Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfest
60,000 people are expected to flow through the streets of downtown Canonsburg over three days on September 17 to 19, 2021, as the Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfest returns with beer, music, food and crafts.
The Oktoberfest regularly appears on nationally-ranked lists of American Oktoberfests. Along with a traditional Bavarian feel, the event adds “that extra fun twist that only Canonsburg can provide,” the Greater Canonsburg Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event, wrote on the their website.
West Pike will be closed for the event, which opens Friday afternoon at 4:00 with fireworks after dark.
Authentic German music will be performed on the Slovenian Savings & Loan Stage:
| Day | Time | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Friday | 4:00 to 7:00 PM | SNPJ Button Box |
| 7:30 to 10: 00 PM | Mon Valley Push | |
| Saturday | Noon to 3:00 PM | Auto Bahn |
| 3:00 to 10:00 PM | Unnecessary Polka | |
| Sunday | Noon to 4:00 PM | The Barons |
Rock, blues, country & pop music will be performed by regional bands on the Washington Financial Bank Stage:
| Day | Time | Performer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | 4:00 to 6:00 PM | The Marks Brothers | |
| 6:30 to 8: 00 PM | Marcus Tyler Band | # Classic rock | |
| 8:30 to 11: 00 PM | Ruff Creek | # Country | |
| Saturday | Noon to 1:30 PM | Ashley Mullens | |
| 2:00 to 3:00 PM | Baranti/Caskey | ||
| 3:30 to 7:00 PM | Baranti Band | # Blues Rock | |
| 7:30 to 11:00 PM | House Of Soul | # Funky | |
| Sunday | Noon to 2:30 PM | Bill Ali Band | # Blues |
| 3:00 to 5:00 PM | Shady Mugs | # Southern & Classic Rock |
Twenty food booths will serve up German, other ethnic and American food. The event will feature up to 80 craft vendors. It’s a family-oriented event with amusement rides, games for children, a kid’s craft area and rides.
Run a 5K the same weekend. The Greater Canonsburg Chamber 5K Bunny Run takes place on Saturday, September 18 at 9:30 AM. The starting point is Canonsburg Hospital. The race ends at the Oktoberfest “right in front of a beer wagon!” the Oktoberfest wrote on Facebook.
What’s an Oktoberfest without beer? Along with German beer, a hometown brewery, Rusty Gold Brewing, custom-crafted a beer that will be tapped for the event.
“Masks are optional at the festival unless some type of mandate is issued,” Oktoberfest organizers posted to Facebook. Except for schools, no statewide requirement to wear masks exists, according to the PA Department of Health. The Oktoberfest asks people to respect each other’s decisions to wear or not wear a mask at the festival.
The Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfest is open for three days:
- Friday from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Saturday Noon‑11:00 PM
- Sunday Noon‑5:00 PM
Admission is free.
Drive to the Oktoberfest, or enjoy the festival for several hours Saturday afternoon by taking the bus from Washington. Freedom Transit’s Saturday Metro Commuter bus leaves the Transit Center on East Chestnut Street at 12:15 PM on Saturday and arrives at Canonsburg at 1:00. The stop lets people off at West Pike and Greenside Avenue. People will have to be back at the bus stop before 4:55 PM for their return trip, allowing almost four hours of revelry. They’ll be back in Washington shortly before 6:00. The price of the trip is $1.50 in each direction.
Canonsburg will be busting at the seams as up to 60,000 people turn out to enjoy beer, bratwurst, pretzels and other food, music, craft vendors, a 5K run and a kids area in a family-oriented Oktoberfest that is consistently one of the largest events in Washington County.
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