The Saint Louis Zoo is bringing back Zootoberfest this fall, a free, family-friendly celebration of German food, beer and live music that spreads across five dates over two weekends in September. The festival kicks off with an evening session on Friday, September 11, running from 5 to 8 p.m., before daytime hours continue on September 12 and 13, then again on September 19 and 20, according to First Alert 4.
That Friday night kickoff is billed as “Zootoberfest at Night” by the Saint Louis Zoo, which is offering free parking after 4 p.m. for anyone heading out for the after-hours session. It's a newer addition to the festival's format, giving visitors a chance to experience the zoo grounds after the sun starts to go down before the celebration shifts into its more traditional full-day schedule the next two weekends.
What's Open, and What Closes Early
Animal lovers heading to the Friday night event should plan around some early closures. Outdoor habitats including River's Edge, Red Rocks, and Big Cat Country shut down at 6 p.m. during the September 11 session, while indoor exhibits like the Penguin & Puffin Coast, the Herpetarium, and the Insectarium stay open until 7:30 p.m., per the zoo's event page. The daytime dates run longer, with September 12 and 19 stretching from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively, while September 13 and 20 wrap up at 4 p.m., according to First Alert 4.
The festival's centerpiece is its lineup of live music at Schnuck Family Plaza, which rotates a different act for each date. So Grand Polka Band plays the Friday night kickoff on September 11, followed by Die Spitzbuam on September 12 and The Wurst Bavarian Band on September 13. The second weekend brings a shift in tone, with DJ Epic and DJ PBNJeffy performing September 19 and Über Cool closing out the festival September 20, the zoo's event listing shows.
German Food, Steins and Free Admission
As with past years, Zootoberfest leans into its German-inspired theme with food and drink to match. The event includes German-themed food and beer, and adults 21 and older can buy beer from specialty trailers served in commemorative Zootoberfest steins while supplies last, with non-alcoholic root beer available for kids, the zoo notes. General admission to both the zoo and the festival itself remains free, a policy rooted in Missouri law and sustained by the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District's property tax, which has funded the zoo across St. Louis City and St. Louis County since 1971.
That tax district covers roughly a quarter of the zoo's annual operating budget, helping explain how an attraction that draws an estimated 2.8 million to 3 million visitors a year, according to S&P Global Ratings, can keep both daily admission and seasonal festivals like Zootoberfest free to the public. Zootoberfest joins a broader wave of Oktoberfest-style celebrations across the region each fall, a tradition tied to St. Louis's deep 19th-century German immigration history, per stlparent.com.
Accessibility and What's Next for the Zoo
Families with sensory-sensitive children can also find support at the festival. The zoo holds a Sensory Inclusive certification through KultureCity, and free sensory backpacks with noise-canceling headphones and other tools are available at Schnuck Family Plaza and the main entrance desks during events like Zootoberfest.
The festival arrives as the zoo pushes forward on major capital projects at its Forest Park campus and beyond. Destination Discovery, a 2.8-acre interactive area funded through a $170 million campaign, is slated to open in 2026 with a 15,000-square-foot education building, a river otter habitat, and a splash pad. Further out, the zoo is also racing to fund WildCare Park, a 425-acre safari park and conservation center in north St. Louis County projected to open in spring 2027 with an estimated $660 million economic impact over 10 years.
More details on Zootoberfest, including full hours for each date, are available on the Saint Louis Zoo's website.
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