American German Club to celebrate 52nd Oktoberfest over two weekends

Traditional German beer is among the highlights of Oktoberfest, hosted by the American German Club of the Palm Beaches. [Photo by Getty Imagines]

The American German Club of the Palm Beaches will raise a stein to 52 years of tradition this October, hosting its annual Oktoberfest celebration across two consecutive weekends at its Lantana-area clubhouse.

The festival runs Oct. 9 to 11 and 16 to 18. The hours are 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. The event takes place both inside the clubhouse and outdoors under a pavilion and tent, rain or shine.

True to its Bavarian roots, the festival will feature traditional Oktoberfest bier imported from Germany alongside a range of other German bier varieties, wine, cocktails and schnapps. Food will include German staples such as schnitzel, roasted chicken, sauerbraten, bratwurst and pretzels, along with American favorites and vegetarian options.

Entertainment spans two stages: Froschhaxn Express will travel from Germany to perform in the club’s pavilion, and the King Guys Band will take the clubhouse stage with festive German tunes and sing-alongs. The club’s own Volkstanzgruppe folk dancers will perform traditional dances and lead an audience participation dance. Festivalgoers can test their strength in the Maßkrugstemmen stein-holding contest, watch the ceremonial keg tapping and parade of flags, and meet the club’s 2026 Bierkönigin, or beer queen. The event also includes shops selling steins, cuckoo clocks and traditional German attire, local vendors, carnival rides, and a newly renovated playground.

Admission ranges from $12 to $25, depending on the day and whether tickets are purchased online in advance; children 6 and under are admitted free. Parking is $20 on site; free parking and shuttle service are available at Diamond View Elementary School and Tradewinds Middle School.

The American German Club traces its roots to the spring of 1967, when three friends of German heritage, Richard Blechschmidt, Gerold Harbeke and Karl-Heinz Randtke, set out to build a social center in Palm Beach County that would preserve their Old World traditions. What began as the Bavarian American Club, formed through informal gatherings in shops and restaurants, was renamed the American German Club in 1970 and eventually grew into the roughly 10-acre clubhouse and grounds the organization occupies today, built in part by club members.

Now a volunteer-run nonprofit with several hundred members, the club hosts events throughout the year, including weekly dances, monthly picnics and a Christkindl Markt each December. Its flagship Oktoberfest celebration has grown into one of the region’s largest German cultural festivals.

More information and tickets are available at americangermanclub.org.