Southlake Town Square is throwing its biggest Oktoberfest yet, marking 25 years of Bavarian-style beer, brats, and Dachshund sprints with a three-day celebration from October 16 through October 18. The milestone anniversary festival remains free to attend, with free parking included, and organizers are promising the usual mix of authentic German food, craft beers, and family-friendly entertainment that has turned the event into one of the region's fall staples.
According to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, the festival will run Friday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. at 285 Grand Ave. in Southlake. The station notes that Telemundo 39 and the Southlake Chamber of Commerce are also inviting the public to the event, which spreads across three stages of live music and performances throughout the weekend. Beyond the music, attendees can expect vendor booths selling arts and crafts, a children's area stocked with games and activities, and the German food and craft beer offerings that anchor the event's Bavarian theme.
A Milestone Lineup for the 25th Year
For its quarter-century celebration, the festival has booked AC/DC tribute act Back in Black to headline the main stage on Friday night, while New York-based boy-band tribute group Larger Than Life takes over Saturday night, according to the Southlake Chamber of Commerce. Those acts join a rotation of local dance groups and jazz ensembles performing across the festival's stages throughout the weekend. The festival also features performances across its stages throughout the weekend.
Scale-wise, the festival has grown considerably since its early days. Oktoberfest Southlake now draws more than 100,000 visitors over its three-day run. The grounds host roughly 100 juried arts and crafts exhibitors alongside 28 food vendors spread across Town Square.
Wiener Dogs, Stein Hoisting, and Other Signature Contests
The Wiener Dog Race remains one of the festival's most popular traditions, with competing Dachshunds sprinting to determine the fastest dog, per NBC 5's report. Per the chamber's own event rules, entrants must be 100 percent purebred Dachshunds with up-to-date rabies vaccinations, and the $25 entry fee covers both the costume contest and the race itself, typically held Saturday morning in front of the Town Square gazebo.
The Stein Hoisting Contest is the other marquee competition, running both Friday and Saturday evenings. Contestants hold a full beer stein for as long as possible.
Free Admission Sets Southlake Apart
Unlike several other North Texas Oktoberfest celebrations, Southlake's version charges nothing at the gate. Addison Oktoberfest charges $10 for single-day admission on Friday and Saturday, while Thursday and Sunday are free, and Lake Highlands Oktoberfest charges $25, according to Streets, Beats and Eats, while Southlake keeps both admission and parking free across all three days — a notable selling point in a region where gate fees are common at similar fall festivals.
Part of a Packed Fall Calendar at Town Square
Southlake Town Square itself opened in March 1999 across 250,000 square feet surrounding Town Hall before growing into a 130-acre regional shopping hub, according to 360West Magazine. The square was designed to give the suburb a walkable downtown center, and it now anchors multiple signature community events each year. Town Square also hosts Art in the Square, a spring festival produced by the Southlake Women's Club.
Oktoberfest lands within Southlake's autumn event calendar alongside Celebrate Southlake, notes writer Alex Maloney. The calendar includes festivals and civic events in the city throughout the year.
