Council Receives Oktoberfest 2023 Reconciliation Report

At the Dember 12 City Council meeting, Special Events Director Abby Morales presented the 2023 Addison Oktoberfest operations, financial, and marketing reconciliation. A four-day festival held September 14-17 at Addison Circle Park, Addison Oktoberfest 2023 featured food, music, and entertainment focused on German culture with a Texas twist.

This year marked the 36th anniversary of Addison Oktoberfest. The popular Partyhalle Deck included a dedicated bar and increased seating and sold out on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Some of the changes and new activities this year included a new location for the Kidsgarten, which featured a Root Biegarten, the addition of a Partyplatz for teens that included a silent disco and arcade, and the expansion of Sunday Hunday to allow all dogs into the venue on the last day of the event. Last year's steins were delayed due to supply chain issues, so the new custom-made stein design that was rolled out for 2023 was a popular item.

The event, which is designed to generate tourism, resulted in 431 hotel packages redeemed, and marketing efforts exposed millions of people to Addison. More than 100 dogs competed in the Dachshund Dash on Sunday, and more than 280 people tested their skills in the Masskrug competitions held during the four-day event. (For those already training for next year, the winning time was 4:44.)

Nearly 40,000 people attended the event, and the average spend per person was $33. The event generated 6% more revenue than budgeted, but expenses were also up slightly. Addison bids most of the rental items, such as tents and fencing, every five years. There was a sizable increase in the contracts this year because they were renewed prior to his year’s event but after the time when budgets were submitted.

You can watch the Council's Oktoberfest discussion here and read the presentation here.