Bismarck’s First German Fest Since 2019 Set For October

A brand-new German festival us coming to downtown Bismarck this fall. The Otto Von Bismarck German Fest is set to take over the historic Bismarck Depot on Saturday, October 3rd, 2026.

Expect Oktoberfest-style beers, live music, German-inspired food, Stein-holding and other fun games, all set up against the backdrop of the depot's beautiful architecture.

According to Funatix.com, there was a German Festival that was previously hosted in Bismarck, but it ended back in 2019. Now, they're bringing the tradition back to Bismarck - a North Dakota town rich with German history.

The Story Behind The 'Otto Von Bismarck' Name

According to the city of Bismarck's website, Bismarck came into existence in 1872, but it wasn't Bismarck. Before that, it was called Edwinton. The following year (1873), Edwinton was renamed Bismarck.

Why did it get a new name? I'm glad you asked. According to the source, Bismarck was named to honor the German Chancellor, "Prince Baron Otto Eduard Leopold Schoenhausen. He was also known as "The Iron Chancellor." The goal of naming it after the chancellor was to attract German investors to the railroad project. Sadly, it didn't work, but the name stuck.

How & When To Get Tickets

The festival opens to the public at 5 pm. Priority list tickets are available now; general public tickets go on sale Monday, August 24th (whatever's left after Priority); gate tickets will be available the day of the festival for an additional $5.