Welcome to the official site of the 2010 Cleveland Oktoberfest held Labor Day weekend
Website: ClevelandPops.com
When: Sunday, Sept 5th at 7:15PM
We are excited to announce that this year the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, under the direction of Carl Topilow, will be performing Beethoven's 5th Symphony on Sunday, Sept. 5th at 7:15PM. For those looking for a memory hook, that's the 5th on the 5th... and no, if you show up on the 9th, you will not hear the 9th, so get your numbers straight. In addition to Beethoven's 5th, The Cleveland Pops will also play Wagner's Ride of the Walkuries, and Josef Strauss’ Feuerfest Polka, which requires some audience participation, so wear your best polka shoes. Members of the orchestra will also make themselves available after the concert so that youngsters can Meet the Musicians and even try out an instrument or two.
Attendees are permitted to bring their own lawn chairs, though coolers may not be brought onto the grounds. More information on the Cleveland Pops and their co-founders can be found on this page.
 Cost: $25
Presenter:
Dan Greathouse, President
Heidelberg Distributing
Chef: John Roberto
Register Online: Click here
The Cleveland Oktoberfest will host our first annual Wine and Food Pairing event in the Oktoberfest Educational Building from 5PM-7PM on Saturday, Sept. 4th. To guide you on your tour of German wines will be Dan Greathouse, President of Heidelberg Distributing, and noted wine afficionado. Dan has shared his expertise at events across the U.S. and Europe, as well as on PBS, so he can talk crushed grapes with the best of them. To find out more about Dan, click here. Joining Dan will be Oktoberfest's own Chef Johann Roberto, who will provide dishes to accompany each of six featured German wines.
Ever found yourself sniffing a cork or swirling wine to impress a date, despite being secretly oblivious as to what all the sniffing and swirling was supposed to help you deduce? Ever return a perfectly good bottle of wine just to prove to your tablemates that you know a bad bottle when you sniff one? Well, you will find this event enlightening, and really, regardless of what you know coming in, all should emerge with:
- A deepened appreciation for the rich variety of German wines
- Some knowledge of Germany's wine regions
- A connosieur's palette for appreciating the magical elixir that is wine
- Knowledge of how to pair food and wine based on their characteristic tastes and textures
Click here to learn about the featured wines, food, and to purchase tickets for this event, or click here to read Dan Greathouse's bio.
 The 2010 Cleveland Labor Day Oktoberfest will look to top a very successful Oktoberfest 2009. We've endeavored to create unique entertainment options each of the four days to ensure that those who come out for one day of Oktoberfest, will want to return for more. After all, Once is never enough! So say you want to catch the microbrew judging or Stone Pony Friday night, the wine tasting, car show or Spazmatics on Saturday, the Pops concert or Cleveland's Breakfast Club Sunday, and Disco Inferno, the Masskrugstemmen or Wiener Dog Race finals on Monday. Well, we've made it easier on the pocketbook for those who wish to attend multiple days, as for the first time ever, we'll be offering specially priced weekend passes for just $15 on Friday Night ONLY. There are a limited number of weekend passes available, issued on a first come, first serve basis, so arrive early Friday to stake your claim. Weekend passes can only be purchased at the event, and will therefore not be available for purchase online.
 In the Bier Garten, we're happy to inform that in addition to last year's solid lineup of exceptional local bands like The Spazmatics, Disco Inferno, and Cleveland's Breakfast Club (all of whom will be returning in 2010), on Friday night, Oktoberfest will add the much sought after Stone Pony to the mix. Close your eyes when listening, and you'll swear it's the Boss himself... but really, it's just a brilliant disguise.
In addition, we'll be extending our Best Oktoberfest Microbrew Competition to all 4 days and offering awards in multiple categories.
Armed with new props, routines, and smoke machines, the Glockenspiel will be back and better than ever, proving once again that while it takes two to tango, it takes brew to slapdance. Like a night on Bourbon Street, Oktoberfest revelers won't leave empty-handed, as we've already amassed thousands of beads, trinkets, and souvenir give-aways to shower upon the crowd... provided you dance like you mean it.
The 2010 Masskrugstemmen Contest promises to be the best ever as the prize for this year will be free airfare for two to Las Vegas, where you and a guest will spend two complimentary nights treated like royalty courtesy of The Excalibur Hotel. During your stay, you and your guest will each receive one free dinner courtesy of the Excaliber, as well as a free evening of food and spirits at the Las Vegas Hofbrau Haus. For those not familiar with the Masskrugstemmen Contest, you can find out more about it here.
At the Oktoberfest, we understand that these days many Cleveland-area seniors live on fixed incomes with unfixed, usually rapidly inflating, expenses. Besides so much, let's face it, a dollar just doesn't buy as much as it used to. As a result, many seniors don't get out as often as they'd like to, or should, and when they do go out, they feel obliged to be very selective about what they do. Given so much, The Cleveland Oktoberfest, in conjunction with clevelandseniors.com, has decided to host a Senior Day on Sunday, Sept. 5th, 2010. On that date, from noon to 3PM, anyone age 60 and over will gain free admittance to the Oktoberfest! At 7:15 on that same day, you'll be treated to a special performance by the Cleveland Pops Orchestra as they play Beethoven's 5th Symphony. See? Being frugle doesn't mean you can't have fun. So come on out and enjoy a day at one of Cleveland's premier events. You'll be glad you did.
Last year, we saw a near doubling in the number of athletes signed up to run The Oktoberfest 5K Bier Run, so this year we will for the first time utilize shoe chip technology to ensure that where you start doesn't effect how you finish. Beyond keeping things fair, it should also speed up the awards process.
 A special thanks to Johnsonville Brats, Sugardale, and Hofbrau for sponsoring the Oktoberfest.
Without your generous support, we'd never be able to offer such a wide array of entertainment options to Oktoberfest patrons. Lastly, thanks to Scene Magazine for voting the Labor Day Oktoberfest as the Best Annual Festival at the Berea Fairgrounds.
 The Cleveland Oktoberfest is pleased to announce that we have a new Official Hotel in the Cleveland Airport Sheraton.
Beyond offering special rates to Oktoberfest patrons, the Cleveland Airport Sheraton will also be offering regular shuttle bus service to and from the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds throughout the weekend.
Click here to make reservations.
FAQs
Here are some of the Frequently Asked Questions from our guests.
 DATES FOR OKTOBERFEST 2010
When:
Sept. 3th - Sept. 6th, 2010
Times: |
| Fri: |
5
to midnight |
| Sat: |
Noon to
midnight |
| Sun: |
Noon to
midnight |
| Mon: |
Noon to
9pm |
Where:
Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds
 Berea, Ohio
(just outside Cleveland)
Join us for four exciting days of authentic German Food, Beer, and the best Entertainment in the Cleveland area Labor Day Weekend.
Local and Regional Musicans
German Dance Groups
Come rain or shine!
FREE PARKING
CHILDREN UNDER 12 RECEIVE FREE ADMISSION
|
