Oktoberfest Southlake 2026: What Has Changed for Year 25

The East Garage at 1451 Federal Way and the West Garage at 351 State Street will carry most of the load next weekend. That's because the festival FAQ is direct about shuttles: "No, there will be no shuttle service available this year," and it suggests rideshare instead. Oktoberfest Southlake runs October 16 through 18, 2026, at Southlake Town Square. Admission and parking are free, and the organizer is billing it as the 25th anniversary.

The anniversary number gets the most attention, but it tells you the least. The changes that shape the weekend for anyone who lives a few minutes from Grand Avenue happened more quietly. The festival moved to a later weekend. The city committed to it for five years. The shuttle went away. And the square it fills now has places that weren't there last October.

The Number on the Banner Counts Years, Not Festivals

The Southlake Chamber of Commerce has hosted the festival for as long as the coverage goes back. No source gives a founding year in plain words. In 2017, though, the City of Southlake called that year's event "back for its 16th year," which puts the start around 2002. Every ordinal used since then fits that start year when you count calendar years:

The 2020 row explains the gap. Community Impact's 2021 coverage reported that the 2020 festival was canceled. The numbering didn't pause for it. So "25 years" is accurate as a span of calendar years. The festival itself has been held at least one fewer time than that. The organizer's own wording, "Celebrating 25 Years," is the right way to read it.

The Weekend Moved, and That Changed the Lineup

Older calendars may still show Oktoberfest on the first weekend of October. In 2021, event chair Ian MacLean told Community Impact the festival had moved from those early dates to the third weekend of the month. He said the later slot made room for more bands, musicians and food vendors. This year follows that pattern. October 16 through 18 is the third full weekend of October 2026.

The later date also pushed the festival closer to the next big event on Town Square's calendar. That timing matters further down.

A Permit That Runs Through 2029

A festival this size in a privately operated retail district runs on a special use permit from the city. In 2024, the Southlake City Council approved a five-year extension, so the Chamber's Oktoberfest will continue at Town Square through at least 2029. According to Community Impact's report on the vote, the council voted on the extension May 7, ahead of the permit's June 4 renewal date.

The same report gives the most specific crowd figure on record. City documents counted more than 50,000 attendees over the three days in 2023. In 2021, organizers had said they expected about 100,000. Those two figures come from different sources, using different methods, two years apart, so they don't add up to a trend. What they do show is that tens of thousands of people come to a few blocks of Southlake Boulevard and State Street over one weekend.

Getting There Without the Church Lot

For years, part of the plan for getting there was a lot a few miles away. In 2017, the city announced extra parking and a continuous shuttle from White's Chapel United Methodist Church. Community Impact described the same shuttle setup in 2021. The current FAQ says there will be no shuttle this year. So arrival comes down to three options:

1. The East Garage, 1451 Federal Way. Free. Closest to the east side of the square.
2. The West Garage, 351 State Street. Free. Closest to the State Street side.
3. Rideshare. This is what the organizer recommends.

No 2026 street-closure notice was available at publication. The festival's official channels are the place to check for one during the week.

The Weekend, Hour by Hour

Gates and hours, per the organizer: Friday 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday noon to 7 p.m. The site lists three stages but hadn't published stage names in text form when we checked.

Friday, October 16

• 7:30 to 8:45 p.m.: Ashmore
• 9:30 to 10:45 p.m.: Back in Black, the AC/DC tribute band and one of the two headliners
• Evening: stein hoisting contest

Saturday, October 17

• 9:30 a.m.: Wiener dog costume contest
• 10 a.m.: Wiener dog races
• 7:15 to 8:30 p.m.: Texas Flood
• 9:15 to 10:45 p.m.: Larger Than Life, the second headliner
• Evening: stein hoisting contest

Sunday, October 18

• Noon to 7 p.m.: the earliest close of the weekend

Stein hoisting start times weren't listed in the page text. The Chamber's wiener dog race page still shows 2025 details, so last year's entry fee isn't a reliable guide for this year.

The food list mixes long-running festival vendors with the Bavarian staples the organizer promotes, including bratwurst, pretzels, schnitzel, craft beer and nonalcoholic options. Vendors named on the organizer's list include Brathaus, Corn Dog With No Name, Crepe Crazy, Fajita Pita, FeedStore BBQ, Gino's Smokehouse, Granny Dee's Pierogi and Helga's Strudel. There's also a children's area with games and face painting, plus arts and crafts booths from local artisans. Community Impact has described the festival as dog-friendly.

The Square Around the Tents Is Different This Year

Without a shuttle, more of the crowd will walk in from the garages, past storefronts that have changed since the 2025 festival. Several opened between August and October:

• Reformation, 213 Grand Ave. E., opened August 11.
• Game Show Studio, inside Red Door Escape Room at 280 Commerce St., Ste. 285, opened September 12.
• Hudson House, 1131 E. Southlake Blvd. in Park Village, was open as of September 14.
• Ascension Coffee, 100 State St., Ste. C1, was scheduled to open today, October 9, with a grand opening celebration on October 23.
• New York Butcher Shoppe, 2001 W. Southlake Blvd., Ste. 149, announced a September 18 opening and a September 28 grand opening, according to Community Impact. It's on the west end of the boulevard, away from the festival footprint.

Ascension's timeline moved several times. A December 2025 report said spring 2026. A later one said August. By mid-August, Community Impact was reporting mid-October. If it opens on the latest schedule, the café will have been open about a week when the festival starts, and its grand opening will land five days after the festival ends. Community Impact's October 8 report is the most current source on those dates.

On Running, planned for 415 Grand Ave. E., was described in May reporting as opening in the second half of 2026. We couldn't confirm whether it is open yet.

A Month and a Few Days to the Tree

The third-weekend move puts Oktoberfest just over a month before the square's next free evening event. Home for the Holidays, Christmastime in Southlake, is set for Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 1400 E. Southlake Blvd. Visit Southlake lists the Christmas tree lighting, photos with Santa, a three-lane snow hill and performances by local school groups. It also notes the event is held every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Both the East and West garages are free that night too.

That leaves October 18 to November 21. The two biggest free gatherings on Town Square fall 34 days apart, and they use the same two garages.

Living close to Town Square shapes weekends like this one, both what's easy to reach and what traffic looks like. If you're thinking about how far from the square you'd like to be, or you're planning a sale around the busiest weeks on the Southlake calendar, The Ultimate Real Estate Group can talk through the timing with you. Sherri Murphy-Bort is here when you're ready. Let's Connect.