This Wisconsin Oktoberfest is among top 10 in the US, USA TODAY says

This Wisconsin Oktoberfest USA is one of the best seasonal celebrations in the nation.

September 24, 2025

Beer steins are raised during the annual Oktoberfest celebration Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront. (USA TODAY Network)

La Crosse’s Oktoberfest USA is one of the best seasonal celebrations in the nation, according to a new ranking from USA TODAY’s 10BEST.

Every week, USA TODAY 10BEST invites a panel of industry experts to nominate their favorite points of interest and attractions over a variety of categories. Editors will vet the nominations and select the final nominees, which are then voted on by the public to determine the final list.

Coming in at No. 6, this is the second time Oktoberfest USA has been named a finalist — ranking No. 3 in 2015 — but the festival was also a runner up in 2024, 2023 and 2017.

Here’s what USA TODAY had to say about La Crosse’s celebration:

“Established in 1961 and billed as ‘the longest-running Oktoberfest in the Midwest,’ Oktoberfest USA (nicknamed Das Beste) offers fun for everyone. There’s a festive parade, a medallion hunt, lederhosen games, carnival rides, and — of course — plenty of beer.”

This year, the annual event will take place from Sept. 25 to 28 at the Oktoberfest Grounds, 1 Oktoberfest Strasse.

For more information, you can visit its website at https://www.oktoberfestusa.com/.

La Crosse’s Oktoberfest wasn’t the only fall-related accolade Wisconsin received in the USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards. The Badger State was also listed in the best apple orchards, best corn mazes, best pumpkin patches and best seasonal beers categories.

What are the top 10 Oktoberfest celebrations in the U.S., according to USA TODAY?

Here’s the full top 10 list for the Best Oktoberfest category:

Zeeco Oktoberfest Tulsa (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Reading Liederkranz Oktoberfest (Reading, Pennsylvania)
Cleveland Oktoberfest (Cleveland, Ohio)
Delaware Saengerbund Oktoberfest (Newark, Delaware)
Oktoberfest Fredericksburg (Fredericksburg, Texas)
Oktoberfest USA (La Crosse, Wisconsin)
New Ulm Oktoberfest (New Ulm, Minnesota)
Schmidt’s Columbus Oktoberfest (Columbus, Ohio)
Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest (Big Bear Lake, California)
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio)

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: This Wisconsin Oktoberfest is among top 10 in the US, USA TODAY says

Reporting by Cailey Gleeson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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