11 days of German food, music and fun at Glendale Heights Oktoberfest

  • Enjoy dancing and music at this year's Glendale Heights Oktoberfest. The 11-day festival opens Thursday, Sept. 14, under the spacious tent set up in Camera Park.

    Enjoy dancing and music at this year's Glendale Heights Oktoberfest. The 11-day festival opens Thursday, Sept. 14, under the spacious tent set up in Camera Park. Courtesy of Glendale Heights Oktoberfest

 
 
Updated 9/12/2023 8:53 PM

Enjoy a variety of German beers, food and music during the 11-day Glendale Heights Oktoberfest, opening Thursday, Sept. 14.

Experience live entertainment every day including strolling German "Oompah" entertainers under a tent. To round out the Glendale Heights Oktoberfest experience, there will be vendors with German products, souvenirs, hats, steins, and more.

 
Legrúti, the Czech wind ensemble who are coming to Chicago to perform at the 84th Moravian Day in Lemont, also will be performing at this year's Glendale Heights Oktoberfest.
Legrúti, the Czech wind ensemble who are coming to Chicago to perform at the 84th Moravian Day in Lemont, also will be performing at this year's Glendale Heights Oktoberfest. - Courtesy of Glendale Heights Oktoberfest

The 11th annual festival continues to Sunday, Sept. 24, under a spacious tent at Camera Park, 101 E. Fullerton Ave. in Glendale Heights. It will be held rain or shine.

Festival hours will be 5 to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, noon to midnight Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Admission after 5 p.m. is $5 or free for youth, age 16 or younger. Parking is free.

Polka band Eddie Korosa Jr. and The Boys from Illinois will once again open the festival at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14. They will be returning at 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 20-21, and 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23.

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The Elmhurst University Jazz Band returns to the festival with its Friday night shows from 5-10 p.m. Sept. 15 and 6-7:30 p.m. Sept. 22.

The German-American band Paloma will be returning to this year's Glendale Heights Oktoberfest for four performances.
The German-American band Paloma will be returning to this year's Glendale Heights Oktoberfest for four performances. - Courtesy of Glendale Heights Oktoberfest

Paloma will be bringing their classic German songs, new German hits, oldies, country and classic standards to the festival for four performances: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15; 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17; 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23-24.

On Saturday, Sept. 16, Amazing Mike, a multi-instrumentalist, singer and entertainer featuring a wide repertoire of songs from old to new, will be performing from noon to 4:30 p.m. It will be followed by Die Musikmeisters German Band from 5 to 10 p.m.

On Sundays, Sept. 17 and 24, the Illinois Brass Band will open the day's festivities with music at 12:30 p.m.

The German folk/pop band Alpine Thunder will be performing at 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 18-19.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
 

The United Moravian Societies are hosting a performance by the Czech band Legrúti performing Moravian and Czech music from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22.

Euro Express will be playing German-American heritage music, including Bavarian music, from 3-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24.

Multi-instrumentalist and entertainer Amazing Mike will be taking the stage at this year's Glendale Heights Oktoberfest.
Multi-instrumentalist and entertainer Amazing Mike will be taking the stage at this year's Glendale Heights Oktoberfest. - Courtesy of Glendale Heights Oktoberfest

What's an Oktoberfest without authentic German beer? Enjoy a refreshing German beer from the selection of beers. Be sure to taste the Allgäuer Büble Festbier, this year's specialty beer and a sponsor of the Glendale Heights Oktoberfest.

The menu includes Schnitzel sandwich with grilled onions; German bratwurst and roll; roasted half-chicken; or a foot-long Frankfurter Würstchen with roll. These combos include a choice of one side: bread dumpling with gravy, German potato salad, roasted potatoes, or sauerkraut.

There also will be large German pretzels with a cheese sauce, and pork shank with sauerkraut and bread dumpling.

The children's menu features a hot dog or chicken nuggets, with chips, beverage and a treat.

For information, visitglendaleheightsoktoberfest.com or facebook.com/GlendaleHeightsOktoberfest.