Saturday afternoon in Appleton and Oktoberfest was in full, glorious chaos! Downtown was crawling with thousands in search of bratwursts, block party vibes, and the kind of people-watching that could fill its own reality show. As someone who loves local color as much as a cold beer, my mission was simple: photograph anyone willing to show off their Oktoberfest spirit—lederhosen, dirndls, hats, wigs, inflatable pretzels, and all!
The Ave was a river of energy from east to west, with every step bringing a new street food scent or laugh. There were families balancing spaghetti bread bowls, clusters of friends loudly debating which beer tent had the frothiest pour, and costumed crews ready for group selfies. If you made the gallery—great work on those outfits! If not, keep training for your 2026 encore.
Music? Everywhere! Five official stages, pop-up street bands, and drumlines, from polka in Houdini Plaza to cover bands rocking West College and Division. Non-stop entertainment and just enough volume to drown out small talk about the Packers (for a few hours anyway). Meanwhile, kids transformed the Family Fun Area into their own mini festival, racing from arts booths to bounce houses.
Octoberfest isn’t just about music and beer—it’s a mile-long showcase of what makes Appleton tick: local nonprofits staffing food stands to fundraise, artists selling everything from cheesehead crafts to woodwork, and neighbors bumping into neighbors at every crosswalk. This is the block party that brings the whole Fox Valley together.
Was it packed? Absolutely. Was it possible to get a clear shot without three people photobombing with a turkey leg? Maybe not this year, but that’s the fun. The memories—and the photos—are all part of the experience.
Turn any of the pictures here into wall art or select wall art from our gallery of artwork.
