- Dates
- Sep 25–26, 2026
- Location
- Waterloo, IA
About the event
A festival celebrating German heritage, music and food in downtown Waterloo. Dress in your dirndls and lederhosen, grab your stein and your friends, and get your Prost on at Iowa Oktoberfest! The polka party happens around Anton’s German Bier Garden and on East 4th Street, just north of the river. There will be live music; beer and food, and fun contests. A traditional Bavarian endurance contest during which contestants must hold a one-liter stein of beer in one outstretched arm for as long as possible. The filled stein weighs roughly five pounds and must be kept parallel to the ground at all times. Any spilling leads to immediate disqualification! The person who holds theirs out for the longest time, wins. This German game involves hammering some nails into a tree and drinking for whenever you mess up. This game supposedly dates back as far as 1940 or earlier. It’s safe to say this g...
- Venue
- Waterloo
- Waterloo, IA
- Good fit for
- Beverages (Non-Alcoholic) Beer, Wine & Spirits
- On-site amenities
- free admission live music