Purgatory Resort hosts its annual Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from noon to 4:30 p.m. at the mountain base area. The family-friendly festival features regional craft beers, traditional German food stations, live music, Vendor Village, and lawn games.
Head to Purgatory Resort near Durango on Saturday, September 19, for Purgatory Oktoberfest 2026, Southwest Colorado’s most anticipated family-friendly fall beer festival, sponsored by Hutton Broadcasting, TBK Bank, Renewal by Andersen, and Shaw Solar.
Each September, Purgatory’s base area shifts into festival mode, where the clink of a custom beer mug joins the sound of live music echoing off nearby peaks.
For one afternoon only, guests gather at 8,800 feet to share Oktoberfest bites like soft pretzels, brats, and kolaches alongside a selection of craft beers.
Break out your lederhosen or dirndl, try Oktoberfest beer, then party like a Bavarian with Oktoberfest live music on the patio, traditional German food, and Purgatory’s spectacular mountain scenery. You may even be chosen as our Best Male or Best Female Costume Contest winner. O’zapft is!
Get Purgatory Oktoberfest tickets.
Why visit Purgatory Resort for Oktoberfest?
Purgatory Resort, just 25 miles north of Durango, Colorado, is a year-round world-class mountain recreation area for skiing, hiking, and events like Oktoberfest. With scenic views and a variety of activities, it’s the Southwest Colorado resort destination.
Purgatory Oktoberfest’s authentically alpine setting remains a huge draw. Hot off the summer fun-time atmosphere, Purgatory Resort shifts into autumn in September. The air cools, and the mountain base area becomes a natural venue akin to southern Germany.
With peaks all around, raising a custom beer mug helps you feel connected to both the place and the moment, giving the festival a character you won’t find in many other locations.
What are the event details for Purgatory Oktoberfest?
- Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
- Time: Noon to 4 p.m.
- Where: Purgatory Resort Base Area, Durango, Colorado
- Tickets: Tickets cost $15 per person in advance or $20 at the door.
- Transportation: Free shuttle from Shaw Solar
What’s included in the Purgatory Oktoberfest ticket?
1. Festival admission
2. Custom 19.5-ounce Purgatory Oktoberfest beer mug (yours to keep!)
3. Free first beer of your choice
4. Event map with beer station locations
5. Access to all entertainment and activities
You can buy additional 19.5-ounce beers at several marked locations around the base area (an event map will be provided at check-in). Noch eins, bitte!
What are the Purgatory Oktoberfest Shuttle details?
Purgatory Oktoberfest offers a convenient bus shuttle service from downtown Durango so you can get to and from the festival safely.
- Departure: 11:30 a.m. from Shaw Solar
- Return: 4:30 p.m.
- Cost: FREE
- Booking: Reserve bus tickets in advance. Must RSVP in advance
Parking is available at the resort if you’re planning to drive. Travel responsibly by using the shuttle or carpooling with a designated driver before heading up to the mountain.
Buy Purgatory Oktoberfest tickets and bus tickets now.
What are the featured beers at Purgatory Oktoberfest?
Come for the high-altitude views and stay for the selection of brews that’ll transport you straight to the Alps. Prost!
Purgatory Oktoberfest Beer Selection
Breckenridge Brewery Oktoberfest
(6% ABV, 20 IBU)
A smooth, seasonal amber lager with bready, toasty malt aromas and flavors, balanced by light hops for a clean, dry finish.
Schilling Moonberries Cider
(5.2% ABV)
A crisp, fruit-forward gluten-free cider bursting with juicy blackberries and tart blueberries. Refreshing and easy to drink, it’s a perfect seasonal option for cider lovers.
Steamworks Kölsch Lagered Ale
(4.8% ABV, 20 IBU)
A crisp, hybrid-style beer fermented like an ale and lagered for a smooth finish. Light citrusy notes and a fresh, bready character make it highly drinkable and refreshing.
Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest Festbier
(6% ABV, 30 IBU)
A modern festbier brewed with Störtebeker, featuring a rich malt backbone with notes of fresh-baked bread and honey, balanced by traditional German hops for a crisp, clean finish.
Samuel Adams Octoberfest
(5.3% ABV, 16 IBU)
A Märzen-style beer with a deep red-amber color, featuring a malt blend of Munich, caramel, and Octoberfest malts, balanced by Tettnang and Hallertau hops for a smooth, crisp finish.
Ska Oktoberfest
(6.1% ABV, 22 IBU)
A malty amber-brown lager with nutty, toasty Munich and Vienna malts and a clean, neutral yeast profile.
Telluride Brewing OktoberFish
(6.2% ABV)
A traditional Märzen-style beer with a balanced malt profile, perfect for celebrating Oktoberfest.
Will Purgatory Oktoberfest have German food & entertainment?
Yes! Purgatory Oktoberfest is an authentic Oktoberfest celebration where you can fill your plate with hearty German food, play games, and hear live music. Gather your friends and family for the best German alpine party this side of the Atlantic. Viel Spaß!
What food will Purgatory Oktoberfest serve?
You can indulge in authentic German festival favorites (and other goodies):
- $2 Pretzel necklaces
- Turkey legs
- Pretzel bites with beer cheese or cinnamon sugar coating
- Bratwurst & German potato salad
- Hendl (roasted half chicken dish)
- Schnitzel (Jäger and Wiener)
- Apple strudel and apple strudel à la mode
- German chocolate cake
Play cornhole, volleyball, yard pong, hammerschlagen, and masskrugstemmen at Purgatory Oktoberfest 2026.
What is the Purgatory Oktoberfest music lineup?
Raise your steins to a live music lineup that brings traditional sounds of Oktoberfest and high-energy rock.
Aiko Aiko Sound
Noon to 2:15 p.m.
Aiko Aiko Sound has a vast, 11,000-song library to get you moving to traditional Oktoberfest favorites and upbeat party hits for the celebration at Purgatory Resort. Their experienced DJs specialize in tailoring the sound to the alpine atmosphere and the high-energy of Purgatory Oktoberfest fun.
Black Diamond Breakdown
2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Black Diamond Breakdown brings a lively, high-energy mix of traditional and mountain bluegrass to the stage, driven by acoustic pickers Craig Feigenbaum, Renée Feigenbaum, and Aaron Cooklin. The group brings foot-stomping string arrangements, driving rhythm, and classic acoustic harmonies.
Who are the event sponsors?
This year’s Oktoberfest is presented with support from Hutton Broadcasting, TBK Bank, Renewal by Andersen, and Shaw Solar.
Hutton Broadcasting is a regional multimedia company providing radio broadcasting, digital marketing, and local event promotion across the Southwest. Through its extensive media network, the company actively spotlights regional happenings and keeps Four Corners communities connected to local gatherings like Oktoberfest.
Renewal by Andersen is a full-service window and patio door replacement provider known for precision craftsmanship and energy-efficient home solutions. Its regional team works directly with area homeowners, extending its local commitment by supporting community-focused traditions and festivals throughout Southwest Colorado.
TBK Bank, with a branch in downtown Durango, provides personal and business banking services across several states. Its local presence connects the regional bank directly to community events and gatherings like Oktoberfest.
Shaw Solar is a locally owned renewable energy contractor providing custom solar design, installation, and battery storage solutions across Southwest Colorado. Dedicated to sustainable power and regional environmental stewardship, the company regularly partners with local organizations and community festivals to promote energy independence throughout the Four Corners.
Together, these sponsors help anchor the festival, linking local traditions with the businesses that support the region.
Get Purgatory Oktoberfest Tickets Before They Are Gone
By late afternoon, as the music winds down and the last bites of pretzels and brats are shared, what remains is the feeling of celebration. Friends and strangers gather side by side, Bierkrugs lifted, with the San Juans framing the scene in early autumn color. It’s an image of community that captures why Purgatory Oktoberfest remains so popular here year after year.
This September, Purgatory Oktoberfest invites you to share a table, make a toast, and celebrate the start of fall in the San Juans.
Buy Purgatory Oktoberfest tickets and bus tickets before it’s too late!
Purgatory Oktoberfest 2026 FAQs
What does admission include for Purgatory Oktoberfest 2026?
Each Purgatory Oktoberfest ticket includes general festival admission, an event map detailing beer and food station locations, and full access to live music and yard games. Ticket holders also receive a custom 19.5-ounce souvenir beer mug to keep, along with their first pour. Guests can buy additional full-size pours at designated pouring stations in the base area all afternoon. Advance tickets cost $15 per person, while gate tickets cost $20 on the day of the event.
Where does the Purgatory Oktoberfest shuttle pick up and drop off in Durango?
Skip the drive and ride stress-free! Shaw Solar is sponsoring a free community shuttle to and from Purgatory Resort for Oktoberfest on Saturday, September 19th.
Departure: 11:30 a.m. Pick-up and free parking at Shaw Solar (1479 Hwy 3), arriving at Purgatory Resort before festival taps open at noon.
Return: 4:30 p.m. Departure from the Purgatory base area with drop-off back at Shaw Solar.
Seats are complimentary, but space is limited and seats must be reserved online in advance. Lock in your festival tickets, register for your shuttle ride early, and enjoy a safe, hassle-free trip to the mountain.
Which breweries and beers are featured at the 2026 festival?
The 2026 beer lineup highlights regional Colorado and national craft selections poured into commemorative 19.5-ounce steins. Featured brews include Ska Brewing Oktoberfest, Breckenridge Brewery Oktoberfest, Steamworks Kölsch, Telluride Brewing OktoberFish, Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest Festbier, and Samuel Adams Octoberfest. If you prefer cider or gluten-free options, the festival also pours Schilling Moonberries Cider. Additional beers are available at stations throughout the resort village for guests wanting to sample multiple seasonal styles.
What German food options are served during Purgatory Oktoberfest?
Food stations set up around the Purgatory base village serve a variety of traditional Bavarian dishes and casual festival bites. The menu features turkey legs, $2 pretzel necklaces, pretzel bites with beer cheese or cinnamon sugar coating, Bratwursts, German potato salad, Hendl (roasted half chicken), Schnitzel (Jäger and Wiener), apple strudel, apple strudel à la mode, and German chocolate cake.
Is Purgatory Oktoberfest a family-friendly and dog-friendly event?
Purgatory Oktoberfest welcomes guests of all ages as well as leashed dogs throughout the outdoor base area. In addition to live acoustic music and DJ performances, the resort hosts multiple interactive outdoor games including cornhole, yard pong, volleyball, hammerschlagen, and traditional masskrugstemmen stein-holding contests. Non-drinking guests and children can buy food and non-alcoholic drinks while enjoying the open patio spaces and early autumn mountain views across the San Juans. In fact, this year’s Costume Contest has a new category: Best Brat Dog!
THIS ARTICLE IS SPONSORED BY PURGATORY RESORT
