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BUCKTOBERFEST FALL FESTIVAL
CHAIRLIFT RIDES + FAMILY ACTIVITIES + CAR SHOW
Bucktoberfest returns to Buck Hill on Saturday, October 3rd, 2026!
Fall in Minnesota has a pretty short window between “Look at those beautiful leaves!” and “Why did I leave the house without gloves?”. So make the most of it. On Saturday, October 3rd from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m., Buck Hill is bringing the community together for Bucktoberfest, a fall festival built for families, car enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a good excuse to get outside.
Set in Buck Hill’s resort village, Bucktoberfest brings together three things that pair surprisingly well: scenic chairlift rides, family-friendly activities, and a car show featuring some seriously cool vehicles.
Add a little live music, local vendors, fall foliage, and a cold drink or hot apple cider, and you have the makings of a pretty great October afternoon.
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CHAIRLIFT RIDES
TAKE FALL TO NEW HEIGHTS
You’ve seen Buck Hill covered in snow. You’ve probably driven past it hundreds of times. But have you ever seen the south metro from the top of the hill in October?
Bucktoberfest gives you the chance to ride Buck Hill’s newest chairlift, the Lookout quad chair, with seating for four people. The round-trip scenic ride takes you to the highest point in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro, where you’ll get incredible views of Crystal Lake and the surrounding fall landscape. And yes, there are safety bars so you can focus on the scenery.
Chairlift rides are $10 per rider, with sessions running from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Each ticket includes one round-trip ride and there’s limited availability.
Once you reach the top, take your time enjoying the hilltop lounge area, complete with beverage service (think hot apple cider) and music. It’s a pretty good spot to take in the fall colors, and maybe take a few photos that prove you actually left the couch.
Last chair up is at 5:00 p.m, with the final chair down at 5:45 p.m.
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FAMILY ACTIVITIES
FALL FESTIVITIES FOR EVERYONE
Families are at the heart of Bucktoberfest.
The Family Activities area gives kids plenty to do while parents enjoy the fall afternoon. Paint a pumpkin, bounce around in a bouncy house, search through the haystack for candy, or explore the Local Vendor Village featuring local goods, food, and drinks.
There will also be live music from an Aventi DJ throughout the afternoon, adding a soundtrack to the festivities.
For parents, it’s an opportunity to spend a few hours outside without having to hear the words “I’m bored” every 11 seconds. For kids, there’s candy involved. Everybody wins.
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CAR SHOW
ROLL INTO FALL
Car enthusiasts have their own reason to make Buck Hill part of the Saturday itinerary.
The Bucktoberfest Car Show presented by Jeff Belzer’s Chevrolet brings vehicles of all kinds to Buck Hill for an afternoon of horsepower, creativity, and friendly competition.
Show car vehicle entry is $20, while spectators get in free. Once you arrive, check out the lineup and vote for your top five favorite vehicles.
The competition includes:
– Top 10 vehicles receive trophies
– People’s Choice #1 wins $500 cash
– Buck Hill Best in Show receives a trophy
– Jeff Belzer’s Chevrolet Best in Show receives a trophy
You might arrive with a meticulously restored classic, a custom build, a modern performance machine, or an appreciation for four wheels and questionable amounts of horsepower, anyway you come there’s plenty to check out.
Car show voting closes at 4:45 p.m., followed by the awards at 5:00 p.m. Want to enter your vehicle? Select the button below.
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BUCK ‘54 BAR & GRILL
GRAB A DRINK & A BITE
Make Bucktoberfest part of a longer afternoon at Buck Hill with a stop at Buck ’54 Bar & Grill. Because every good fall outing eventually reaches the “Okay, where are we eating?” stage. We’ve got that covered, too.
The restaurant will be open with a full menu of mouthwatering food and delicious drinks, giving you an easy place to grab a meal before, during, or after the festivities.
The spacious outdoor dining deck also offers great views of Buck Hill’s ski trails and rolling terrain, giving you a front-row seat to the resort village and the changing fall landscape.
BUCKTOBERFEST
AT A GLANCE
Bucktoberfest | Saturday, October 3 | 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Chairlift Rides
– Scenic round-trip rides on the Lookout chairlift
– $10 per rider
– 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
– Last chair up at 5:00 p.m.
– Last chair down at 5:45 p.m.
Family Activities
– Local Vendor Village
– Pumpkin Painting
– Haystack Candy Hunt
– Bounce Houses
– Live Music by DJ Aventi
Car Show
– Bucktoberfest Car Show presented by Jeff Belzer’s Chevrolet
– $20 vehicle entry
– Free for spectators
– Spectator voting
– Top 10 trophies
– Jeff Belzer’s Chevrolet Best in Show
– Buck Hill Best in Show
– $500 People’s Choice prize
Bring the family. Bring your camera. Bring your appreciation for cool cars. Or bring a date and call it your October adventure.