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Oktoberfest was born in 1810 when Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Princess Therese, and they threw quite the beer-infused party to celebrate. Today, the German festival is recreated all over the globe, including in many American cities.
We asked USA TODAY 10Best readers to vote for their favorite American Oktoberfest celebrations, and after four weeks of daily voting, the results are in.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Oktoberfest are as follows:
- Reading Liederkranz Oktoberfest - Reading, Penn.
- New Ulm Oktoberfest - New Ulm, Minn.
- Mt. Angel Oktoberfest - Mount Angel, Ore.
- Oktoberfest Zinzinnati - Cincinnati
- Linde Oktoberfest Tulsa - Tulsa
- Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest - Big Bear Lake, Calif.
- Wurstfest - New Braunfels, Texas
- Oktoberfest Live! - Philadelphia
- Hunter Mountain Oktoberfest - Hunter, N.Y.
- St. Alphonsus Oktoberfest - Chicago
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Nick Costa (The Hop Review) and Gary Monterosso (What’s On Tap,) were chosen based on their knowledge of American beer culture.
Congratulations to all these winning events!
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About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Nick Costa
Focusing on long-form editorial style content and... Read More
Focusing on long-form editorial style content and aesthetic, The Hop Review aims to deliver the industry’s best stories–with an approachability to beer enthusiasts of all types. Since inception in 2012, THR has been fortunate to sit down with some of beer’s best brewers, shop owners, distributors and brand managers from around the globe. As a contributing writer and photographer to The Hop Review since 2014, Nick has spent the better part of a decade curating his love for craft beer, yet always falls back to his favorites from his home state of Michigan with brews like Founders Breakfast Stout and Jolly Pumpkin’s Oro de Calablaza.
Nick Costa
Focusing on long-form editorial style content and aesthetic, The Hop Review aims to deliver the industry’s best stories–with an approachability to beer enthusiasts of all types. Since inception in 2012, THR has been fortunate to sit down with some of beer’s best brewers, shop owners, distributors and brand managers from around the globe. As a contributing writer and photographer to The Hop Review since 2014, Nick has spent the better part of a decade curating his love for craft beer, yet always falls back to his favorites from his home state of Michigan with brews like Founders Breakfast Stout and Jolly Pumpkin’s Oro de Calablaza.
Gary Monterosso
Gary Monterosso is an award-winning critic, who... Read More
Gary Monterosso is an award-winning critic, who has written for national and regional publications. He is the host of the popular radio show, What’s On Tap heard on 99.9 FM, 1240 AM in southern New Jersey, and online at snjtoday.com. He can be seen on the two-hour History Channel show called “The Epic History of Everyday Things.” He is the author of the book, Artisan Beers. Gary is currently teaching beer appreciation classes at Wilmington University. In 2014, Gary was selected by Chilled Magazine to be a member of the “Chilled 100,” signifying him as one of the top 100 beverage personalities in the United States. He continues to be a fixture at regional beer events by hosting dinners and tasting seminars. He has qualified as a Certified Beer Server, a part of the Cicerone Certification Program, recognizing his knowledge of beer styles, culture, the brewing process and ingredients
Gary Monterosso
Gary Monterosso is an award-winning critic, who has written for national and regional publications. He is the host of the popular radio show, What’s On Tap heard on 99.9 FM, 1240 AM in southern New Jersey, and online at snjtoday.com. He can be seen on the two-hour History Channel show called “The Epic History of Everyday Things.” He is the author of the book, Artisan Beers. Gary is currently teaching beer appreciation classes at Wilmington University. In 2014, Gary was selected by Chilled Magazine to be a member of the “Chilled 100,” signifying him as one of the top 100 beverage personalities in the United States. He continues to be a fixture at regional beer events by hosting dinners and tasting seminars. He has qualified as a Certified Beer Server, a part of the Cicerone Certification Program, recognizing his knowledge of beer styles, culture, the brewing process and ingredients