Hoptoberfest: Oktoberfest Kickoff Party
Sat, Sep 19
|Fam's Brewing Co.
The firkin taps. The polka starts. Oktoberfest season is officially on.
Time & Location
Sep 19, 2026, 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Fam's Brewing Co., 1291 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
About the Event
Charleston’s Oktoberfest season starts at Fam’s Brewing Co.
Hoptoberfest returns Saturday, September 19, from noon to 5 p.m. for its ninth year as the Lowcountry’s original Oktoberfest kickoff party.
Brewers Justin and Thomas tap the ceremonial firkin at noon to officially open Oktoberfest season in the Lowcountry. Get there early for a surprise. IYKYK.
From there, the patio takes over with house-brewed Oktoberfest, German-style food, limited-edition one-liter steins, costumes, live polka from Charleston Polka Kings from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., and a full afternoon of Hoptoberfest games that are just as entertaining to watch as they are to enter.
Want to play? Register for the games you want in advance on the website. Space is limited for each competition, and advance registration is the best way to lock in your spot.
Stein Slide (12:35 p.m.)
Tickets
Stein Slide (12:35 p.m.)
Sale ends
Sep 19, 12:00 PM
It looks easy until the stein starts moving. Contestants get three chances to slide an empty stein down the table and land it in marked scoring zones without sending it over the edge. The farther it travels, the more points it earns, but one inch too far gets you nothing. Highest score wins. Max Participants: 12 Prize: $50 house cash
$0.00
Alpine Hat Toss (1:10 p.m.)
Sale ends
Sep 19, 12:40 PM
Three hats. Three throws. A row of increasingly ridiculous targets. Contestants toss Bavarian hats at targets worth different point values, with the hardest targets sitting farthest away. Highest score wins. Max Participants: 12 Prize: $50 house cash
$0.00
Musical Chairs (2:15ish pm)
Sale ends
Sep 19, 2:00 PM
After Charleston Polka Kings’ first set, they take over musical chairs. Contestants circle the chairs while the band plays live, and when the music stops, everybody scrambles. Each round loses another chair until two people are fighting for the last seat and the patio has picked sides. Max Participants: 12 Prize: $50 house cash
$0.00
Bavarian Dress & Dash (3 p.m.)
Sale ends
Sep 19, 2:40 PM
Getting dressed has never required this much athletic ability. Contestants race through a line of dressing stations, starting with giant pants that have to be pulled on without using their hands. Then it’s oversized suspenders, giant shoes, and a Bavarian hat before the final run to the limbo bar. Everything has to stay on, and anything that falls off has to be put back on before continuing. First contestant to make it under the limbo bar fully dressed wins. Max Participants: 8 Prize: $50 house
$0.00
Beer Puppet (3:45 p.m.)
Sale ends
Sep 19, 3:20 PM
A Hoptoberfest favorite for a reason. Your beer hangs from strings. Your hands control the strings. Your only job is to get the glass to your mouth and take a sip. Somehow, this becomes much harder than it sounds. Ponchos provided upon request. Max Participants: 10 Prize: $100 house cash
$0.00
Stein Hoist (4:30 p.m.)
Sale ends
Sep 19, 4:10 PM
The traditional Hoptoberfest finale. Contestants hold a full stein straight out at shoulder height while the patio watches arms shake, elbows drop, and competitors disappear one by one. No bending, no resting, no creative interpretations of “straight.” Last stein standing wins. Max Participants: 20 Entry Fee: $15 (FBC stein included) Prize: $100 house cash
$15.00
+$0.38 ticket service fee
Total
$0.00