Backyard Oktoberfest Party

Set out long tables and create a beer garden in your backyard. String twinkle lights overhead, hang wreaths and streamers, with lots and lots of color. Stock up on your favorite beers and schnitznel and sip from beer steins. Keep it casual with a keg, coolers of soft drinks, bottled beer, and a picnic table laden with potluck offerings of salads and side dishes. Set another table covered with buns and condiments, and a grill full of sausage and you are ready to go. Invite from zazzle.com.

To get started, simply buy an absurd amount of sausages and beer. Ask guests to bring any sides salads, or desserts. Keep appetizers simple, a bowl of pretzels is both authentic and easy. Or set out a cheese plate with three to five cheeses from the region. Create a self-serve brat bar with a few toppings such as relish and sauerkraut along with a variety of mustards such as German, hot, sweet, and yellow. Munich-produced bottled beer like Hacker-Pschorr-Bräu, Löwenbräu, and Spatenbräu in kegs or bottles. Later, use the empty German beer bottles to line the tables as a part of your decorations. 

The competition is fierce at Oktoberfest between all the chugging, bratwurst eating and yodeling. Arrange a designated game area for beer stein races, beer barrel roll races or even beer barrel bowling. And don’t forget prizes for the winners, such as Oktoberfest beads or a six pack of Oktoberfest brews.  Celebrate with beer boots, beer steins, Oktoberfest party decorations and German costumes from oktoberfesthaus.com.