Denver, Colorado's Oktoberfest (Sept. 16-18 and 23-25)

( Driendl Group )

When Samuel Adams is the official sponsor of an Oktoberfest, it's healthy to question the German celebration's authenticity. In this case, though, Jägermeister is also a major sponsor -- and so we're in. Oktoberfest Denver kicks off with a ceremonial tapping of a Sam Adams Oktoberfest keg of beer, and continues for two full weekends of themed costumes, live music and tasty cuisine. Coloradans and the 250,000 visitors who stop by each year take competition very seriously: the Stein Hoisting Competition starts on the first Friday with pre-qualifying rounds and continues for two weekends until the strongest -- and hopefully soberest -- contenders throw down on the following Saturday night on the German Stage.