For six days in September, everyone in Cleveland gets to be a little bit German.

Cleveland Oktoberfest.Cleveland Oktoberfest returns to the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, 19201 E. Bagley Road in Middleburg Heights, over two weekends: This Labor Day weekend, Friday, Sept. 4 through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, and again Friday and Saturday, Sept. 11 and 12.

The annual celebration of German culture, food, music, and, of course, beer brings back its traditional crowd favorites this year while adding new food vendors, music, and other new features like a non-alcoholic garden and a women's division in the popular stein-holding competition.

Adam Roggenburk, president of Heritage Productions, the company behind Cleveland Oktoberfest, says the Oktoberfest team is excited to build on last year's momentum and create another unforgettable celebration.

"Every year, we look forward to welcoming longtime festivalgoers while introducing Cleveland Oktoberfest to a new generation," he says. "Whether you're coming for the authentic German traditions, incredible live entertainment, amazing food and beer or simply to spend time with family and friends, there's something for everyone.”

Previously named the nation's Best Oktoberfest by USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, Cleveland Oktoberfest draws thousands of people each year and is in the running again this year in USA Today's poll.

Roggenburk, who has been producing the festival for 15 years, says organizers try to bring in something new each year without losing the traditions that keep people coming back. He adds that the appeal comes from a blend of tradition and an atmosphere that brings people together each year.

The Great Lakes 5K Bier Run at Cleveland Oktoberfest.Something different to drink
Among the most noticeable additions this year is the Verbena Garten, a dedicated non-alcoholic bar featuring NA beer and wine, handcrafted mocktails, and specialty sodas.

"It's kind of a new trend,” Roggenburk says, “which is kind of cool."

While beer may be practically synonymous with Oktoberfest, Roggenburk says the new area recognizes that not everyone drinks alcohol—even at a beer-centered celebration.

"I feel like with our demographic, there's people that don't drink beer, but I feel like the one time a lot of these people do drink beer, it's during Oktoberfest," he says.

For those who do want to raise a stein, more than 15 Oktoberfest-style and craft beers will be poured throughout the festival. Great Lakes Brewing Company returns as the official craft beer sponsor, with local brewery selections also available in the Great Lakes Craft Beer Hall.

German music—with a little country music
German music—with a little country musichas always been a big part of Cleveland Oktoberfest, Roggenburk says, with stages featuring traditional German performers, tribute bands, and local musicians. This year, the festival is adding a little country to the mix.

The weiner dog races."In Germany, for the main Oktoberfest over there, their two favorite songs are 'Sweet Home Alabama' and ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads,'” he explains. “If you go to any of the main tents in Munich, they all sing it and they all know it. So we kind of keep up with that tradition."

New performers include 7 Summers, a Morgan Wallen tribute band; Rumors, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band; Old Skool; Tricky Dick & the Cover-Ups; Johnny Koenig; River Maps; and the pride of Dyngus Day, DJ Kishka. Cleveland Oktoberfest favorite Don Wojtila also returns.

Dorfrocker travels from Germany to perform again this year, while returning favorites include Alex Meixner and the Chardon Polka Band. Tribute acts will cover music by Journey, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis, and others.

"It's a pretty loaded lineup," Roggenburk says.

More food, and shorter lines
There will be more choices for festivalgoers arriving hungry. New food vendors include Pierogies R Us, Guten Truck, Great Steak & Hoagies, Rust Belt Flatbreads, and Danke Dips Hause, joining the German and festival food offerings already spread throughout the fairgrounds.

"We've added six or seven new food vendors this year," Roggenburk says. "We always have to make sure that we have enough vendors to keep the lines down and all that type of stuff."

Holding their own
The Stein-holding competition—or Masskrugstemmen—returns this year with one notable change: Women will have their own championship division.

In the competition, contestants extend an arm straight out in front of them while holding a full beer stein. The contestants compete to see who can maintain the position the longest.

Roggenburk says more women have been stepping up to compete in recent years.

"[In the past], we'd get like one or two women a day—now we're getting like four or five,” he says. “We do it every day and then we have the finals on the last day. We're going to hold the contest for the females to come back on the last day as well and crown a champion this year."

Plenty of other Oktoberfest staples will return, including the wiener dog races, Great Lakes 5K Bier Run, Best Oktoberfest Microbrew Competition, keg bowling, Miss Oktoberfest Contest, Classic Car Show, Bavarian Shopping Village, International Pavilion, Art Market, Wine & Spirits Garten, and Bitburger Sports & Music Area.

Check the complete schedule of events and entertainment for times and locations.

The stein holding competition.The nation's largest Glockenspiel, sponsored by Jägermeister, will also be back, along with Sunday night fireworks.

Roggenburk says the combination of the fireworks and the Glockenspiel creates one of his favorite moments of the entire festival.

"I really, really do enjoy Sunday night, when we do a nine o'clock Glockenspiel that's kind of choreographed with the fireworks," he says. "People will sit there and they'll watch the Glockenspiel show and there's music and the fireworks go off and it's kind of the one moment where I'm like, ‘you know what? This is it."

But another favorite moment comes much earlier—when the gates first open and the crowds begin streaming into the fairgrounds.

"When the gates open, it's just so weird because growing up…there’s always this community of happiness—and it didn't matter what culture you are," Roggenburk says. "It's like everybody on St. Patrick's Day is Irish. Everybody at Oktoberfest is German."

If you go
Cleveland Oktoberfest runs Friday, Sept. 4 from 4 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, Sept. 5 and Sunday, Sept. 6 from noon to midnight; and Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7 from noon to 8 p.m.

The festival resumes Friday, Sept. 11 from 4 p.m. to midnight and Saturday, Sept. 12 from noon to midnight.

Children younger than 12 are admitted free, and parking is free. Military Monday returns on Labor Day, when active-duty military personnel and veterans with a valid military ID receive free admission at the box office.

Tickets, VIP packages, entertainment schedules, and additional information are available on the Cleveland Oktoberfest website.