Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is moving again. The September German heritage festival will be at Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove this year. Cincinnati Regional Chamber President Brendon Cull says Downtown on Fifth Street, and the Second and Third street locations all worked well in the past.
“But, it’s tight. There’s not a lot of shade. This location allows us to expand and grow,” he says. “I want to also point out there’s an awesome playground right down here. Oktoberfest, though it’s known as a beer-drinking event where we come down and enjoy good Oktoberfest beer, it has a great tradition where families can come down and spend the day, too.”
Cull says organizers have been thinking about a new home for almost a year.
“We looked about the entire city to say ‘How can we continue to elevate this experience? How can we find a place where people can sit under a tree and drink beer?' " he says. “How can we find a place where people can admire this beautiful city and drink beer and eat cream puffs and do all the wonderful things that we do at Oktoberfest, and we think this is the best place for it.”
RELATED: Oktoberfest returns to Fifth Street in 2023
The Regional Chamber's vice president for events says this new location will do the job. Chelsea Brown York says they've worked with sponsors, partners and vendors.
“Our Festhall tent will be the largest ever at Oktoberfest, seating over 1,000 people. We think it’s going to be the hub of activity throughout the whole weekend,” she says. “We’re going to have an arena along the banks of the river. The Serpentine Wall becoming the natural place to watch the Running of the Wieners and the Sam Adams Stein Holding Contest. We have grass, trees, river views, and what a great place to put down a blanket and sit with your family and friends and neighbors.”
Cull says they are planning on this being the home of Oktoberfest for years to come.
