Coming on the heels of celebrations in Tysons, Oktoberfest is set for a raucous return to the Town of Vienna this weekend.
Vienna Oktoberfest will take over Church Street for a 14th year from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 7), bringing food, live music, family-friendly activities and, of course, plenty of brews at a beer and wine garden.
This year’s festival will be the biggest one yet, according to the Vienna Business Association, which organizes the annual event.
“We’re maxed out,” VBA Executive Director Peggy James said, noting that the festival is filled up with over 200 registered vendors and 53 sponsors.
The beer and wine garden will feature more local businesses than previous years, with Hawk & Griffin and Norm’s Beer and Wine joining the Caboose Brewing Company and Vienna Vintner. More food and drink options will be available along Church Street and Mill Street NE.
In addition, the festival’s entertainment offerings can be found on a kid’s stage on the Town Green — where there will also be moon bounces, games and other activities — as well as an acoustic stage on Center Street and the main biergarten stage.
Other Vienna Oktoberfest highlights will include a business expo showcase, a vendor marketplatz along Dominion Road NE and an artisan market.
While parking in town will likely be scarce, a free shuttle bus will travel throughout the festival to the Vienna Metro station and James Madison High School.
A full list of vendors, food and drink offerings and entertainers can be found on the Vienna Oktoberfest website.
Drawing an average of 20,000-30,000 attendees per year, the festival serves as the main fundraiser for the VBA Foundation, the association’s philanthropic arm that supports charity and community servicee organizations in the greater Vienna area.
“We’re really excited about it,” James said. “It’s the same footprint, just bigger.”
Theoretically, an intrepid day drinker could hit up all three of the Oktoberfest celebrations around the Tysons area scheduled for next weekend.
Provided they have a designated driver or don’t mind quick Uber trips from the Metro: here’s where they’ll be going:
Kicking off a full day of Oktoberfest activities around the Tysons area is Caboose Commons (2918 Eskridge Road). The Merrifield brewpub is launching is “Hoptoberfest” on Saturday, Sept. 17, at around 11 a.m. The celebration will run all day and feature beers from various local breweries.
Shipgarten (7581 Colshire Drive) is launching the same day at 1:15 p.m. The Tysons bar is launching its Oktoberfest on Saturday, Sept. 17, with a ceremonial “tapping of the keg” for a beer imported from Germany. the festival ends at 6 p.m. The festivities will feature over 50 beers from Germany, Austria and the United States.
Nearby, The Boro (8350 Broad Street) is kicking off its Oktoberfest an hour later. The Boro’s Oktoberfest will launch at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, featuring a biergarten, outdoor games, polka music and more. The first 150 guests will receive a free branded stein.
That same day, Cox Farms’ Fall Festival kicks off. The festival opens on Sept. 17 and will be open every weekend (Thursday through Monday) until Tuesday, Nov. 8. The festival features several large slides and a hay ride, among other attractions. The Fall Festival opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m., with the last entry one hour before closing, so the theoretical Tysonian might want to visit the Fall Festival before touring the Oktoberfests.
A little later than the others: Vienna’s Oktoberfest is scheduled to return on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. along Church Street. This year, the event is slated to feature two beer and wine gardens, along with a selection of international food, a car show and more.
