How to Celebrate Oktoberfest at Home

One of the best parts about early fall is the start of Oktoberfest celebrations. Oktoberfest, which usually starts in mid-September, is a large celebration held in Munich, Germany. Not everyone is able to travel all the way to Germany, but, luckily, restaurants and bars all around the world host Oktoberfest events. If you’re still iffy about attending public gatherings, then you can celebrate Oktoberfest in the comfort of your own home with close family and friends.

Food and Drink

Perhaps the most important part of Oktoberfest is the food and drinks — especially the traditional Bavarian recipes. You could make roasted chicken or pork (or both), as well as potato pancakes, schnitzel, sausage, red cabbage and spätzle. For dessert, may we recommend some amazing apple strudel?

Then there’s the beer. The obvious choice, of course, is Oktoberfest beer, a dark and smooth malt beer. There are tons of German beers, and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. Most supermarkets and liquor stores will carry the types of beer you’ll want, including Hofbräu, Weiss and Paulaner. 

Activities

Oktoberfest mostly consists of indulging in great food and drinks, but there are also activities and games you can set up to keep the night going. One popular activity is a beer-stein-holding contest. Fill a one-liter stein with water — don’t waste your beer — and see who can hold it up the longest. 

Another Oktoberfest activity is simply dancing to German polka music. Everyone may not know exactly how to do the dances, but a simple search on YouTube can provide a good tutorial. Encourage your guests to dress in traditional Oktoberfest outfits: dirndl dresses for the ladies and lederhosen for the guys. 

Here’s a list of products you may want to buy to throw a perfect Oktoberfest celebration at home. Be sure to use Rakuten to earn some Cash Back as well!

Libbey Craft Brew Lager Stein

You could drink your beer from the bottles it comes in, but it’s much more in the Oktoberfest spirit to drink it from steins. These large craft brew steins from Libbey can hold 22 ounces, which is roughly equivalent to two bottles. Now you can hear the clink of glasses hitting each other as your guests cheers one another throughout the night.

Libbey Craft Brew Stein
from Bed Bath & Beyond
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Dailyware White Wine Glasses

Dailyware Wine Glasses
from Bed Bath & Beyond
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Blue-and-White Argyle Plastic Tablecloth Roll

It’s quite easy to capture the atmosphere of an Oktoberfest celebration by simply covering your table with a traditional blue-and-white argyle design. This tablecloth is large enough to cover most tables. They’re also incredibly affordable, so you can get multiple ones for all the tables and counters you have. 

Blue-and-White Argyle Tablecloth
from Target
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Chefman TurboFry Digital Air Fryer

Everyone loves fried food, but no one wants to deal with the mess and stress of frying. Air fryers are the best gadget for your kitchen, and they’re perfect for many Oktoberfest dishes. Chicken and pork schnitzel are favorite dishes among Oktoberfest guests, and they’re easier than ever to make thanks to air fryers. This Chefman air fryer is particularly convenient thanks to its digital temperature setting.

Chefman Air Fryer
from Target
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Food Network 7-Quart Enameled Cast-Iron Dutch Oven

If you’re not up for fried food, then consider cooking some of the best Bavarian dishes in a cast-iron Dutch oven. Dutch ovens are simple, but they always get the job done. This massive Dutch oven from Food Network has 7 quarts of space and an enameled interior that makes for easy cleaning.

Food Network Dutch Oven
from Kohl’s
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Now you have some Oktoberfest party ideas and a list of items that will help you prepare for the occasion. All the items above are found at stores that offer Cash Back with Rakuten. Throwing an Oktoberfest celebration doesn’t have to be expensive — especially when you’re earning some Cash Back.