(from the Dayton Art Institute)

The 40th Oktoberfest takes place Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25. Presented by MillerCoors, this community event includes a dazzling array of artisans, unique foods, ample domestic, international and craft beers, kid-friendly art activities, live music on two stages, delicious international wines and much more!

Highlights of this year’s Oktoberfest include a fully covered Main Stage viewing area, an expanded Craft Beer tent with four big-screen TVs for all the weekend football action, a special craft beer cask tapping on Saturday, and the 3rd Annual Oktoberfest Home Brew Beer Contest. The MeadWestvaco FamilyFest provides free art activities and games for the kids, from noon – 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Kids may also sign up for the free ProLiance Energy Museum Kids Club at Oktoberfest.

The weekend kicks off on Friday, September 23, with the annualOktoberfest Preview Party, sponsored by Steve R. Rauch Inc., from 7 – 11 p.m. The Preview Party features great international food from 30 vendors, a special craft beer cask tapping, complimentary domestic beer, German beer, wine, and soft drinks, live music by Velvet Crush, and pumpkin carving by Arctic Diamond Ice Sculpture. Preview Party guests also have the first opportunity to purchase hand-crafted wares from 65 local and national artisans. The museum galleries will be open to Preview Party guests from 7 – 10 p.m.

Space is limited for the Preview Party and advance purchase of tickets is recommended. Advance tickets are $45 for museum members and $60 for non-members. All Preview Party tickets purchased at the gate are $80. Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.daytonartinstitute.org/oktoberfest, at the museum’s Visitor Services Desk during regular museum hours, or by calling 937-512-0136.

As part of the Oktoberfest 40th anniversary celebration, The Dayton Art Institute will post photos from past Oktoberfest celebrations on its website and Facebook page. The community is also invited to share its Oktoberfest memories on both the museum’s website and Facebook page.

Getting to and from Oktoberfest is a snap. Free parking and shuttle services are available on September 24 and 25. Park at Imperial Packaging Corp. on Edwin C. Moses Blvd. (one mile east of UD Arena) and take the free shuttle to and from Oktoberfest. Visitors may also park downtown and take the free RTA Oktoberfest shuttle from stops along Main Street, Second Street and Fifth Street in the Oregon District.

Oktoberfest hours are noon – 11 p.m. on Saturday, September 24, and noon – 7 p.m. on Sunday, September 25. The museum’s galleries will be open noon – 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Advance tickets for Oktoberfest are $5 for adults and seniors, and $3 for students (ages 7-18). Tickets purchased at the gate are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $4 for students. Children 6 and under are admitted free.

Oktoberfest advance tickets may be purchased online at www.daytonartinstitute.org/oktoberfest, at the museum’s Visitor Services Desk during regular museum hours, or by calling 937-512-0136. Advance tickets may also be purchased at Arrow Wine & Spirits, Bee Gee’s Mini Mart, Boston Stoker (2nd Street location in downtown Dayton), Culinary Company, Cuvee Wine Bar & Cellar, Dorothy Lane Markets, Dublin Pub, Logos @ Work, and Voltzy’s Root Beer Stand.

The Dayton Art Institute’s Oktoberfest receives support from Presenting Sponsor MillerCoors, Preview Party Sponsor Steve R. Rauch Inc., FamilyFest Sponsor MeadWestvaco, Supporting Sponsors Jeff Schmitt Autogroup, Liberty Savings Bank and Coca-Cola Bottling Co., and Patron Sponsors Arrow Wine & Spirits, Cavalier Distributing and Time Warner Cable, with Additional Support from ABC 22/FOX 45 Dayton’s News Source, Clear Channel Radio, DaytonMostMetro.com, Dayton City Paper, Grandview Hospital and Imperial Packaging Corp.

The Dayton Art Institute’s Associate Board, a group of dedicated museum volunteers, organizes the annual Oktoberfest as a fundraiser to support the museum. More than 2,000 additional volunteers help with the massive task of putting on the event. Over the years, the Associate Board has raised more than $4.5 million through Oktoberfest. Since its inception in 1972, the annual festival has drawn more 850,000 people. All proceeds from the event benefit The Dayton Art Institute.

For more about Oktoberfest, visit www.daytonartinstitute.org/oktoberfest or call the museum at 937-223-5277. Join the Oktoberfest celebration on Facebook (facebook.com/daytonartinstitute) and Twitter (twitter.com/daytonart) for additional information, updates and exclusive offers. On Twitter, search for the hashtag #OktoberfestDayton to find the latest Oktoberfest information.

Win Free Tickets!

We’re giving away multiple pairs of free tickets to the 40th Oktoberfest (a $10 value)!  All you have to do is fill out the form below – we’ll draw winners on Wednesday September 21.  To double your chances of winning, go to our Facebook Page and click the share link under the post of this article and leave a comment about your first Oktoberfest experience.  Share on your Facebook wall and we’ll add your name twice to the drawing…. Good Luck!

CONTEST CLOSED

We had 111 entries – Congratulations to our winners!

Maureen O’Rourke

Shaun Nicholas

Aimee Richardson

George Shaw

David Lauri

Tracy McElfresh

Jeremy Boyer

Kelly Weiler