Oktoberfest 5K and Beer Festival Coming to Tuscaloosa to Benefit American Cancer Society
Lace up your running shoes, dust off your steins and get ready for the Tuscaloosa Oktoberfest 5K and beer festival to return to the Druid City later this year.
Presented by Visit Tuscaloosa and Mercedes Benz U.S. International, the event will feature a 5K run to benefit the American Cancer Society and a German-themed festival with food, drinks, music and more to match the theme.
The all-day affair will kick off at 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 28th - a bye week for Alabama football - with the 5K race presented by MBUSI.
Registration is already open, and the early-bird price of $45 will buy runners entry into the 5K, a race T-shirt, a commemorative beer stein and admission into the festival later that day with a voucher for a one free beer for any participant who is 21 or older.
The fun continues at the Oktoberfest proper, presented by Visit Tuscaloosa, which will run from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. that Saturday at Druid City Social on Greensboro Avenue just past Temerson Square.
Programming kicks off with the traditional tapping of the keg and also featured a dachshund race presented by the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter, a stein-holding contest and tons of live music, including a performance by German band Oompah-Calypse.
“Visit Tuscaloosa is thrilled to host Tuscaloosa Oktoberfest alongside Mercedes-Benz U.S. International and their 5k race,” said Kelsey Rush, Visit Tuscaloosa president and CEO. “We understand our community desires more events, and given the connection to Mercedes as well as our Sister City in Schorndorf, Germany, we feel confident this can become an annual festival our community looks forward to each year.”
Select tastes of Germany will also be on-site, with multiple craft breweries offering a diverse selection of beers to purchase and other vendors offering German cuisine including pretzels, desserts and more.
General admission tickets for Oktoberfest are $10, include a special edition commemorative stein, and will be available beginning Sept. 1 at TuscaloosaOktoberfest.com. Children 12 and under get in free.
VIP tickets also will be for sale for $75, featuring a package that includes food, access to indoor restrooms and TVs broadcasting college football, special seating for the dachshund race and three beer tickets. Two hundred VIP tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Special partner recognition is given to Gro Marketing and Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa.
For more on the event as it draws closer, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread and follow Visit Tuscaloosa on social media.
Businesses or organizations interested in partnering may send inquiries to info@visittuscaloosa.com or call 205-391-9200.