Coming soon.

*subject to change

Oktoberfest Wiesn? What is that?  Oktoberfest is the world's largest festival held in Munich at the Theresienwiese. The locals affectionately refer to it as the 'Wiesn'. They don't just go to Oktoberfest, they head over to the 'Wiesn' for an unforgettable experience! We present you Fort Benning’s very own ‘Wiesn’.

Festzelt translated into English = fest tent:  We are thrilled to announce the return of our original large Festzelt! The Festzelt tradition at Munich’s Oktoberfest is the ultimate destination for a laid-back Oktoberfest experience. Picture yourself sipping on delicious German brews, indulging in traditional German cuisine, all while being entertained by live Oktoberfest bands. Our Festzelt seats 800 people and is adorned with decorations reminiscent of the fest tents in Munich. It truly is the most mesmerizing fest tent you will ever visit! Join us for an unforgettable Oktoberfest Festzelt experience filled with fun, friends, and festivities!

Biergarten translated into English = beer garden:  Translated from German, "Biergarten" means beer garden. Originating in Bavaria, a Biergarten is an outdoor space where people gather to enjoy beer and food. Our Oktoberfest Biergarten offers multiple seating options - you can choose to sit at an original Bierbank (beer bench) with your friends or opt for one of our many picnic tables. Get ready to groove to traditional German music from Sonnenschein Express, the Johnny Koenig Band along with our very own MCoE Band. In case we get a couple of rain drops, grab your friends, your plate and your drink and head into the Oktoberfest Festzelt and wait till the sun comes back out.

Sportheim translated into English = sports club:  A Sportheim can be found in every city or small town that has a sports club. It's a place where people gather to watch their local sports team, such as soccer, while enjoying a delicious meal and a cold beer. It's also a hub for neighbors to come together, chat, and catch up on the latest news while indulging in food and drinks. Just like last year, 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!

Kinder Wiesn translated into English = children’s area:  Step right up to our Kinder Wiesn (children's area), the ultimate children's area where the fun never stops! Every year, we transform part of the Uchee Creek campground into the Kinder Wiesn, an area filled with endless fun activities that will keep your little ones entertained all day long. From inflatables and a drum circle to a pumpkin patch, quad jump, games, arts & crafts, Krazy Hair, face painting, and carnival rides like the Ferris wheel, teacups, and merry-go-round, and so much more - the list goes on and on!

Check out the layout for an overview of the Wiesn! (coming soon)

Raise a glass of your favorite German brew … and hold it there just as long as you can for the Steinhoisting Competition sponsored by America Tattoo Society. The event is open to the public and there is no entry fee, but participants must be at least 21 years old. MWR employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate. Win this year’s trophy!

Registration is not required, just be there! The first 20 women and men will compete; we meet up 15 minutes before each competition at the main entrance to the Festzelt. 

Women compete Saturday, October 19, at 5:30 p.m. and the men's competition starts at 8:10 p.m.!

Rules:

1. Participants must be 21 or older and must present ID
2. The 1L Hofbrauhaus Freising stein itself weighs approximately 3.5lbs.
3. Stein will be filled to 1L lip with water.
4. Stein must be gripped by the handle.
5. Thumb may not go on top of the stein handle; it must rest on the other fingers.
6. Pinkie finger may be held outside of the handle.
7. Arching of the back is allowable, however excessive leaning is unacceptable.
8. The stein must be gripped such that the front of the stein faces away from the competitor (the stein can't be gripped sideways).
9. Stein must be held out in front of the competitor, not out to the side.
10. The arm holding the stein must remain close to parallel with the floor and should be extended straight with very little bending at the elbow.
11. The off hand should remain at the competitor's side and should not be used to support the body.
12. An infraction of any rule will result in a strike. After two strikes, the third infraction leads to elimination of the competitor.
13. If any amount of water spills or drips off of the stein, the competitor is eliminated, regardless of the number of previously assigned strikes. During outdoor competitions or humid conditions, judges will differentiate between dripping resulting from condensation and dripping resulting from beer spillage.
14. Competitors should not contact any structures, objects, or people during the competition.
15. Competitors must stand within their personal area and should not move more than is necessary to adjust ensuring proper form during the competition.
16. Amateurs only. National level competitors are not eligible to participate.

And remember, Own Your Limits while enjoying Oktoberfest and some great German beer, and most importantly, have fun but do the right thing!! Don't drink and drive, call a cab: +1 (706) 322-1616. Serve honorably. Drink responsibly.

Lederhosen Leak 10K & Dirndl Dash 5K: info coming soon.

Volksmarch:  Join us for the Volksmarch on Saturday, October 19, starting at 9:30 a.m. EDT! If you're wondering what a Volksmarch is, let me tell you - it's a non-competitive 3.1 mile (5 km) walk that is not a pledge walk, run, or race. It's a fantastic activity that you can enjoy with your club, family, pet, or even by yourself. The name Volksmarch originates from Europe, and we are bringing a taste of Germany to you for 3 days straight!

Be sure to participate in all the exciting activities, especially the Volksmarch, which is a free event. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to have fun and get some exercise! Our annual Volksmarch kicks off around 9:30 a.m. EDT – but there's no need to rush – you can march all day long, whenever you wish!

Stop by the Information tent on Saturday, October 18 starting at 9:30 a.m. EDT, anytime throughout the day - whether you want to march at 11 a.m. or 3 p.m. – pick up this year’s Volksmarch map, march, take a selfie in between and post it to our social media (because we want to see how much you enjoyed yourself), and once you've finished your march, come back to the information tent and pick up this year’s Oktoberfest pin! If you've marched every year, you should have quite the collection by now! If this is your first march – start collecting now!

The Volksmarch is a free event, no registration required, no stress, no hustle - bring the kids, dogs, neighbors, just have fun while marching! Let's make this year's Volksmarch the best one yet!

Sonnenschein Express, an Alpine Oktoberfest show band, will be entertaining the crowds with their traditional instruments and songs.

And Fort Benning’s one and only Maneuver Center of Excellence Band won’t have anyone sit still while on stage!

• Dog costume contest & Dachshund Derby (Dogs MUST be on a leash at all times!
• Pontoon Boat Rides (last pontoon ride is at 4:30 p.m.)
• Hayrides
• Rides (Ferris Wheel/Teacups/Merry-Go-Round)
• Keg Tossing Contest
• Stein Hoisting (21+)
• Mr. & Mrs. Oktoberfest
• Beer Pong, Corn Hole, Keg Rolling, Keg Tossing, Stein Relay and more!

• Inflatables
• Quad Jump & Rock Wall
• Magician
• Pumpkin Patch
• Arts & Crafts
• Games
• Tattoos
• Krazy Hair
• Air brush visors (Saturday ONLY!)
• Face painting (Saturday ONLY!)

We host canine competitions, including the Dachshund Derby and our famous dog costume contest.  Sign-up for these free events on Saturday next to the Festzelt. The  the dog costume contest is at noon and dachshund derby starts at 4 p.m.!

(Dogs must be on a leash at all times!)

Traditional authentic German food! Have a Schnitzel, Bratwurst, Kraut, Pretzel, and German potato salad (Kartoffelsalat)!

And, of course, German beer! Hofbrauhaus Freising is Fort Benning’s Oktoberfest beer!

Hofbrauhaus Freising, a world class Bavarian brewery, is among the world’s oldest breweries. Hofbrauhaus Freising beers are superbly brewed according to Bavarian Purity Laws, using only premium ingredients (no preservatives) from the surrounding Alps and Hallertau regions. Hofbrauhaus Freising is one of only a select few breweries to be designated as a “Slow Brewer”, which guarantees a quality brewing process that ensures maximum flavor and freshness. Try our Festbier, Hefeweizen or Dunkel! You won’t regret it! PROST! *

We also offer a variety of other foods, such as chicken fingers, fries, corn dogs, hamburgers, BBQ, turkey legs and more!

A variety of dessert options including cookies, German cakes, crepes, funnel cakes, kettle corn, candy apples, Italian ice and more!

And remember, Own Your Limits while enjoying Oktoberfest and some great German beer, and most importantly, have fun but do the right thing!! Don't drink and drive, call a cab: +1 (706) 322-1616. Serve honorably. Drink responsibly.

Tokens are needed to pay for all food and beverages. Admission is free, as well as the entertainment, children’s activities, and parking.  MWR uses tokens at our large events to help speed up the process of ordering and paying for food and beverages. The vendors appreciate the ease of not having to return change.

BUT don’t wait in line! Buy your tokens ahead of time! And don’t worry if you bought too many tokens. Either keep them for the next MWR event, return your unused tokens on site or stop by the MWR Headquarters.

Below MWR locations sell tokens ahead of Oktoberfest at the following dates:

Fort Benning's annual Oktoberfest is a three-day event; to ensure you can enjoy every minute of it, almost all MWR employees are working this event. Unfortunately, this also means we need to close some of our facilities during that time.

How can I get there?  Use our free smart phone app, Digital Garrison, for directions. Search for Uchee Creek Campground and Marina. You do not have to enter Fort Benning or request a visitors pass for this event. Uchee Creek is easily accessed from Alabama HWY 165. We will offer a free shuttle service Saturday to and from select on-post locations (ID Cardholders only) and guests must show an ID to ride the shuttle.  No pets allowed on the shuttle! Check above for the Bus Schedule!

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

Can we bring coolers/refreshments?  No outside food and beverages are permitted at this event.

What kind of food do you serve?  You name it: Schnitzel, Bratwurst, Currywurst, Kraut, pretzels and potato salad, chicken, fries, corn dogs, hamburgers, BBQ, turkey legs and much more! Desserts include cookies, cakes, and German cakes, crepes, funnel cakes, kettle corn, candy apples, Italian ice and more. Wash it all down with your favorite brew or a soda.

Is the event handicap friendly?  This event is physically accessible to individuals with disabilities. Make requests for sign language interpretation or other accommodations to 706-545-4499.

Why do I need tokens? Do I need money?  Oktoberfest vendors only accept tokens for purchases.  Avoid waiting in line and pre-purchase your tokens early, see above.

When you say kids’ activities are free, do you mean they’re free?  Actually, yes. They’ll enjoy those inflatable bounce houses, slides/obstacle courses a quad jump, carnival rides, hayrides and the pumpkin patch, arts and crafts and games, and it won’t cost you a dime.

And for the big kids?  Adults will enjoy competitions like the annual Dachshund Derby, keg tossing and the stein hoisting contest, and many more. You’ll also enjoy free pontoon boat rides, rides, entertainment in the Festzelt, Biergarten, with a lots of dancing, football games in the Sportheim and so much more. At some point, you might do the chicken dance.

What if it rains?  It’s on!

What items are prohibited?  Guns, knives, or weapons of any kind. Outside food or beverages (especially alcohol). Dogs must be leashed at all times. No unaccompanied minors.

Where can I learn more?  You can't. You are already well-armed with all that really matters. You could Google it and prove us wrong, but nothing good could come of that. We see you at Oktoberfest!

We have reached our max vendor capacity for this year!  If you would like to participate in our 2025 Oktoberfest, reach out today to reserve your spot!

Oktoberfest brings more than 30,000 people to Uchee Creek Campground & Marina over a three-day period. We welcome a variety of vendors to this event, including those who sell foods of all kinds, beverages and souvenirs. For information on vending opportunity at MWR events, call +1 (706) 545-8302 or +1 (706) 545-8349.

Oktoberfest brings more than 30,000 people to Uchee Creek Campground & Marina over a three-day period. This is a great opportunity to engage with the on-post community and our neighbors from around the Chattahoochee Valley. For information on sponsorship, call 706-545-4386.