Oktoberfest Southlake marks its 25th anniversary Friday through Sunday, October 16 to 18, at Southlake Town Square. On Saturday, its two signature moments, the 10 a.m. Wiener Dog Race and the evening headliner sets, sit more than nine hours apart, and each one rewards a short visit with a clear plan.
Admission is free, and so is parking in the Town Square garages. That makes leaving and coming back an easy call. The festival runs Friday from 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. Together those hours make up two festivals, and a family that lives fifteen minutes away can enjoy both without spending thirteen hours on the pavement.
Saturday morning starts before the festival does
The event most closely tied to Oktoberfest Southlake is the Wiener Dog Race, and it runs on its own clock. According to the Southlake Chamber of Commerce event listing, registration and check-in open at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, in front of the Gazebo Main Stage. The Wiener Dog Costume Contest comes first, and the race follows at 10 a.m. Entering the race, the costume contest, or both costs $25, and the Chamber's listing has a registration link.
The race starts at 10 a.m., the same hour the festival officially opens on Saturday. So the people with the best view of the dachshunds are the ones who showed up early for check-in, not the ones arriving with the general crowd. For a household with a dog entered, or children who want a spot along the course, a Saturday morning plan looks like this:
- 8:30 a.m. Check in at the Gazebo Main Stage if your dog is racing or wearing a costume.
- Before 10 a.m. The costume contest runs first.
- 10 a.m. The Wiener Dog Race starts, and the festival opens for the day.
- Late morning Browse the handcrafted arts and crafts booths and visit the children's area, which the organizers say will have games, face painting and interactive activities.
The Chamber's FAQ welcomes pets as long as they are leashed and well-behaved, and it mentions the dachshund races by name. Organizers haven't published a 2026 price for the children's area, so plan as if some activities may carry a charge, and check the booth when you get there. The schedule pages reviewed for this post don't give a stroller policy either.
The evenings belong to the headliners
After dark, the same streets turn into an outdoor concert venue. The organizers say live entertainment will run on three stages all weekend, with local performers such as dance routines and jazz combos on the bill alongside the headliners. The four evening sets on the official schedule are:
| Night | Act | Set time |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, Oct. 16 | Ashmore | 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. |
| Friday, Oct. 16 | Back in Black | 9:30 to 10:45 p.m. |
| Saturday, Oct. 17 | Texas Flood | 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. |
| Saturday, Oct. 17 | Larger Than Life | 9:15 to 10:45 p.m. |
The organizers bill Back in Black as an AC/DC tribute band and Larger Than Life as a New York act known for high-energy shows, and they call both of them headliners. One part of the official page is confusing. It labels Texas Flood a Friday warm-up band but lists its set on October 17, which is a Saturday. The date on the schedule is the safer bet.
Friday and Saturday nights also bring the Stein Hoisting Contest. The Chamber hasn't posted exact times, so the safe plan is to arrive while it's still light and stay through the first set. Sunday is the shortest day, noon to 7 p.m., and no evening headliner appears in the published lineup. That makes it the easiest afternoon for anyone who wants the food and crafts without the late-night crowd.
Two short visits in one weekend make sense: a Saturday morning for the dogs and a Friday or Saturday night for the bands. Each matches what the festival is doing at that hour, and free parking means coming back costs nothing.
Three rules that decide what goes in your hands
Since you might make two trips, it helps to know the entry rules before the first one. The Chamber's FAQ lists them:
- Bags. Backpacks and large bags are not allowed, which matters for anyone used to packing a full diaper bag or a picnic kit.
- Food and drink. Outside food and beverages are not allowed, so leave the water bottles and snacks in the car.
- Alcohol. Drinks are for sale to guests 21 and older with a valid ID.
On the menu, the organizers point to bratwurst, pretzels and schnitzel, plus craft beer and non-alcoholic options. The 2026 materials don't name food vendors, a beer partner, drink prices, or whether purchases use tickets, wristbands or cards. Bring a card and some cash and you'll be ready either way.
Parking is free, and the shuttle question is still open
The two Town Square garages are the default: the East Garage at 1451 Federal Way and the West Garage at 351 State Street, both free. Event listings give the festival address as 285 Grand Ave., while Visit Southlake uses 1400 E. Southlake Boulevard. Both point to Town Square, so either one works in a map app.
Published sources disagree about a shuttle. The Chamber's current FAQ says there will be no shuttle service "this year" and recommends rideshare. In August, The NE Tarrant Record reported that a free shuttle would run from White's Chapel United Methodist Church at 185 S. White Chapel Blvd., and that courtesy carts sponsored by Bill Tait State Farm would carry guests between parking areas and the festival grounds. Until the Chamber settles it, plan on the garages or a rideshare. You can confirm by calling the Southlake Chamber at 817-481-8200 before you leave the house.
On a night visit, the drinking-age rule and the late finish make rideshare the simpler choice. On a Saturday morning with a dog in the back seat, one of the garages is the more practical option.
The West Garage now has coffee next door
If you park in the West Garage, there's something new on your walk in. Community Impact reported that Ascension Coffee opened October 9 at 100 State St., Ste. C1, on the same street as the West Garage. It has a full espresso bar, seasonal coffee flights, and a slow bar where baristas make pour-overs from rotating single-origin coffees. The food menu covers pastries, granola, sandwiches, wraps and salads.
That timing helps anyone checking in a dachshund at 8:30 a.m. Coffee bought before you pass the festival gates is easier than wondering whether the no-outside-drinks rule applies to a cup you've already opened. Ascension's official grand opening celebration comes the week after Oktoberfest, on October 23, according to the same Community Impact report.
For dinner before or after the evening sets, Hudson House opened September 14 at 1131 E. Southlake Blvd. in Park Village. Community Impact describes its menu as signature burgers and martinis. It's a separate stop down Southlake Boulevard, so it works best for a Friday dinner before the 9:30 p.m. Back in Black set.
Twenty-five years, and what comes later this season
The Southlake Chamber of Commerce organizes the festival. The NE Tarrant Record reports that organizer branding for this year reads "Oktoberfest Southlake 2001-2026." MySouthlakeNews frames the anniversary edition around three stages, the children's area, the Wiener Dog Race and Costume Contest, and the Stein Hoisting contests.
Later this fall, Town Square hosts Home for the Holidays on Saturday, November 21, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., also at 1400 E. Southlake Blvd. with free admission. Along SH 114, Lupe Tortilla at 2701 E. SH 114 is now aiming for a 2027 opening, with construction expected to finish around early January, later than its earlier late-2026 target, according to Community Impact.
At Torelli Properties Group, we follow Southlake's calendar as closely as we follow its streets, from the Gazebo Main Stage to the newest storefront on State Street. If a weekend at Town Square has you thinking about a home closer to it, or about how your own home fits into the next chapter, we'd like to talk it through. Schedule Your Personalized Consultation.
