Everything You Need to Know for Amana Oktoberfest 2025

The 60th annual Amana Oktoberfest is coming up this weekend, and this year's celebration will be bigger than ever! Here's everything you need to know about the 2025 festival:

When/Where is It?

Amana Oktoberfest will take place in the Amana Colonies Thursday, October 2nd through Sunday, October 5th. This is actually the first time the festival will kick off on a Thursday and run for FOUR days instead of three!

There are activities happening all throughout the Amana Colonies during Oktoberfest, but the main celebration takes place at the Festhalle Barn. The Festhalle Barn is located near the corner of 220th Trail and D Street. With the HUGE yellow tents out front, it'll be hard to miss!

Where Do I Park?

There is parking throughout the Amana Colonies, including at the Market Barn, but if you'd rather not hunt for a spot, you can park off-site near the Amana RV Park and take the Oktoberfest Shuttle. The shuttle will run Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Stops in the festival area include:

• Millstream Brewing Co.
• Millstream Brau Haus
• Amana Visitors Center
• Fireside Winery

Off-site parking will also be available at Amana Elementary after 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

How Much is Admission?

Admission into the celebration at the Festhalle Barn is $15 for a one-day pass or $30 for a weekend pass. Admission on Sunday is free.

The rest of the celebrations happening in the Amana Colonies are free to enjoy, including the parties at Millstream and Hotel Millwright (entertainment schedules are listed below).

Who's Performing?

Here is the official schedule of performances happening at the Festhalle Barn throughout the four day festival:

• Thursday, October 2nd
  • 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Alpine Thunder
  • 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Amana Colony Folksingers
  • 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. - Polka Police
• Friday, October 3rd
  • 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Barefoot Becky & The Ivanhoe Dutchmen
  • 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Polka Police
  • 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Die Tiefen Keller Kinder
  • 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. - Amana Colony Folksingers
  • 10 p.m. to Midnight - Polka Police
• Saturday, October 4th
  • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Polka Police
  • 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. - The Happy Players
  • 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Alte Kameraden
  • 9 p.m. to Midnight - The Happy Players
• Sunday, October 5th
  • 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. - Collegium Tubum (UI Tubas)
  • 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. - Alte Kameraden
  • 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Malek’s Fishermen Polka Band

The UNI Dancers will also be performing throughout the area on Saturday, October 4th. Here's a look at their schedule:

• 11 a.m. at Millstream Brewing Co.
• 1 p.m. at Amana Colonies Visitors Center
• 2 p.m. at Ackerman Winery

There are a few other places in the Amana Colonies that will be hosting live music throughout the weekend. You can check out those schedules below:

• Millstream Brewing Co.
  • Thursday, October 2nd
    • 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Brittany Sword
  • Friday, October 3rd
    • 10:30 a.m. - Party of 2
    • 2 p.m. - pFat Back Boys
    • 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. - Dogs on Skis
  • Saturday, October 4th
    • 10 a.m. - Teck & Reno
    • 12 p.m. - Barry Boyce Party Polka Band
    • 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. - AIRWAVES
  • Sunday, October 5th
    • 11 a.m. - DTKK
    • 2 p.m. - Retro Rockits
• Hotel Millwright
  • Thursday, October 2nd
    • 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at The Electric Thread - Well Strung
  • Friday, October 3rd
    • 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Ben Schmidt Band
    • 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Well Lit
    • 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. - New Trick
  • Saturday, October 4th
    • 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. - The Remains
    • 4:30 p.m.to 7:30 p.m. - Dogs on Skis
    • 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. - ViceBox
• Millstream Brau Haus
  • Thursday, October 2nd
    • 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. - Shawn Ster
  • Friday, October 3rd
    • 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. - New Jolly Germans
  • Saturday, October 4th
    • 9 p.m. to Midnight - 3rd Annual 80's Prom with DJ Chris
      Loyd
  • Sunday, October 5th
    • 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Swampland Jewels
• Ox Yoke Inn
  • Friday, October 3rd
    • 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Jeff Weimer and Jessica Mar
• Ronneburg Restaurant
  • Friday, October 3rd
    • 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. (no band listed)
  • Saturday, October 4th
    • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Barefoot Becky & The Ivanhoe Dutchman

When is the Parade?

The official Oktoberfest Parade will take place on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. This year's theme is “Diamond Prost: Cheers to 60 Years!” You can check out the parade route below:

Where Can I Eat?

In a word? EVERYWHERE!

The main food tent is on the grounds of the Festhalle Barn, but there are plenty of other restaurants and food trucks to check out in the Amana Colonies:

• Ox Yoke Inn
  • Regular Hours
    • Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
    • Friday & Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Oktoberfest Brunch
  • Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Ox Satellite Kitchen Grab & Go Menu
• Ronneburg Restaurant
  • Regular Hours
    • Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
    • Friday & Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    • Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Grilled food on the front lawn
    • Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
    • Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Millstream Brau Haus
  • Regular Hours
    • Thursday & Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
    • Friday & Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Millstream Brewing Co. Tent
  • Food Trucks - Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    • Comfort Food 154
    • Aroma Artisan Pizza
    • County Line BBQ
  • Food Trucks - Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    • Beast & Bird BBQ
    • Keepin Up with the Jones’s
    • Moys Food from the Streets
  • T.C. Bonez BBQ Food Truck - Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Hotel Millwright Greenspace
  • Serving pretzels with cheese, burgers, brat & kraut, turkey legs, and grilled pork loin sandwiches throughout the weekend
• Ackerman Winery
  • Smoken ZBQ Food Truck - Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Born to Fry Food Truck - Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

What Are Some of the Other Activities?

The Oktoberfest brochure has a full schedule for the four-day festival (which you can check out HERE), but here are some of the highlights:

• Keg Tapping Pre-Party/Parade/Ceremony
  • Friday, October 3rd
    • Pre-Party and Parade in the Amana Museum Courtyard at 10 a.m. - first brat is free
    • Keg Tapping Tickets are $20 and are limited - they go on sale at 10:30 a.m. and are only available during the Pre-Party (ticket includes one beer from the Official First Keg and Friday Festhalle admission)
    • 2 p.m. at the Festhalle Barn - Official Keg Tapping Ceremony
• Oktoberfest Games/Contests
  • Friday, October 3rd
    • 7:45 p.m. - Yodeling Contest at the Festhalle Barn
      • Participation is free
      • All participants receive food/drink tickets - winner gets a prize
  • Saturday, October 4th
    • 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Market Barn
      • Keg Toss Competition - free
      • Log Sawing Competition - free
      • Nagelhauen - free
    • 3:45 p.m. - Brat Eating Contest at the Festhalle Barn
      • Participant who finishes a foot-long brat the fastest wins
      • Cost is $20 - All participants receive a commemorative t-shirt
    • 4 p.m. - Eisenmann Competition at the Market Barn
      • Teams of two - Women’s, Men’s, and Co-Ed Divisions
      • Cost is $30 per team

Some of the other businesses listed on the brochure that you may want to check out during Oktoberfest include:

• Ackerman Winery
• Amana Furniture Shop
• Amana Woolen Mill
• The Chocolate Haus
• Colony Carvers
• Fireside Winery in the Village
• Four Winds Farm Apothecary
• Lisa Lammey Fine Arts
• Midwest Leather & Fudge Factory
• Warped & Woven Mill Mercantile
• White Cross Cellars

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