This year’s extra-big Oktoberfest could be the region’s biggest yet

This might be the busiest, biggest weekend Cincinnati has had in a long time.  

Cincinnati’s Oktoberfest is the nation’s largest, drawing more than 700,000 visitors per year to the Queen City for beer, pretzels and sausage. This year, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati has added an extra day of drinking and celebration, kicking off Thursday at the main stage on Fifth Street with a 4 p.m. opening ceremony.  

The beloved Running of the Wieners—where dachshunds dressed in hot dog costumes race to the finish—will take place Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; the festival’s full calendar, including a Bengals pep rally and watch party on Sunday afternoon, can be found on Oktoberfest Zinzinnati’s website. 

Zinzinnatians are always happy to partake in the Oktoberfest festivities, celebrating Cincinnati’s German American heritage. But the massive festival can also disrupt locals’ regular routine. Be prepared to navigate traffic and street closures throughout the area all week long. The city announced the following street closures, taking effect Tuesday morning at the following locations downtown: 

• Fifth Street- closed between Walnut Street and Columbia Parkway 
• Columbia Parkway- closed between Downtown and the Sixth Street ramp 
• Sycamore Street- closed between Sixth Street and Fourth Street (access maintained to garages) 
• Broadway- closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street 

• Broadway- converted to a temporary 2-way traffic pattern between Seventh Street and Sixth Street 
• Sentinel Street- closed 
• Lawrence Street- closed 
• Main Street- closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street to vehicular traffic during event hours 

Festivities will continue through Sunday, with streets reopening Monday, Sept. 18 at 5 a.m. 

Cincinnati can expect an extra visitation bump from the return of the Homecoming music festival—curated by hometown band The National—which will coincide with this year’s Oktoberfest.  

The inaugural Homecoming in 2018 brought an estimated 16,000 fans to the riverfront, and the much-anticipated second iteration of the festival in 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic.  

Now, the festival will make its long-awaited return Sept. 15-16 with two days of performances at Smale Riverfront Park—just minutes from the center of the Oktoberfest festivities. The lineup includes performances from Patti Smith, Pavement and Weyes Blood, with each day capped with a two-hour set from The National.