Celebrate the coming of fall with an Oktoberfest party! There’s a reason this German tradition is popular around the world – food, beer, and friends is always a recipe for a good time. Keep reading for 4 Oktoberfest party ideas.

1. Beer tasting

Get a sampling of German brews, make a stop at a local brewery, or just pick out whatever catches your eye at your local liquor store, and host a tasting party! Beer tasting glasses are larger than a shot glass but much smaller than a full pint. Line up a couple in a row for each guest and take them through each one, complete with descriptions and flavor profiles. At the end, make sure to have a couple extra on hand so everyone can enjoy a full pint of their favorite brew.

2. Food tasting

Maybe your crowd is the type that gives food the spotlight and beer comes in second. If that’s the case, concentrate on an authentic menu of bite-size German delicacies so your guests can try a wide variety of foods. Slice up bratwurst with sauerkraut, serve small dishes of German potato salad, set out sliced bread with beer cheese dip, and of course you can’t skip the soft pretzels with mustard!

3. Dinner party

For a more formal affair, host an Oktoberfest dinner party, complete with steins full of beer and a delicious German-inspired meal. Deck out your dining table with blue and white check linens to represent the Bavarian flag, with orange, yellow and red accents to incorporate those autumnal colors. Pumpkins, wheat, or seasonal florals make great centerpieces for an Oktoberfest table.

4. Biergarten

If you’re looking for a less structured, more beer-centered extravaganza, turn your backyard into a biergarten! Let the focus be a bar with either bottles or kegs of beer with pint or pilsner glasses. Make sure to set up plenty of lounge furniture, cocktail tables and barstools so everyone has a spot to sit back and relax. And finally, you can’t forget a snack bar! Keep it simple with pretzels, popcorn, and other bite-size appetizers.

Products pictured: Picnic Table, Kalvin Dinner Plate, Peacock Dixie Goblet, Light Wicker Charger, Kalvin Bowls, Kalvin Saucer, Market Buffet.