Cleveland Oktoberfest Raises a Stein to NA Drinks

Oktoberfest may be synonymous with steins of German beer, but there’s always been more to the annual celebration than drinking. Wiener dog races, dozens of live music performances, a 5K and children’s activities have helped make the celebration a family-friendly affair. This year, even the festival’s famously vast beer selection is getting an upgrade with the debut of a nonalcoholic beer tent.

Kelly Kastlic, senior director of client services and marketing for Oktoberfest, says organizers have seen growing interest in nonalcoholic beverages in recent years as more guests choose to drink less or skip alcohol altogether. They may be designated drivers or expectant mothers, abstain for religious or health reasons, or simply want a break from drinking during the day. Whatever the reason, Kastlic says the goal is to offer more choices without sacrificing the Oktoberfest experience.

“We really wanted to make sure that everyone can fully participate in the Oktoberfest experience and not feel left out,” Kastlic says.

To bring the concept to life, Oktoberfest is teaming up with Verbena Free Spirited, Cleveland’s first nonalcoholic cafe, retail shop and dry bar. The Hingetown business has carved out a space for alcohol-free socializing with a curated selection of craft mocktails.

Festival’s sponsors, German breweries Weihenstephan and Bitburger, will both bring nonalcoholic beers to the event this year. The selection extends beyond beer, with two types of nonalcoholic wine, specialty sodas, mocktails and a nonalcoholic radler, giving guests alternatives across many of the same categories as the traditional drink menu.

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The addition also reflects how quickly the nonalcoholic beverage industry has evolved. Kastlic says today’s options increasingly rival their alcoholic counterparts in flavor and quality, making this the right time to expand the festival’s offerings. Still, organizers aren’t straying far from tradition, with many of the new drinks maintaining ties to German drinking culture.

“Of course, beer is always going to be a thing. It’s Oktoberfest. We’re always going to have authentic beer, but this is just something a little extra to make sure everybody can be part of it and have the same type of experience,” Kastlic says.

Even after decades at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, Oktoberfest continues to find ways to build on its traditions. This year brings new food vendors, bands and games, along with a new women’s division of the Masskrugstemmen stein-holding competition. 

For Kastlic, additions like these, including the new nonalcoholic tent, allow the event to evolve without losing sight of its German roots.

“We want to keep the tradition alive, but it is also important to us to have new experiences for people,” she says. “All of these new things just complement the tradition that’s already established.”

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