The award-winning Rocktoberfest returns to Lookout Mountain Saturday, Oct. 1 through Sunday, Oct. 30 at Rock City Gardens! The 16th annual German-themed harvest festival offers delicious new German food and a variety of themed entertainment from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.
Rock City celebrates the German heritage of its founder, Frieda Utermoehlen Carter, and offers live German tunes by Mark Merriman, Nashville-based polka band the Musik Meisters and Chattanooga’s premiere oompah band the Wurstbrats. Specialty German food is available at Café 7 (open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), as well as themed food offerings throughout the park.
Try beer-braised bratwursts with German potato salad and mustard, giant pretzels with beer cheese sauce, beer cheese soup bread bowls, Bavarian pork sandwiches with German-style kraut and a variety of Oktoberfest drinks.
Watch Jerry the Mime entertain and get a caricature drawing by artist Dennis Hart. Pumpkin painting is also available as an add-on activity! Take a self-guided tour of the gardens during peak fall foliage, catch one of seven daily Birds of Prey shows featuring the amazing Rock City Raptors and be sure to visit the Fudge Kitchen for pumpkin spice treats!
This event has been selected as a Top 20 Event for 2021 by Southeast Tourism Society! Visit www.seerockcity.com/rocktoberfest for the entertainment schedule and to make reservations. Online ticket purchases are recommended, as some time slots can sell out on beautiful fall weekends.
Rock City has an ongoing partnership with CHI Memorial Foundation honoring breast cancer awareness month during October. New pink “survivor” products are available for purchase, with a portion of proceeds benefitting the organization’s MaryEllen Locher scholarship program for students whose parents have been impacted by breast cancer. This year’s college scholarship recipient is Bailey Fowler, who has been awarded $1911. She is a 2022 Ridgeland High School graduate from Chickamauga and is now studying at the University of West Georgia.
Rock City is one of the South’s most popular natural attractions. Known for its unique geological and botanical wonders, the enchanted 4,100-foot walking trail is a true marvel of nature featuring massive ancient rock formations, a cascading waterfall, Fairyland Caverns and Swing-A-Long Bridge that spans nearly 200 feet.