Live bands, stein competitions and opening-day keg tapping will run alongside German beers and a Bavarian menu at the Chinatown venue.

Hofbräuhaus Melbourne’s 58th Oktoberfest will run in Chinatown from 19th September to 31st October 2026, with live music, Bavarian food and competitions across six weeks.

The opening party on Saturday, 19th September, starts with a stein-carrying competition from 2 pm, with a year of complimentary beer as the winner’s prize. A traditional keg tapping follows at 3.30 pm, when free beer will be poured.

A German Oktoberfest band will play from 6.30 pm. During the afternoon, the venue will also crown its seventh Duke or Duchess of Hofbräuhaus, who receives a $300 voucher and a Bavarian ceramic stein refilled on each visit until the next Oktoberfest.

Last year’s celebrations drew more than 16,000 patrons. Across those six weeks, the venue served 11,500 litres of beer and more than 4,600 schnitzels.

This year’s menu includes schnitzels, pork knuckle, currywurst, flammkuchen flatbread and German dumplings known as knödel, all made in-house. Oktoberfest beers imported from Germany will be available alongside the venue’s selection of 16 German beers.

Live music and dinner sessions

The Hofbräuhaus Haus Band will perform on Thursday to Sunday evenings and at Saturday lunch. A German Oktoberfest Band joins the programme on Friday and Saturday nights, with traditional German music, yodelling and Oktoberfest songs.

Evening music starts at 6.30 pm from Thursday to Sunday. Competitions run on those days too, including stein holding, yodelling and nailing challenges, with opportunities to win a year of free beer. Terms and conditions apply.

Friday and Saturday bookings have separate seating times for the restaurant and bierhall.

Restaurant dinner sessions run from 5 pm to 8 pm and from 8 pm to 1 am, both with live music and entertainment. In the bierhall, the first sitting runs from 4 pm to 7 pm without live entertainment; the second runs from 7 pm to 1 am with music and entertainment.

Saturday lunch sessions also include live music and games. Tuesday and Wednesday service continues as a Bavarian restaurant without live entertainment.

Event details

What: Hofbräuhaus Melbourne’s 58th Oktoberfest
When: Saturday, 19th September to Saturday, 31st October 2026
Where: Hofbräuhaus Melbourne, 18–28 Market Lane, Chinatown

Opening party | Saturday, 19th September

• 2pm: Stein-carrying competition
• 3.30pm: Traditional keg tapping and free beer
• 6.30pm: German Oktoberfest band

Live music: Thursday to Sunday evenings from 6.30pm, plus Saturday lunch sessions.

Closing party: Saturday, 31st October, from noon, with live music, games and entertainment.

Bookings: Book a table
Website: hofbrauhaus.com.au