Oktoberfest taps into D.C.

Americans are proud of their beer. We name baseball stadiums and theme parks after beer companies, our children know what Budweiser is before they learn how to write their names, and we have made a tradition of cracking open a beer while watching—well, while watching anything. But while Americans are guzzling Bud Light and watching NFL games this Sunday, they’ll be missing out on the greatest beer tradition this world has to offer: Oktoberfest.
Unless you’re lucky enough to be studying abroad in Germany, chances are you won’t be able to make it to the Bavarian beer bash that begins at the end of September and continues through the first weekend in October. But the good news is that D.C.’s bar scene stages its own kind of local celebration, so get your lederhosen on, pull your socks up, and get your arsch over to a nearby imitation Oktoberfest. (Sorry people born after 1990, but you’ll have to make due with a Beerfest marathon.)
Through October Biergarten Haus on H Street, the local mecca of German beer, will have imported beer on tap, oompa bands on Friday and Saturday nights, and an atmosphere that is undoubtedly the best D.C. has to offer for the occasion. A restaurant that is decorated like a 19th century beer hall and prides itself on celebrating Oktoberfest year round will not be taking this occasion lightly. So if you’re searching for the real St. Pauli Girl, want to practice your German, or are just in the mood to drink away the pain of your recent eviction notice, Biergarten Haus is a great option.
Oktoberfest is known for its food as well as beer, so a nice stroll up Wisconsin Avenue for a meal at Old Europe may be a healthier alternative to straight-up binge drinking. That is, until you get there. This D.C. establishment has been serving traditional German food for decades, and through the end of October, they’ll have polka bands performing Wednesday nights and live piano music Saturday and Sunday nights. Your voice may be tested if the restaurant breaks out in song, so start practicing.
But maybe food and beer isn’t enough—you still wish you were in Germany right now, drunkenly picnicking with millions of thirsty Europeans. Fret not, because on Friday, October 8 you’ll have the chance to stomp your feet to some German tunes at the Goethe Institute, right by the Gallery Place Metro stop. For $45 (a steep price, but not as steep as trans-Atlantic airfare) you get access to an open bar, pretzels, traditional and contemporary German music, and a German film.
With a jam-packed Oktoberfest lineup in D.C., Georgetown students can show their true international stripes and connect with their inner Schweinsteiger. Just one word of caution: when you get back from an Oktoberfest party, don’t let your inebriated friends buy any airplane tickets online. You have to book your hotel for the Munich Oktoberfest months in advance, and if you’ve seen Hostel, you should know never to ask German locals for a place to stay.