Oktoberfest

Fort Benning MWR and the Qualified Recycling Program present Oktoberfest!

Fort Benning's beloved fall tradition is back at Uchee Creek Campground & Marina Friday, October 17 to Sunday, October 19!  Get ready to put on your Dirndl or Lederhosen, gather the family, and join us for an authentic Oktoberfest celebration with three days of family-friendly fun, delicious German and local food and brews, traditional German music, and more!

The festivities kick off with the official keg tapping ceremony on Friday at 6 p.m. in the Festzelt (fest tent), sponsored by Russell County Commission.  The Maneuver Center of Excellence Band will serenade us with the German and American national anthems as Fort Benning’s leadership taps the keg. Once you hear "O'Zapft is" (it's tapped), the party begins!

The Oktoberfest Festzelt is the place to be to enjoy authentic German bands performing throughout the weekend. And if you enjoy a Biergarten, you can indulge in Schnitzel and German brews in one of our many Biergartens around the Festzelt.

The Uchee Creek Activity Center will transform into a German Sportheim (Sports Club) where you can savor your Bratwurst while catching college football or NFL games on six large TVs all weekend long!

Step into our Kinder Wiesn (children's area), sponsored by Headquarter Nissan for the ultimate children's area.  We offer a wide range of free activities to keep the little ones entertained all day long. From inflatables and quad jumps to games, arts & crafts, Krazy hair, face painting, pumpkin patch, ferris wheel, teacups, merry-go-round, and so much more - the list goes on and on! Magician King Chapman and Puppeteer Peter Hart perform their shows all weekend long; Friday at 5 p.m. and 7  p.m., on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and on Sunday at 12 p.m.

We are thrilled to announce that the one and only Johnny Koenig, the Polkastar himself, will be gracing us again with his presence for all three days of the festival. With his energetic performances and infectious music, Johnny Koenig is sure to get everyone up on their feet and dancing!

But wait, there's more! Sonnenschein Express, an Alpine Oktoberfest show band, will be delighting the crowds with their traditional instruments and songs. And let's not forget about the Maneuver Center of Excellence Band, who will have everyone dancing on the tables just like every year!

Kicking off the festivities on Saturday are the Dirndl Dash 5K and Lederhosen Leap 10K races, sponsored by Floor & Décor, Precor Fitness and First Command. Don't forget to pre-register to secure your t-shirt!  Saturday afternoon is jam-packed with activities such as a Dog Costume Contest and the famous Doggy Derby, sponsored by RuffLand Kennels, and activities like pontoon boat rides, hayrides, and adult games like keg tossing and beer pong and more!  The evening will feature several competitions:  Best Kinder Dirndl and Best Kinder Lederhosen, Stein Hoisting and Mr. & Mrs. Oktoberfest in the Festzelt.

On Sunday, join us for a traditional Crossroads church service in the Fest tent at 11 a.m. Experience the Wiesn church service, a Munich Oktoberfest tradition.

Admission and parking are free, and the event is dog-friendly (leashes required).  Food, beverages, and souvenirs are available for purchase with cash or debit/credit cards. Event vendors will also accept MWR tokens from previous events.  Please note: Tokens will not be sold at this event. If you still have Tokens, you may use them with vendors or return them to MWR for a refund.  (No outside food and beverages are permitted at this event.) 

No visitor's pass is required if entering via Alabama Highway 165. A shuttle service to and from Fort Benning is available for DoD ID Cardholders on Saturday.

Get ready for an unforgettable Oktoberfest experience at Uchee Creek Campground and Marina!

Thank you to our Oktoberfest Sponsors!

Fort Benning’s Qualified Recycling Program, The Russell County Commission, Headquarter Nissan, Columbus Civic Center & Ice Rink, USAA, Floor & Décor, Rally Point Harley-Davidson, East Alabama Chamber of Commerce, RuffLand Kennel, Telemynd, Precor Fitness, PMB Radio, Sun South and BEAM Broadband.

Thank you to our Dirndl Dash 5K and Lederhosen 10K Sponsors!

Floor & Décor, Precor Fitness and First Command

(no federal endorsement implied)

And remember, all times are Eastern Time (EDT) - so keep an eye on your phone's time zone!e!

For complete details, click here!