10 ways to celebrate Oktoberfest in the Rochester area

Tracy Schuhmacher, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Updated ·4 min read

Billed as the world's largest beer drinking festival, the 188th Oktoberfest will take place from Sept. 16 to Oct. 3 in Munich, Germany. Given that Rochester has a large population with German heritage, it follows that the celebration has become a tradition around here.

But much like St. Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo, Oktoberfest has generally become an excuse to drink, with a lot of variations on the theme. The festivities almost always include hearty German food and often feature live German music, including the song "Ein Prosit" sung on repeat. A tip if you want to join in: when you hear a chant of "zicke zacke" (which can sound like ziggy, zaggy), answer back with a hearty: hoi, hoi, hoi.

Here are some of the ways to celebrate Oktoberfest over the next several weeks, going well past the official end of the festival in Munich.

Webster's Oktoberfest: Noon to 10 p.m. Sept. 15 and 16 at Webster Fireman's Field, 1193-1207 Ridge Road in Webster. Live German music, German cuisine, beer and wine. $5 from noon to 3 p.m. Friday; $10 at other times. Children under 12 free with an adult. miraclefieldoktoberfest.com.

Oktoberfest at Lincoln Hill Farms will include German-style food, beer and music.
Oktoberfest at Lincoln Hill Farms will include German-style food, beer and music.

Lincoln Hill Oktoberfest: 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 16 at Lincoln Hill Farms, 3792 Route 247 in Canandaigua. $20. German-style food, beer, music, stein hoist contest. lincolnhillfarms.com, (585) 430-4661.

War Horse Brewing Company at Three Brothers Winery & Estates will have its first beer stein holding contest.
War Horse Brewing Company at Three Brothers Winery & Estates will have its first beer stein holding contest.

Steinholding competition: Sept. 23 at the War Horse Brewing taproom in Three Brothers Wineries & Estates, 623 Lerch Road, Geneva. Competitions will be held at noon, 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. Competitors must hold a full one-liter beer steins out in front of their bodies with a straight arm, parallel to the ground. Whoever can hold their stein for the longest without spilling any beer will win a stein and $50 gift card. To sign up, stop by the War Horse taproom on the day of the event. 3brotherswinery.com, (315) 585-4432.

Roctoberfest Party: 3 p.m. Sept. 23 at Three Heads Brewing, 186 Atlantic Ave. Swan Market will be on hand serving a German menu that will include sausage on a roll, sausage platter, schnitzel dinner, goulash dinner and jager schnitzel. No live music and no cover charge. (An 8 p.m. show of Brass Machine doing a brass Grateful Dead tribute has a $10 cover.) threeheadsbrewing.com, (585) 244-1224.

Fairport Oktoberfest: Sept. 28 through 30, Fairport Junction Festival Site, Liftbridge Lane East, Fairport. Opens at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday. German cuisine from Swan Market, beer, a combination of German music and rock bands. $10 after 4 p.m. fairportpartnership.org.

Lucktoberfest: 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, at Jackrabbit Club, 40 Anderson Ave., next to Good Luck. Good Luck and Swan Market will team up on this event that transforms the Jackrabbit Club into a beer hall featuring German-inspired fare (including roasting a whole hog), live music and Oktoberfest brews. $85. Tickets available at ExploreTock.com, (585) 340-6161.

Oktoberfest Dinner: 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 at St. Leo the Great Catholic Parish, 110 Old Hojack Lane in Hilton. A choice of dinners will be catered by Swan Market and may be enjoyed on site or ordered for takeout. Dinners must be purchased in advance online at exploretock.com/swanmarket/. Beer and wine will be available for a donation, and an accordion player will play German music. No admission fee other than the purchase of meal and drink. The public is welcome. (585) 392-2710.

New York Beer Project Oktoberfest: 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15 at the New York Beer Project, 300 High Street, Victor. Taste ten 5-ounce German and craft beers. Entertainment includes live German music, stein hoisting competition, German costume contest and a weiner toss. Ticket includes a German food item, which will include bratwurst, a Bavarian pretzel or German fried pickles, as well as a commemorative stein. $53.87. Tickets available at eventbrite.com, (585) 888-6927.

Restaurant Oktoberfest specials

The Genesee Brew House has transformed its ground-level outdoor patio into an Oktober Biergarten.
The Genesee Brew House has transformed its ground-level outdoor patio into an Oktober Biergarten.

The Genesee Brew House, 25 Cataract St., has transformed its ground-level outdoor patio into an Oktober Biergarten, complete with umbrellas and themed steins. Live music will play on Fridays at 5 p.m. through Oct. 7. The restaurant will also feature German food and fall specials every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. geneseebeer.com, 585-263-9200.

Rheinblick German Restaurant, 224 South Main St., Canandaigua, will not run a tent-style Oktoberfest this year, but it will run several weeks of authentic German Oktoberfest-style specials starting beginning Sept. 15 and running through the later half of October. It will also feature three imported German Oktoberfest Beers straight from Munich, both on tap and in bottles. Reservations are recommended. rheinblick.net, (585) 905-0950.

More to do: 18 can't-miss food, wine and beer events in September in Rochester and the Finger Lakes

Planning a food event or a holiday shopping event? Email Tracy Schuhmacher at TracyS@gannett.com at least one month prior to the event.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: 10 ways to celebrate Oktoberfest in Rochester NY