Friday, Oct 3, 2025 at 5:00pm
Fountain Hills Sister Cities is proud to continue a cherished Fountain Hills tradition by hosting the annual Oktoberfest celebration in fall of 2025 in beautiful Fountain Hills, Arizona – home of the world-famous fountain! The German cultural festival, recognized as one of only a handful of authentic Bavarian-style events in the entire Valley region, promises to deliver an immersive experience of German culture, cuisine, and festivities.
Ceremonial Tapping of the Keg
Just like the mayoral custom in Germany, Fountain Hills Mayor Gerry Friedel will perform the traditional tapping of the ceremonial keg to kick off our annual Fountain Hills Oktoberfest.
This opening ceremony takes place on Friday, October 3rd, at 6:00 pm (the first day of the event).
Oktoberfest Photo Booth
Join us for authentic German fun with our festive photo booth! Capture memories with friends and family while celebrating Bavarian culture.
Traditional Bavarian Oktoberfest props
Instant digital photos sent to your email
Available throughout the festival
Photo Booth Provided by Lisa Murray
Beer Stein Holding Contest
Twelve male and female contestants will compete each evening to see who can hold a 5-pound, filled beer stein the longest. On average, women hold it for around 2-3 minutes and men around 3-5 minutes. Who will set the record? Leading up to the event, contestants can practice at the Oktoberfest Pre-Party at Bone Haus Brewing
Alphorn Blowing Contest
Folks of all ages stand in line for a chance to blow the Alphorn. Is it easy? Come try it out for yourself! A prize goes to the winner voted by the audience
Best Dressed Contests
All participants who have donned their Dirndls and Lederhosen parade proudly around the event, showing off their colorful attire. Prizes will be awarded to guests wearing the most popular outfits.
Oktoberfest Emcee
Meet our emcee extraordinaire, Joe Forte from Tempe Sister Cities – the man who can pronounce “Lederhosen” correctly after three steins of beer! With the charisma of a game show host and the enthusiasm of someone who just discovered pretzels, Joe will keep our Oktoberfest lively even when the oompah band takes a break. As a representative of Tempe Sister Cities (where “cultural exchange” sometimes means teaching Germans how to survive Arizona summers), Joe perfectly embodies our festival’s spirit – slightly malty with notes of community connection and a foam head of pure fun!
Entertainment
Die Echten Waldbuam
The band “Die Echten Waldbuam” flies in from Germany every year for our event. They entertain with the traditional Oktoberfest Volksmusik as well as a variety of contemporary tunes that gets the audience moving on the dance floor.
Martin Moser (keyboard, trumpet & vocals)
Rickie McDowell (guitar & vocals)
Thomas Kible (saxophone)
Die Liedermaause
Each evening, the local German band Die Liedermaause will open for the first hour.
The name “Die Liedermause” means “The Musical Mice,” and they bring the sounds of Bavaria, Oktoberfest, and the Alps to Arizona! You won’t find any flaming accordions or backflipping tubas here! Their goal is to bring authentic flavor and old-world sound to Oktoberfest. They perform popular polkas, marches, waltzes, Tanzlmusik, and Boarischer, as well as a few modern favorites.
Oktoberfest Kids' Zone
Families will love the free Kids’ Zone that will host endless entertainment with bounce houses and an obstacle course. Parents can relax and enjoy the festival while their kids are entertained in an enclosed event space
Additional Dates:
