Leavenworth — Things to Do
Leavenworth
Oktoberfest
Three October weekends of ticketed beer tents, polka, and a free downtown. Here is how to actually do it.
Things to Do Guide →beExploring / Leavenworth
Overview
Leavenworth Oktoberfest 2026 runs three weekends: October 2–3, 9–10, and 16–17. Fridays are 6 p.m. to midnight. Saturdays are noon to midnight. The Festhalle and the Front Street Park tent are ticketed. Downtown itself stays open and free — shops, restaurants, and the street scene do not require a festival ticket.
That split is the thing most first-timers miss. You can walk Front Street without a ticket. You cannot walk into the Festhalle or the park tent without one. Buy official tickets through the Leavenworth Chamber (Eventim) — not a reseller. Lodging for those weekends behaves like Christmas: downtown sells out, and Wenatchee is the overflow.
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2026 Dates & Hours
Hours from the official Leavenworth Chamber listing. Box office opens 30 minutes before gates for same-day tickets — Fridays at 5:30 p.m., Saturdays at 11:30 a.m.
| Weekend | Dates | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend 1 | October 2–3, 2026 | 6 p.m.–midnight | Noon–midnight |
| Weekend 2 | October 9–10, 2026 | 6 p.m.–midnight | Noon–midnight |
| Weekend 3 | October 16–17, 2026 | 6 p.m.–midnight | Noon–midnight |
Saturdays usually include a late-morning Festzug parade through town, gates at noon, and a keg tapping around 2 p.m. at Front Street Park. The performer lineup changes by weekend — check the Chamber page for the current schedule.
What the ticket covers
Ticketed Tents vs Free Downtown
One admission ticket covers both ticketed locations: the Festhalle and Front Street Park. Recent Chamber pricing has been about $20 Friday, $40 Saturday, and $50 for a weekend pass, plus Eventim service fees — confirm current prices when you buy. Kids 12 and under are free.
Ticketed
Festhalle
The indoor main stage — headliners, dancers, stein contests. Kids are welcome here and at Kinderplatz until 9 p.m. No entry or re-entry after 10 p.m.
Ticketed · 21+
Front Street Park tent
The Bierzelt / park tent and Gazebo stage. Front Street Park is 21 and over. The tent closes at 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Free
Downtown / street fair
Front Street shops, restaurants, and the outdoor street fair stay open without a festival ticket. You can walk the village, eat, and browse without buying admission.
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Before You Go
Kids until 9 p.m.
Kids are welcome in Kinderplatz and the Festhalle until 9 p.m. Kids 12 and under are free with a ticketed adult. Kinderplatz runs Friday 6–9 p.m. and Saturday noon–9 p.m. Some carnival games and rides cost extra.
Front Street Park is 21+
The park tent and Gazebo stage are 21 and over. If you are bringing kids, plan on the Festhalle and Kinderplatz, then downtown — not the park tent.
No pets except ADA
Pets are not allowed at the ticketed venues. ADA service animals are the exception. Leave the dog at the lodging, or skip the tents and stay on the free downtown streets.
Clear bag at the gate
Clear bags keep the security line moving. Non-clear bags get a manual search. You can buy a clear stadium bag at the box office or Willkommen Center if you forget.
Official tickets only
Tickets are sold through the Leavenworth Chamber via Eventim / See Tickets US. They are non-refundable but can be exchanged between weekends. Skip third-party resellers.
Friday vs Saturday
Friday is an evening: gates at 6 p.m. Saturday is the full day — parade late morning, gates at noon, keg tapping at 2 p.m. If you only have one day, make it a Saturday.
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Parking
Parking in downtown Leavenworth on an Oktoberfest Saturday is the same problem as a Lighting Festival Saturday: the village is small, the lots fill, and circling Front Street wastes the afternoon. Paid lots exist; street spots go first.
Willkommen Park & Ride
The Willkommen Park & Ride sits behind Safeway just east of town. A free shuttle runs into downtown during the festival. This is the move on a busy Saturday — park once, ride in, walk the village.
Stay or drive
Day Trip vs Overnight
Overnight in Leavenworth
The right call if you can still book it. You walk to the Festhalle, skip the late drive over Stevens Pass, and get Saturday as a full day instead of a turnaround. Oktoberfest weekends sell out the way Christmas weekends do — treat the reservation like a concert ticket.
Leavenworth lodging →Wenatchee overflow or a Saturday day trip
Wenatchee is about 30 minutes east and is the practical overflow when Front Street is gone. A Seattle day trip is doable on Saturday (2.5 hours each way) if you leave early and use the Park & Ride. Friday-only from Seattle is a late night — gates open at 6 p.m., and you are on US-2 after midnight.
Wenatchee lodging →beExploring / Leavenworth
Tips
Buy official tickets before you drive. Same-day sales exist, but the line at opening is long. Pre-purchased tickets go straight to security.
Park at the Willkommen Park & Ride behind Safeway, east of town, and take the free shuttle. Do not plan on Front Street parking on a Saturday.
Book lodging as if it were Christmas. If downtown is gone, stay in Wenatchee — about 30 minutes east — and shuttle or drive in for the day.
Treat Friday as an evening add-on and Saturday as the real festival day. Leaving Seattle at noon on Saturday still gets you there for the afternoon keg tapping.
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Common Mistakes
Assuming the whole town is ticketed — or that the tents are free. Downtown is free. Festhalle and the Front Street Park tent are not.
Driving into downtown and circling for a spot. Use the Park & Ride. Festival Saturdays fill the village lots the way December weekends do.
Bringing a dog into the Festhalle or park tent. Pets are not allowed except ADA service animals.
Showing up Saturday without a room and hoping something opens. If you do not have lodging, stay in Wenatchee or make it a disciplined day trip.
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Plan Your Trip
Breweries Guide
Beer halls and taprooms year-round
Leavenworth Lodging
Downtown inns — book early
Wenatchee Lodging
Overflow when the village is sold out
Weekend Itinerary
A full Leavenworth weekend
Hiking Guide
Icicle Gorge, Colchuck, trails
Christmas Lighting
The other festival that sells out town
Leavenworth Guide
Full trip planning guide
beExploring / Leavenworth