How to Book an Oktoberfest Band: A Guide for Entertainment Directors
You run the taproom, the festival or the church Oktoberfest. You need a band that keeps people in the room, shows up on time and fits your space. This guide covers what to ask, what a three-piece band needs, how the booking steps work and what a quote should cover. We are Appalachian Freunde Polka Band, a German polka trio from Asheville, NC.
When should you start?
Pick your date first. We play Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and our peak season runs August to October. If your event falls in that window, check the band's calendar before you plan the rest. Our calendar marks each fall weekend as open, pending or booked.
Then think about your crowd. A brewery crowd comes and goes all afternoon. A festival crowd wants a show at set times. A church crowd has kids, parents and grandparents in the same tent. Tell the band which crowd you have, so it can plan the sets around it.
What should you ask any Oktoberfest band?
- Who plays? Ask for names and instruments. Ask if the same players come to every show.
- How long are the sets? Ask how many minutes of music you get each hour and how long the breaks run.
- Do they bring sound? Ask who runs it during the show.
- What power do they need? Ask for the number of outlets and the circuit size.
- When do they arrive? Ask for load-in and load-out times.
- What does the quote cover? Ask if travel, sound and lighting sit inside the quote or come on top of it.
- How do you hold a date? Ask about the contract and the deposit deadline.
- Where have they played? Ask which venues booked them more than once. A repeat booking tells you how the last show went.
- Can you see a real crowd? Ask for video from a festival or a taproom, not a studio.
What does a trio need for space and power?
Three players need less room than a large brass band. Diane plays keys and sings. Mike plays drums and runs the sound. Adam plays clarinet and sax and sings. We fit a taproom corner, a tent or a stage.
Power: two outlets on at least one 20-amp circuit. Tell us where the closest outlets are before the day of the show.
Time: we arrive about 2 hours before the start to load in and set up the sound. Load-out takes about 45 minutes.
Weather: we play indoors and outdoors. For an outdoor show, have a covered or indoor backup spot in case of rain.
How does the booking timeline work?
- Send your request. Give us the date, the city, the type of event and the start and end times.
- Get a quote and a contract. We send both to you.
- Hold your date. Return the signed contract and the deposit within 7 days. We confirm the date when both arrive.
- Plan the day. Before the show, we confirm the load-in time, the power, the set times and a contact person on site.
What does a booking include?
One quote covers the three of us, our sound system, travel, and lighting when the event needs it. Bookings run 3 hours or more. Each hour has at least 45 minutes of music and a 15-minute break. Your quote depends on the day of the week, your city and the length of the show. Call or email us for yours.
What keeps a crowd in the room?
People stay when they get to join in. Our show has the Chicken Dance, sing-alongs like Country Roads and Sweet Caroline, cowbells, a stein hoist, a conga line and room for kids to dance. Ein Prosit, the German toast song, comes around in every set. Günther von Cluckenstein, our 8-foot inflatable chicken, joins some shows for the Chicken Dance. See the songs on our sing-along page.
How do you check a band's track record?
Ask any band where it has played. We have played Oktoberfest Columbia in South Carolina three years in a row, from 2024 to 2026. It is a multi-day festival. In 2026 we played it from Friday, October 9, to Sunday, October 11. Steel Hands Brewing in Cayce, SC, Southern Appalachian Brewery in Hendersonville, NC, and Bull McCabe's Irish Pub in Durham, NC, have each booked us more than once. Our press kit has our bio, photos and show videos.
Ready to hold a date?
Call Adam at (828) 231-4121 or email info@afpolka.com. Check open weekends on our calendar.
Questions entertainment directors ask
How many people are in the Appalachian Freunde Polka Band?
Three: Diane Fields on keys and vocals, Mike Fields on drums and sound, and Adam Bennett on clarinet, sax and vocals.
What power does a polka trio need?
Two outlets on at least one 20-amp circuit.
How long does the band need to set up?
We arrive about 2 hours before the start to load in. Load-out takes about 45 minutes.
How do I hold a date with the band?
Return the signed contract and the deposit within 7 days of getting them. We confirm the date when both arrive.
What does the quote cover?
The three players, our sound system, travel, and lighting when the event needs it.