Plan your visit to Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest!
The sounds of accordion music fill the air. Steins of cold beer wait for the first notes of Ein Prosit. Old friendships are renewed as everyone gathers to Be Bavarian once more. Onkel Hans and Tante Frieda are excited to see visitors don their Tracht, raise a stein, polka around, and enjoy delicious Bavarian cuisine from our German Clubs and local restaurants at Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest, one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the world.
Whether coming for the day to eat and play or staying a night or for the weekend to prolong the fun, K-W Oktoberfest has something for families, friends, pet-lovers and/or groups looking to experience Canada’s Greatest Bavarian Festival without having to travel to Munich, Germany.
K-W Oktoberfest is a vibrant four-weekend Festival bringing the heart of Bavarian culture to life in Kitchener-Waterloo from September 26 – October 18, 2025.
Festhallen
Get your fest on at the local Festhalles!
Get tickets!
Oktoberfest Events
Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest offers special events for festers of all ages!
Explore Waterloo Region
Find out more about our amazing community at Explore Waterloo Region!
Suggested Thanksgiving Weekend Itineraries:
Friday, October 10, 2025
Get the party started
The official keg tapping in Willkommen Platz at 12 pm kicks off the festivities which includes food vendors selling traditional German cuisine, Biergartens for German and craft beers, and a vendor village for shopping local.
Hockey with Hans
It’s day one of the three-day Sticks & Steins Ball Hockey Tournament—and it’s a PD Day! We’re kicking things off with the Hockey with Hans U19 Tournament, with all games and the championship match taking place today. Come catch the action as top young players compete, then swing by our sports vendors, food trucks, and mini Biergarten for the full tournament experience
Bavarian nights
Experience Bavaria right here in Kitchener-Waterloo and book a traditional German dinner at one of the region’s Festhallen: Concordia Club, Hubertushaus, Habsburg Haus, Schwaben Club, and KoolHaus (Bingemans).
Top tip: Advanced tickets are required at some venues and we highly recommend booking in advance regardless to ensure entry.
Round out the night hopping between Festhallens and dancing the night away (many of which are open until 1 am), or join the party at KoolHaus (Bingemans) when Amanda Marshall takes to the stage.
Back in the Willkommen Platz, the party rolls on until 10 pm, with the Steven Page Trio on the main stage.
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Rise, then stein
Start the day with a wander through the St. Jacob’s Market and get an early taste of Oktoberfest with a stop at the Apple Fritter Co (it’s worth the wait), grab some meats and cheeses from the deli section to create a charcuterie board later in the day (or take a taste of the market home), and top off with some preserves from Kitchen Kuttings.
Learn about another German-speaking community in the Kitchener-Waterloo area during a visit to the Mennonite Story, located at the St. Jacob’s Market.
When hunger strikes, sample German fare outside of the city centre at Metro Restaurant, Crowsfoot or the Old Heidelberg House. If in Uptown Waterloo, pop into Beertown for local brews and the Oktoberfest menu.
Experience Bavaria in downtown Kitchener-Waterloo
In the Willkommen Platz, grab some grub from one of the food trucks and join in the festivities – polka, live music, contests and giveaways.
Find the Willkommen Platz at King Street from Queen Street to Kitchener City Hall. This area will be car-free with parking free after 5 p.m. at the downtown lots. For a full list of locations, visit: https://www.kitchener.ca/en/parking/find-a-place-to-park.aspx
Ball Hockey Continues
Down at the Manulife parking lot, the Hockey with Hans action kicks off with skills and drills, exhibition games, and fun activities in the morning. Meanwhile, our Sticks & Steins contenders enjoy a refreshing beverage in the Biergarten before hitting the pavement later in the day.
Bavarian Nights at K-W Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest fun doesn’t stop as night falls. Join us at the Main Stage as Canadian rock legends The Watchmen light up the night with an unforgettable performance!
Experience Bavaria right here in Kitchener-Waterloo and book a traditional German dinner at one of the region’s Festhallen – Concordia Club, Hubertushaus, Habsburg Haus, Schwaben Club, and KoolHaus (Bingemans).
Top tip: Book your dinner tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.
Round the night out hopping between Festhallen and dancing the night away to traditional music, or join the party at Bingemans Koolhaus until the wee hours of the morning.
Sunday, October 12, 2025
Guten Morgen!
Enjoy a bit of a sleep in then linger a little longer at one of our downtown cafes – Matter of Taste, Williams Fresh Cafe, or Lucero – to fuel another day of K-W Oktoberfest festivities that may or may not involve raising a stein, polkaing around, and enjoying delicious Bavarian cuisine.
Festival fun kicks off mid-morning
The action in the Willkommen Platz kicks off at 11 am. Raise your stein in the biergarten, savour authentic German cuisine from one of our food vendors, hunt for unique finds at our local vendor market, or sing along in front of the stage at one of our live performances.
Find the Willkommen Platz at King Street from Queen Street to Water Street. This area will be car-free with parking free after 5 p.m. at the downtown lots. For a full list of locations, visit: https://www.kitchener.ca/en/parking/find-a-place-to-park.aspx
And it’s all free!
Sticks & Steins Playoffs
Come cheer on your favourite Sticks & Steins players as they face off in the finals on the last day of our inaugural ball hockey tournament!
Beyond K-W Oktoberfest in the Willkommen Platz
In between the action downtown, explore the restaurant scene by sampling the Oktoberfest menu at BeerTown in uptown Waterloo, or venture out of town to sample traditional German cuisine at Metro Restaurant, Crowsfoot or the Old Heidelberg House.
Delve into local history at the Schneider Haus National Historic Site (open 11 – 4:30), the home of some of the area’s earliest non-Indigenous settlers, Joseph and Barbara Schneider. Visit the restored Georgian-style wood-frame home, spring house, the wash house, the bake house, woodshed, and the privy as part of your visit.
It’s also family day at three of our local Festhallen: Concordia Club, Schwaben Club, and Hubertushaus – making this a perfect time to enjoy the festive ambiance for all ages. Just note, Hubertushaus closes at 3:30 p.m., Schwaben Club at 4 p.m., while Concordia keeps the party going until 6 p.m.
The fun continues in the Willkommen Platz as the sun sets
The Festhallen may be closing up shop early today, but in the Willkommen Platz in downtown Kitchener, revelers can raise their stein in the biergarten, savour authentic German cuisine from one of our food vendors – don’t miss the turkey poutine – and hunt for unique finds at our local vendor market, or sing along in front of the stage at one of our live performances.
Inside the biergartens, Ontario craft bier partners will be slinging brews which pair perfectly with Oktoberfest Beer Nuts, traditional schnitzel, sausage on a bun and even the new Oktoberfest poutine as you raise a stein and polka around. The space will be buzzing until well after the sun sets.
Eat. Stay. Play. Then repeat.
After a Sunday well spent at K-W Oktoberfest, we highly recommend staying the night. If only because the next morning, the streets are lined with locals and visitors from near and far for the much anticipated Thanksgiving Day parade, kicking off this year at 9:30 a.m.
Our top hotel picks for easy parade route access being the The Walper Hotel and the Crowne Plaza Kitchener-Waterloo in downtown Kitchener.
Top tip: Purchase your bleacher seat for the Thanksgiving Day Parade in advance for $10+HST, particularly for those who may prefer to sit rather than stand for the duration of the 2+-hour parade.
Monday, October 13, 2025
Rise and shine! It’s parade day. And you’ll want to stake out your spot before the parade kicks off at 9:30 a.m.
The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day Parade will be even bigger in 2025 with more floats, inflatables and bands.
Grab bleacher seats or stand street side as the parade travels up Weber Street and finishes at Bridgeport Road at the corner of Weber Street around noon.
Top tip: Purchase your bleacher seat in advance for $10+HST, particularly for those who may prefer to sit rather than stand for the duration of the 2+-hour parade.
Before saying farewell, join the family day festivities at one of our local Festhallen – Concordia Club and Habsburg Haus for traditional German fare. We highly recommend booking tickets in advance, noting that both clubs close at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Monday.
Phone: (519) 570-HANS (4267)
2 King Street West, Kitchener, ON, N2G 1A3