition to new activities, Lake Geneva Oktoberfest will feature several standard events such as stein-hoisting competitions.
Lake Geneva Oktoberfest will feature a variety of German-themed music and activities.
New events and activities are set to be added to this year's Oktoberfest weekend.
Lake Geneva Oktoberfest will be held from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 10 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 11 at Flat Iron Park, 201 Wrigley Drive.
The new activities, which were announced during the Sept. 2 Business Improvement District Board meeting, include a prefest beer crawl from 5-8 p.m. Oct. 9 in downtown Lake Geneva that will feature about 20 businesses offering sales, snack items and samples of locally crafted beers from Mashtun Brewing, Topsy Turvy Brewery and Duesterbeck Brewing Company.
The beer crawl also will feature live entertainment, food vendors and prize drawings.
An after-party will be held from 8-11 p.m. at Geneva Tap House, 252 Broad St.
BID Executive Director Alexandria Binanti said the purpose of the beer crawl is to help attract people to the downtown area after Oktoberfest was moved to in 2025.
"That was one of the biggest critiques and concerns with moving it from the downtown to Flat Iron Park, it affected business traffic," Binanti said. "That's why we're doing a beer crawl and that's why we're doing an official after party."
The cost to attend the beer crawl and after party is $35, with designated driver tickets available for $20.
Check-in for the beer crawl is from 3-5 p.m. at Geneva Tap House, where attendees will receive a bracelet that must be worn throughout the event.
This year's Oktoberfest also will include a travel pie auction, sponsored by Lake Geneva Pie Company and LaMacchia Travel Agency in Kenosha, at 5:15 p.m. Oct. 10.
Winning bidders will receive a pie and a trip.
"It's anything from like a Nashville weekend to a trip to Italy," Binanti said. "If we have bad weather, this kind of auction could continue online if need be."
Another after-party will be held at 8 p.m. Oct. 10 at Topsy Turvy Brewery, 727 Geneva St.
That event will include 50/50 raffle drawings and a gift card wall featuring several downtown businesses.
Oktoberfest will feature several standard activities, including live music, food vendors, German-themed demonstrations, a beer tent, a stein-hoisting competition, dachshund and corgi races, craft vendors, a pie-eating contest and a family area.
The BID also is partnering with the Brat Stop, 12304 75th St. in Kenosha, to provide transportation to and from the event for people who live outside Walworth County.
For more information, visit www.downtownlakegeneva.org.
