Throw on your dirndl or latch on your lederhosen, grab your beer stein and come help us celebrate our favorite October tradition.
October is right around the corner and at Camp Richardson, that means one thing: Oktoberfest in Tahoe! Since 1994, we’ve been celebrating Oktoberfest like nowhere else in Lake Tahoe, and this year’s celebration will be bigger and better than ever.
A Bit of Oktoberfest History
The city of Munich, Germany, held the first Oktoberfest to celebrate the October 12, 1810, wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. As a way to include Munich’s citizens in their nuptial celebration, the royal couple graciously invited locals to attend various festivities held on grassy fields just outside the city. A series of raucous horse races closed out the event, laying the foundation for Oktoberfest celebrations throughout Germany for the past 200 years.
Oktoberfest has changed dramatically since that first one in 1810, but Camp Richardson’s Oktoberfest has everything that makes this annual worldwide folk festival the much-anticipated event it is today: a well-stocked beer and wine garden, an assortment of delicious foods and desserts, and the crowd-pleasing Gruber Family Band keeping toes tapping with lively polka music — plus it’s FREE to attend! But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Live music by Gruber Family Band
What makes Camp Richardson’s Oktoberfest special?
The wide variety of entertaining, family-friendly activities to choose from sets our two-day celebration apart from the rest. Sip from a souvenir beer mug and sink your teeth into a freshly cooked turkey leg or IPA beer-infused bratwurst created specifically for us. Thrill the kids with a trip to the face painting booth before heading to the bouncy house or bungee jump to burn off some energy.
Camp Richardson’s Oktoberfest is fun for the whole family
If it’s a contest you’re looking for, our Oktoberfest is the event for you. Itching to flaunt your authentic German outfit? Strut your stuff in our costume contest, which is open to dapper dogs as well (dogs are allowed on the resort just during the costume contest, and be sure to keep those fuzz-muzzles leashed at all times). Want to show off your incredible strength? Impress your family and friends with our stein holding contest. Have a hearty appetite? Tackle our most challenging Oktoberfest event: a bratwurst eating contest.
Bring your friends to Camp Richardson’s Oktoberfest
You can even get a jump on fall decorations with a stroll through our craft booths, many offering locally made products, or take a kid-pleasing stop at our famed pumpkin patch. As one employee who’s worked Camp Richardson’s Oktoberfest in Tahoe for several years put it, “It’s without a doubt one of the most fun outdoor events in South Lake Tahoe.”
Held this year on October 6 and 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. It’s a guarantee: Camp Richardson’s 22nd annual Oktoberfest celebration has something every member of the family will love!
Come join us for Oktoberfest in Tahoe! And don’t forget your dirndl and lederhosen!