St. Mary's Oktoberfest Invites Community to Weekend German-Themed Festival
Live bands, free beer, games, inflatables and more will fill the weekend at St. Mary's.
ALTON - St. Mary’s will once again host their annual Oktoberfest.
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From Oct. 10–12, 2025, community members can stop by St. Mary’s Church in downtown Alton for three days of fun and community, featuring inflatables, games, live music, auctions, a 5K, bingo, free beer and more. The event serves as a fundraiser for St. Mary’s Church and school while bringing people together for a fun weekend.
“We want everyone to feel like you’re part of the family,” said Ryan Downey, Oktoberfest chairperson. “We’re excited to have people show up and experience what we have to offer.”
The fun starts on Friday night, Oct. 10, with a 5K or one-mile fun run at 6 p.m. DJ Dave will provide 5K entertainment, followed by the Glendale Riders from 7–11 p.m. on the main stage. The festival opens at 3 p.m. with games, inflatables, food, drinks and more.
On Saturday, Oct. 11, grounds open at 1 p.m. with a keg-tapping on the main stage. Downey noted that the keg-tapping is always a fun tradition and, just like they do in Germany, everyone gets a free taste.
“You’ve never seen how fast people can run for free beer,” he joked. “It’s traditional in Germany, so we uphold the tradition that the first keg that’s tapped runs free. Folks will line up right before 1 o’clock, and then everyone will get a little sample of the beer that is served in Munich, Germany.”
St. Louis Express takes the main stage from 1–4 p.m. while the Dixie Dudes play on the festival stage from 2–5 p.m. Lady Luck rounds out the evening on the main stage from 7–11 p.m., and DJ Dave will keep the festival stage pumping with karaoke from 7–10 p.m.
On Sunday, Oct. 12, Big Shake Daddies will play on the festival stage from 12:30–4 p.m. while St. Louis Express takes the main stage from 12:30–4 p.m. Behavior Intervention ends the weekend on the main stage from 5–8 p.m.
While the bands play, the games, inflatables, food, drinks and adult gaming will be fun for all ages. A silent auction will open online at 6 p.m. on Oct. 10 and run until 4 p.m. on Oct. 12. The basket raffle is in-person and starts at 1 p.m. on Oct. 11; the raffle ends at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12. Bingo, a new addition this year, will also run throughout the festival.
The Oktoberfest tradition started in 2008 and quickly became a local favorite. While the festival serves as a fundraiser for St. Mary’s, Downey emphasized that it’s open to the entire community. He said it’s “not Catholic-centric,” but fun for all.
“It’s just an entire weekend celebrating our family, our faith, as well as having fun while raising funds for both the church and the school,” Downey shared. “The money that we raise goes to supporting the operation of the church and the school. As our buildings age, they need repairs, so this is a vital aspect of that whole process.”
He added that they’re still looking for volunteers, and you can reach out to the parish for more information. To learn more about St. Mary’s Oktoberfest, visit their official website at StMarysOktoberfest.com.
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