Zeeco Oktoberfest Tulsa earned the No. 1 spot on USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for the best Oktoberfest in the country. It's the third straight year the Tulsa festival has claimed the top ranking.
The four-day celebration runs Thursday, Oct. 22, through Sunday, Oct. 25, at River West Festival Park, with pre-festival events beginning Wednesday, Oct. 21. The festival spans 140,000 square feet of tents, stages and attractions along the Arkansas River just south of downtown.
USA Today's 10Best said the 10 winning events were nominated by an expert panel and then voted on by readers. The awards recognized festivals for their appreciation of German culture, entertainment and selection of German beer and food.
The ranking also drew coverage from national travel publication Islands. Islands.com reported that the Tulsa festival beat out celebrations in cities like Cincinnati and Denver. The festival has been running for nearly 50 years, according to the travel publication.
Organizers advertise more than 200 taps of German and local beer across 11 themed tents hosted by breweries and sponsors. Headlining acts include Das Glockenspiel, Dorfrocker and the GAST Blaskapelle, with Ohio's Chardon Polka Band on dueling stages. Competitions include stein hoisting, beer barrel racing and the Dachshund Dash.
Friday, Oct. 23, is Zeeco Family Free Day, with free admission from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day includes a children's area called KinderPlatz with carnival rides, arts, crafts and games, according to festival organizers.
Local artist Jennifer Casey designed the official 2026 festival poster. Casey, a University of Tulsa graduate and teaching artist at Arts@302 in Broken Arrow, said in a news release quoted by the Tulsa World on Oct. 4 that food inspired her work. Her art focuses on finding beauty in the mundane, often drawing on everyday things like homemade meals and food at local restaurants. Casey said she grew up in west Tulsa and is honored to use her art to celebrate a tradition she considers a special part of the city's local identity.
Tickets and a full schedule are available at tulsaoktoberfest.org.
