The Chester Lions Club brings its Oktoberfest Weekend and Antique Car Show back to Chubb Park on Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, 2026. The park sits on Route 24 West in Chester, and the weekend runs rain or shine.
This is the 28th year for what the club calls its largest annual fundraiser, and the format has stayed consistent: a Bavarian weekend built around German food, live music, and an antique car show that fills a good stretch of the park.
Live music comes from Die Spitzbaum of New York, who play across the whole weekend. The band, the dance floor, and the dining area all sit under large event tents, which is how the club keeps the weekend going regardless of weather.
The Lions Club food tent handles the German side with bratwurst, smoked pork chops, German potato salad, sauerkraut, apple strudel, beehive cake, and authentic plum cake. Hot dogs and ice cream are also on site. Outside food and drink are not permitted.
The beer operation runs under a New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control permit, and taps shut off 30 minutes before the event closes each evening. Families are covered too, with entertainers, rides, games, and crafts running alongside everything else.
The antique car show runs with the festival, and the club offers a discount to owners who pre-register instead of showing up cold. Advance admission tickets and VIP parking passes are also discounted when they are bought online ahead of the weekend, and both are available through the Chester Lions Club ticket page.
Pets are not allowed, which the club frames as a safety call for both the animals and the crowd. Service dogs are permitted and are required to wear their identifying vest.
The money goes back out. In past years the club has directed net proceeds from the weekend to Soldiers Angels, which supports service members, and to the Lions Eye Research Foundation, along with local police, fire, and rescue organizations and Morristown Memorial Hospital. Full event details are on the Chester Lions Club Oktoberfest page.
Oktoberfest lands two weeks after the Fall Chester Craft Show on September 12 and 13, so the borough has back-to-back reasons to visit this fall. Our guide to things to do in Chester covers the rest of Main Street once you are in town.
