Fort Belvoir celebrates 25 years of Oktoberfest

U.S. Army Garrison Fort Belvoir kicked off its yearly Oktoberfest Sept. 28 with traditional German music and dancing, food and beverage, and carnival rides for installation residents and the broader community.

This year marks the garrison’s 25th celebration of Oktoberfest, a tradition that began there in 1995. Over the years, the festival expanded from three to four days in length, according to Fort Belvoir’s Family and MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation), with only a few celebrations completely cancelled due to factors like poor weather (2015) and the pandemic (2021 and 2022).

Despite the prospect of a government shutdown starting Sunday, Oct. 1, the Oktoberfest is expected to carry on through its last day because it’s run by MWR, which operates on non-appropriated funds, said Fort Belvoir public affairs specialist Paul Lara.

“We anticipate no interruption to the Fort Belvoir fun,” he said.

Lara noted that community members without Department of Defense identification can get a visitor’s pass at either Tulley or Lieber Gates. All visitors 16 years of age and up require a background check/visitor’s pass. From Sept. 29-30 only, Tulley Gate will have extended operating hours from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. in support of Oktoberfest. Lieber Gate remains the 24/7 access gate based on the latest schedule changes effective Sept. 27.

To view the schedule of events at Oktoberfest and important FAQs about topics like prohibited items and accepted forms of payment, visit Fort Belvoir’s Family and MWR website.