Enjoy a delightful celebration of gemütlichkeit this summer. Held at Maier Festival Park, German Fest 2023 features the best of German culture, food, music, and sports.
Tickets are available at germanfest.com. 

Stihl Timbersports

Watch the nation’s best athletes compete in the American Family Insurance Amphitheater in this exhilarating extreme sports competition, which includes three ax and three sawing disciplines, among them Springboard, Underhand Chop, Standing Block Chop, Stock Saw and Hot Saw. 

Friday, July 28: U.S. Women’s Championship
Saturday, July 29: U.S. Men’s Championship Semi-Finals
Sunday, July 30: U.S. Men’s Championship Finals

Music & Dance

Check out these toe-tapping groups performing at four stages. Popular Austrian folk-rock group Schurzenjaeger returns to enchant audiences. Other polka and folk-inspired bands include Die Freistadt Alte Kameraden Band, Alpine Blast, MX Reboot, and Copper Box. At the Oktoberfest stage, enjoy folk dance performances from adult, youth, and children’s groups, D’Oberlander, D’Wendlstoana, and more. 

Activities

The Dachshund Derby is back for its 16th year. Watch these adorable pups compete in a race and the Wiener Dog costume contest.

Learn how to play the card game Schafkopf (Sheepshead), which originated in Middle Europe in the mid-to-late 1700s. Classes, taught by Tim Wachter, will be held in the Cultural Pavilion at 4 and 5pm Friday; 1, 3, and 5pm Saturday; and 1 and 3pm Sunday.

Family-Friendly Fun

Bring the kids to Glockenspiel Park near the BMO Harris Pavilion for the famous Glockenspiel Show. Performances take place at 4, 6 and 8pm
Friday; 2, 6 and 8pm Saturday; and 2, 4 and 6pm Sunday.

Or create make-and-take arts and crafts or design a one-of-a-kind German Fest T-shirt in the Children’s Activities Area. 

Hours of the festival 

Fri. 3pm-midnight
Sat. Noon-midnight 
Sun. Noon-7pm 

Admission 

$30/3-Day Admission
$15/Advanced Tickets
$18/general admission
$7/Seniors (60+)
$7/Students (with current school ID). 
Children 12 & under are free when accompanied by an adult. 

Promos

Fridays
• $5 admission for everyone, all day
• Free for active military and their immediate family
• Free admission for all Disabled/Physically Challenged with one escort, 3-6pm

Sunday
Free admission noon-3pm at south gate with one jar of peanut butter to support the Hunger Task Force. 

Food & Drink

Whet your appetite with hearty German-inspired cuisine and snacks such as rollbraten and sauerkraut, bratwurst, pretzels, and frankfurters, or indulge in kuchen, strudel or other sweet treats. 

2023 marks the 10-year anniversary of Milwaukee Pretzel being named as the Fest’s official pretzel. 

German Fest wouldn’t be complete without a wide beer selection that includes Sprecher, Lakefront Brewery, Molson-Coors and imported beers. Try a taste of Jaegermeister, an anise-flavored liqueur and the official spirit of German Fest, or imbibe wine samples, cocktails and spritzers at a wine tasting presented by longtime sponsor Wein-Bauer.

Culture

Visit the Cultural Pavilion’s fascinating displays, including a history and genealogy exhibit, a European railroading exhibit, and a German Fest history display. Purchase postcards, flags, and other memorabilia at the Treasure Nook.

Don’t miss the featured exhibit, “Cities Built by the Romans,” which explores the ancient Roman roots of cities including the Rhine and Danube Rivers. “Everything we know about early German history we learned from Roman historians. 

As they (the Romans) conquered land along the Rhein River and up to the Danube River, they founded many cities like Trier, Regensburg, Cologne, and Bonn,” explained Deb Wolf, director of marketing for German Fest. “The Cultural Village invites you to explore the areas the Romans conquered and where/why they were stopped.”