Overview: Local breweries in Columbia, SC are hosting Oktoberfest events that blend tradition with unique themes like carnivals and imported glassware. The celebrations center on drinking a good amount of good beer alongside dancing and other frivolity while standing apart from the rest of the lederhosen-wearing crowd.
The Full Story
Bierkeller Columbia hosts a multi-day Oktoberfest since opening in 2023 along the Congaree River. The event focuses on German lagers and imported glassware straight from Munich to support authenticity. Owner Scott Burgess emphasizes sticking to tried and true traditions rather than changing everything, noting that everyone thinks you have to change but they stick to what they’ve always done and always loved.
Savage Craft Ale Works opened in West Columbia in 2021 and hosts an annual celebration that started six years ago. For a third straight year, they will close Center Street with a Carnival theme including face painting, stilt walkers, all-day live music and a 50-foot Loop-A-Plane ride. Gather COLA, the outdoor food hall in the BullStreet District, is hosting its first Oktoberfest event spanning three weekends. Newer venues are also getting involved in the international celebration.
Production & Profile
The breweries focus on German lagers brewed in house with a kitchen making German-inspired food. Imported glassware comes straight from Munich to support authenticity. Savage Craft highlights their head brewer making amazing German beers and maintains elements like the mayor tapping the keg.
Brand & Industry History
Oktoberfest is a German tradition that has been celebrated since 1810. Its embrace by Americans has grown across the past couple decades. Bierkeller Columbia opened in 2023, while Savage Craft Ale Works opened in West Columbia in 2021. Gather COLA’s sister location in Greenville opened in 2020.
What This Means
The local proliferation makes sense when considering the celebration’s centering of drinking a good amount of good beer alongside extravagant dancing. Venues look to stand apart from the rest of the lederhosen-wearing crowd by adding new twists. Savage Craft aims to get bigger every year and thinks outside of the box while maintaining elements like the mayor tapping the keg.
Consumer Takeaway
Visitors can find German-inspired food, live music, and specific event dates ranging from late September to early October. Bierkeller continues its Oktoberfest for a second weekend Sept. 26-27. Savage Craft’s Oktoberfest Carnival is Sept. 26. Gather COLA’s Oktoberfest weekends continue on Sept. 26 and Oct. 3.
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