Brauhaus Schmitz Oktoberfest 2026 spans two weekends and two very different kinds of party, arriving a few months after the bar’s spring Maifest block party on the same stretch of South Street. The South Street institution is bringing back its 18th annual South Street Oktoberfest on Saturday, September 26th, then following it two weeks later with the 8th Annual 23rd Street Armory Oktoberfest on October 9th and 10th.

The two events couldn’t be more different in format. South Street is free, all-ages, and dog-friendly, spread across the 700 block in a single afternoon-to-evening session. The Armory version is a ticketed, 21-and-up affair spread across three separate sessions over two nights, built to feel like an actual Munich festival tent rather than a street party.

South Street also isn’t the only Oktoberfest on the calendar that Saturday — Love City Brewing’s Manayunk location is running its own first-ever Oktoberfest the same afternoon, giving Philadelphia three separate ways to celebrate within a two-week span.

Brauhaus Schmitz Oktoberfest 2026: South Street Returns September 26

South Street Brauhaus Schmitz Oktoberfest 2026 runs noon to 8 p.m. on September 26th, centered on a biergarten seating 1,000 people in front of Brauhaus Schmitz. Expect close to a dozen German beers on draught, live oom-pah music from Die Heimatklänge, German dance performances from United German Hungarians, face painting, outdoor games, and the annual Liter Lift competition.

Entry and pay-as-you-go food and drink are free; a $125 VIP package adds Brauer Bund Bierhall access, a buffet, seven beer tokens, a souvenir liter mug, and a new annual t-shirt design, though it’s limited and sells out in advance. “As the song says, meet me on South Street,” said Brauhaus Schmitz owner Doug Hager.

Brauhaus Schmitz Oktoberfest 2026: 23rd Street Armory in October

The 23rd Street Armory Brauhaus Schmitz Oktoberfest 2026 returns for an 8th year on October 9th and 10th, transforming the West Center City armory into a blue-and-white festival tent with German-imported tables and benches. Attendance across the three sessions caps at 4,000, with Hofbräu poured in liter mass glasses alongside bratwurst, roast chicken, pig roast, and a running supply of pretzels.

Tickets are session-based: Friday night general admission runs $35, Saturday’s afternoon session $45, and Saturday night $40, with VIP tiers between $75 and $85 adding early entry, reserved seating, two liters of beer, and table service. Full pricing and tickets for both events are listed on the Brauhaus Schmitz website.

Running the city’s biggest free block party and one of its most tightly controlled ticketed tents two weeks apart is the real story here: Brauhaus Schmitz is wagering that Philadelphia shows up for both ends of the Oktoberfest spectrum, not just one.

Images: HughE Dillon and Brauhaus Schmitz

About Post Author

Allan Lane

Philadelphia born and bred, Allan Lane is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of digital magazines. He launched his first publication, SportBikes Inc Magazine in 2010, followed by dosage MAGAZINE in 2019. Recently, Allan launched his third online publication, Club For Man. As a journalist, Allan covers fashion, lifestyle, culture, art, and motorcycles.

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