Goodyear Oktoberfest returns at airport with German beer, band and local fundraising

Organizers David and Toby announced that Goodyear Oktoberfest is returning this year at the Lux Air hangars adjacent to Goodyear Airport, bringing imported beer from the Weihenstephan brewery, a 12- to 13-person traditional German band flown in from Germany and German food vendors.

The event, which began in Goodyear in 1990 as a small gathering tied to aviation training squadrons, had been on hiatus since 2019, organizers said. David and Toby told Inside Goodyear hosts Jordan Byrd and Tammy Vo that the relaunch aims to be as authentic as possible while open to the broader Goodyear community.

Organizers described logistical work to import beer and coordinate catering and rentals, and said they recently traveled to Germany to sample beer and meet partners. They said the brewery Weihenstephan — described in the interview as a longstanding, traditional brewery — provided a private tour and is supplying beer for the event.

Speakers said a typical Oktoberfest mug at the event will be the one‑liter size used at Munich’s festival and that planners are calculating roughly 3 liters of beer per attendee for planning purposes. Organizers also said they would offer nonalcoholic beer options, a wine tent and water.

The program will include live music that begins with traditional German tunes and shifts to more contemporary songs later in the evening, organizers said. They said the event layout at the Lux Air hangars will provide views of the flight line and that they reinforced tables to accommodate dancing on tables—a noted Oktoberfest tradition.

On fundraising, organizers said the event has donated proceeds in the past to New Life Center in Goodyear. For this relaunch they said Lufthansa Health Alliance is sponsoring the event initially and that proceeds will be donated to Help Aligns Americas, which they identified in the interview as a 501(c)(3) organization. Organizers framed the event as both a cultural celebration and a fundraiser.

Discussion on sourcing noted customs and distribution channels as planning challenges for imported beer and some food items; organizers said they are working with U.S. distributors and a local catering company that supported earlier editions of the festival.

Hosts Jordan Byrd and Tammy Vo moderated the conversation and framed the event as a chance to celebrate German–American ties in Goodyear while also returning a longtime community fundraiser to the city.

Tickets, exact event date and further operational details were not specified in the interview; organizers said only that they had recently completed planning trips and bookings for the band and brewery partners.