Platzkonzert Germanfest

Hoffman Estates has run this German festival on its Village Green for twenty years, billing it as an Oktoberfest-themed weekend rather than a single-day event. Three stages of German music anchor it, with a Beer Olympics of hammerschlagen, stein hoisting and stein carry, dachshund races and costume contests filling the gaps. The park district runs a free Kinderplatz of crafts and inflatables on the Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and the on-site brew garden pours German craft beer.