Rocktoberfest 2026 in St. Joseph Adds Kidtoberfest Family Night Friday

(KNSI) – Rocktoberfest is stretching into a two-day party this year, with organizers adding a family night Friday before the traditional celebration takes over downtown St. Joseph on Saturday.

Kidtoberfest runs Friday, September 25th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Organizer Chris Yasgar explained to KNSI the family night isn’t entirely new. “We kind of tried this last year with just a limited production. Didn’t really advertise it. It went so well, we thought, why not make it bigger?”

Friday’s lineup includes kids games, inflatables, a clown, a live DJ, a photo booth, a food truck and an ice cream truck. There’s also axe throwing for the kids, and Yasgar has a message for nervous parents. “We bought a big kid’s axe throwing, which sounds dangerous, but it’s Velcro and they assure me that they can’t hurt themselves too much.”

Admission Friday is $5, and students at Catholic Community Schools and under four get in free. The beer gardens will be open for the grown-ups.

Saturday, September 26th, is the main event, running from 3:00 to 11:00 p.m. for ages 21 and up. The Bavarian Musikmeisters, more than 40 musicians playing traditional German polka, perform from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., and there’s a dance floor this year after plenty of requests from polka fans. Gen X Jukebox, a 90s and 2000s cover band that changes costumes to dress like the artists it’s covering, takes over from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. Organizers expanded the event’s footprint to make room.

Steinholding contests and axe throwing are also on the Saturday schedule. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, three giant tents will keep the crowd dry, and organizers are lining up heaters for anyone who gets chilly.

Rocktoberfest sets up in the fenced parking lot next to the church in downtown St. Joseph, the same spot used for St. Joe Days and Joe Town Rocks. Tickets are 20% off at rocktoberfestmn.com, and a VIP pass gets you in both days.

The event raises money for St. Joseph Catholic School and was started by a group of parents.

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