Gaithersburg Oktoberfest Canceled, City Plans To Host Smaller Events Instead

GAITHERSBURG, MD — Oktoberfest will not be held in Gaithersburg this year, the city announced.

"With the Delta variant still pervasive in our community, we felt it was prudent to cancel the event for this year,” said Carolyn Muller, Director of the Department Parks, Recreation and Culture in the announcement. “The event takes place in a very large geographic area, and it historically attracts crowds of 20,000+. There is no practical way to control entry points and crowd size, and we do not want to scale the event back to a level that would be disappointing for guests, entertainers and vendors.”

Oktoberfest was scheduled to be held at the Kentlands, and has featured pumpkin carving, apple cider pressing demonstrations, horse-drawn wagon rides, crafts, inflatables and more in the past.

Muller said the staff is working on planning a series of smaller events in the place of the large Oktoberfest celebration. Some possibilities could include:

• outdoor movies and concerts
• fall-themed activities at the Casey and Main Street Farmers Markets
• Halloween activities at several venues

There are other Oktoberfest festivities being hosted around the state, including in Rockville, Baltimore, and more.

SEE RELATED: Oktoberfest In Maryland: Guide To 2021 Celebrations