FAQs

When and where is this year's festival?

We will celebrate the 11th Anniversary of the Oktoberfest Beer Festival on Saturday, October 10th 2009 from 2pm - 7pm. We are excited to announce our return to Memorial Stadium located near uptown Charlotte adjacent to Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. The Stadium is bordered by King's Drive, Armory Drive near E. Seventh St and Charlottetown Ave (formerly Independence Blvd). The sign from 74 inbound still indicates Independence Blvd.

The evnts is always rain-or-shine and cannot be rescheduled. In the event of lightning, the festival patrons will be directed under the stands for safety.

Future festival dates include:

October 2, 2010 (tentative)

Many of our beer-loving friends have told us that this is the best beer festival in the Southeast.

We truly appreciate the compliment! But the truth is, we do feel that our festival delivers the goods when it comes to an entertaining and educational beer festival experience. This year, we expect more than 100 breweries from across the Southeast and around the world to participate, serving over 350 beers right here in the heart of Charlotte, NC.

It's also important to note that we will be limiting attendance at this year's festival to 5250, a reasonable attendance number that should help ensure that you aren't waiting in line all day for beer. We want to ensure that each patron has the opportunity to actually talk to the brewers who craft these awesome beers. After all, it's the brewers who make this wonderful festival happen each year.

350 beers! That's a huge number - how much does it cost, and how many can I try?

Yes, it is a tremendous selection of beer, and we wouldn't suggest you attempt to sample all of them. Instead, we hope that you will enjoy the opportunity to be selective and try some beers you have never tasted before. Take your time and savor the diverse flavors of craft-brewed beer, including some locally made homebrewed beers! Your admission price covers all sampling, in a 5 ounce glass at a time. There's no pay-per-drink tickets to discourage you from trying unfamiliar styles. Instead we will arm you with a collectible Charlotte Oktoberfest 2009 tasting glass and an informative program to guide you. Enjoy!

Speaking of homebrewed beer, will you have homebrews for sampling at the festival?

Of course! In fact, the Carolina BrewMasters enjoy inviting our good friends from all the homebrew clubs in North and South Carolina to join us for the festival, so we should have an ample collection of homebrewed beers on hand. We think you'll be quite impressed at the quality of the beer that our local and regional brewers have crafted in their own homes. In fact, you might be convinced to try making one yourself! Just be sure to get by the homebrew booths early in the day, as these beers are often the first beers to run out!

Will there be food at the festival?

Of course! Plenty of food from a variety of vendors will be available for purchase, from snacks to full meals, for both carnivores and vegetarians. Stop by the food area, near the entrance to Memorial Stadium, to sample from a wide range of Charlotte's finest tasty treats. And if you need directions, please don't hesitate to ask one of our friendly volunteers, who will point you the way!

Where can I park my car?

Parking lots near the Stadium are managed by Charlotte Parks & Rec and charge a fee. There are a number of other parking options available near the facility. You may also consider parking in one of the many CPCC campus parking lots - a map of the lots is available here; parking costs $5 on weekends.

Suppose I don't want to drive after the festival?

Great idea - we strongly recommend all patrons to find alternatives to driving themselves home. This is a beer festival after all, and we want all of our patrons to get home safely. Check CATS Transit for routes and schedules. Taxi companies will be posted.

The special group rate for Charlotte Oktoberfest attendees at the Crowne Plaza Hotel is $84.00 plus tax. The cut-off date for that rate is October 1st, 2009. You can make reservations online with the link or call #1-800-762-1995 and let them know you are coming for Oktoberfest.

YdriveCharlotte

Call 704.525.5252
Two drivers pick you up within approximately 30 minutes
One driver takes you home in your own car
A second driver follows behind

See additional details at YdriveCharlotte

What charitable organizations have been selected for 2009?

Two charities have been selected for 2009:

The National Kidney Foundation of North Carolina

The Victory Junction Gang

Where did the charity proceeds go in 2008?

Thanks to the generous participation of our sponsors, brewers and patrons, the Carolina BrewMasters were able to donate $50,000 to two local charities in 2008: the Mid Atlantic chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and A Child's Place. With your continued support, we hope to be able to give an even larger donation in 2009!