The honest short answer
Go Friday or Saturday for the longest nights — doors until 11 PM and $15 at the door for adults. Go Monday through Thursday for a $10 ticket and a 6–10 PM evening that fits a work night. Go Sunday for free admission and a 1–7 PM window that suits families. Children 6–12 pay $5 Monday–Thursday and $7 Friday–Saturday.
Tool · Ticket planner
What will your group pay at the door?
Pick a night and enter your group. The planner applies the Chamber’s published rates, free Sundays, the Friday + Saturday pass and the military rules.
| Night | Adult | Ages 6 to 12 | Under 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | $10 | $5 | Free |
| Friday or Saturday | $15 | $7 | Free |
| Friday + Saturday pass | $25 | $12 | Free |
| Sunday | Free | Free | Free |
- Children under 6 are free every day.
- Active and retired military are admitted free with military ID (the service member only).
- Veterans get $3 off their own admission.
- IDs are checked at the door.
Admission is paid at the door; individual tickets are not sold in advance. Prices are the Chamber's published 2026 rates and are subject to change. Source: Helen Chamber of Commerce, checked October 17, 2026.
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What the week looks like
Monday–Thursday the Festhalle opens at 6 PM and closes at 10 PM — a four-hour evening that is easier on a work night or with kids past their bedtime. Friday also opens at 6 PM but runs to 11; Saturday is the long day, 1–11 PM, and on Halloween, Saturday, October 31, the Festhalle hosts a costume party.
September weekends are not nightly
One catch worth planning around: in September the Festhalle only runs Thursday–Sunday, so a mid-September Tuesday trip has no Oktoberfest to visit. From October 1 through November 1 it is open every night of the week.
Parking and the village outside
Parking is not published by the organizer: the Helen Chamber of Commerce lists no Oktoberfest parking or shuttle details, so we do not repeat guesses. Check the Chamber’s official Oktoberfest page for current visitor information.
The budget math
A couple going Monday pays $20 total; the same couple Saturday pays $30, and on Sunday nothing. With kids 6–12, Monday–Thursday saves $2 a head over Friday and Saturday too. Active and retired military enter free with a military ID, and veterans get $3 off.
Dates can change. The organisers have the final word: Helen Chamber of Commerce — official Oktoberfest pages
