Helen's Oktoberfest runs from mid-September through early November in the Festhalle and surrounding streets, with oompah bands, beer steins, bratwurst, pretzels, and the full Bavarian kitsch treatment. It is one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the United States and the biggest single annual event in Georgia outside Atlanta.
Weekends during Oktoberfest are densely crowded; if you want to experience the festival without the worst of the crowds, aim for a weekday. Accommodation must be booked months in advance for the most popular weekends. The beer is good — German and American craft beers both on offer — and the atmosphere is cheerful if overwhelmingly themed.