At My Best at Oktoberfest

Welcome to Oktoberfest in La Crosse, Wisconsin!

We at the La Crosse Police Department hope you have a safe and enjoyable Oktoberfest celebration.

3rd Street Aid Station

The 3rd Street Aid Station is staffed by Police and volunteers on Friday and Saturday nights from 7 p.m.-3 a.m. the next day. The station offers the following assistance:

  • Medical care
  • Phone charging
  • Reporting lost or found items
  • Directions to the pick-up area for taxis, Uber, Lyft and the Safe Ride Bus

The 3rd Street Aid Station is located in the Subway parking lot at the corner of 3rd and Pearl Streets in downtown La Crosse.

Public Transportation

In order to keep busy streets safe for pedestrians, there are several ways to get to the North and South side fest grounds, as well as downtown La Crosse. These include taxi, Uber, Lyft, Oktoberfest USA shuttle, or the La Crosse MTU Safe Ride Bus.

Taxi - Uber - Lyft

For the downtown area, we encourage you to request your pick-up from 4th or 5th Street so as to avoid the congestion on 3rd Street. The following are local taxi companies and their phone numbers:

Oktoberfest USA Shuttle

Oktoberfest USA offers a free shuttle service from several areas around town. Check back for the 2026 Oktoberfest Guide that details this route.

Safe Ride Bus

La Crosse MTU also provides a Safe Ride Bus that travels from the college campus areas to the downtown area. Check back for the 2026 Safe Ride Bus guide with route details.

Public Parking Ramps

All five downtown parking ramps are Pay-to-Park facilities from Monday-Sunday, 6 a.m.-10 p.m. During these times, all users must register their vehicle license plates and pay the parking fee. This can be done by downloading the ParkMobile App or via pay station kiosks located at the entrances to each ramp. Parking fees are $1.00 per hour or $10.00 per day. Once a vehicle is parked within the ramp, the vehicle must be registered whether you are there during a paid period or a free period. All regular permit holders are exempt from any additional fees.

As a reminder, backing into stalls in prohibited within all public parking ramps and lots in the City of La Crosse.

Safety Tips

Please keep the following tips in mind for your safety and the safety of others.

Do...

  • Have fun!
  • Be patient with people and traffic.
  • Drink responsibly and consume water.
  • Stay together with your friends, and use the buddy system.
  • Take a picture of where you parked your car.
  • Make your lock screen a picture of information such as the address where you're staying, the name and phone number of a friend, or your own home address.
  • Fully charge your cell phone.
  • Use 3rd Street Aid Station located in the Subway lot at the corner of 3rd and Pearl Streets.

Alternatively, be sure that you...

  • Don't drink too much.
  • Don't wander away from your friends.
  • Don't disregard warnings from law enforcement.
  • Don't ignore traffic signs and signals.
  • Don't drink and drive.
  • Don't host parties with underage patrons.

Local Laws and Fines

The La Crosse Police Department is committed to being very proactive within the City of La Crosse. The following list of typical violations includes the Municipal Code section number, a basic description of the violation, and the subsequent fine.

  • 4-142 License required to sell malt beverage - $1,636.00
  • 4-72 License required to sell liquor - $1,636.00
  • 4-6 Sale or furnish malt beverage to underage - $313.00
  • 32-106 Public consumption - $124.00
  • 32-103 Public intoxication - $250.00
  • 32-162 Indecent behavior or public urination - $187.00
  • 4-172 Social host - $691.00
  • 4-111 Unregistered keg - $1,321.00
  • 32-135 Excessive noise from residence - $124.00
  • 44-4 Possession of street sign - $187.00
  • 32-41 Damage to property - $250.00
  • 32-102 Disorderly conduct - $187.00

Underage persons committing alcohol-related crimes are subject to the following chart which includes the violation and the total fine depending on if its the first, second, third, or fourth time the violation has occurred.

Violation Fines

Infraction  1st 2nd 3rd 4th or more
Procure or attempt to procure  $376.00 $502.00 $691.00 $1,006.00
Possession or consumption of alcohol on premise (in a bar) $376.00 $502.00 $691.00 $1,006.00
Underage on premise (in a bar) $376.00 $502.00 $691.00 $1,006.00
Possession of false identification on premise $439.00 $502.00 $691.00 $1,006.00
Underage consumption without a parent off premise $250.00 $376.00 $439.00 $691.00

 

Fine amounts reflect changes made on September 23, 2025.

The University of Wisconsin System Policy section 17.08 may consider non-academic misconduct occurring outside of the university campus area when determining possible student discipline.

This information is provided as a courtesy of the La Crosse Police Department to assist you in making your best decisions during Oktoberfest and throughout the year.

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