Oktoberfest Southlake comes back to Southlake Town Square Oct. 16-18 for its 25th anniversary. The Southlake Chamber of Commerce presents it, and admission and parking are free. Six days after it ends, on Saturday, Oct. 24, the Southlake Foundation's DiwaliFest fills the same streets from 3 to 10 p.m.
The festival format is familiar. The square around it has changed. Between June and October, Town Square added a full-line home store and two apparel brands. It brought back two brands that had left, moved a longtime tenant to a new address and lost Nike. Most of that turnover happened inside the existing footprint. Brands are trading spaces with each other, and returning brands are filling storefronts that other retailers left. Two crowded October weekends are the first time many people will walk the whole square since it changed.
The storefront changes since last October
The table below covers changes reported or posted from June through early October 2026. Where a source didn't give a date, the table doesn't either.
| Store | Address or former space | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Crate & Barrel | 321 State St., former Market by Macy's space | Opened June 25 |
| Reformation | 213 Grand Ave. E. | Opened Tuesday, Aug. 11 |
| Rothy's | 307 Grand Ave. E. | Open |
| Lilly Pulitzer | 409 Grand Ave. East, 1,476 square feet | Open, back on the square |
| BYLT | 214 State St., former Francesca's space | Store hours posted on the Town Square directory |
| L'Occitane en Provence | Moved from 1428 Civic Place to 1251 Main St. | Relocated within the square |
| LOFT | Former Eddie Bauer space on Main Street | Returning |
| Nike | 181 Grand Ave. | Closed |
| Ascension Coffee | 100 State St., former Corner Bakery space | Mid-October target |
| ON Running | 415 Grand Ave. East | Listed as "Opening Soon" |
Several of these openings filled spaces other retailers had left. Crate & Barrel took the former Market by Macy's space. LOFT, which had a store at Town Square before, is taking the former Eddie Bauer storefront. BYLT took the former Francesca's space. Ascension Coffee is taking over the former Corner Bakery space. Southlake Style reported in May that Eddie Bauer and Francesca's had closed.
Nike's exit followed a different pattern. Southlake Style reported on Aug. 13 that the store at 181 Grand Ave., open since 2022, had closed abruptly. The outlet tied the closure to a broader Nike restructuring. In July alone, the company closed or announced closures at stores in Tampa, Louisville, Atlanta, The Woodlands and other cities. The company still runs its factory outlet at Grapevine Mills.
The Oktoberfest weekend, by day
The festival is centered at 285 Grand Ave. The 2026 entertainment schedule runs on three named stages, the Gazebo Stage, the German Stage and the Starbucks Stage. The published schedule names the stages but doesn't map where each one sits.
- Friday, Oct. 16, 4 to 11 p.m. Ashmore plays from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m., and Back in Black closes the night from 9:30 to 10:45 p.m. The Stein Hoisting Contest runs in the evening.
- Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. The day opens with the Wiener Dog Costume Contest at 9:30 a.m. and the Wiener Dog Race at 10 a.m. Texas Flood plays from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m., and Larger Than Life headlines from 9:15 to 10:45 p.m. Stein hoisting returns in the evening.
- Sunday, Oct. 18, noon to 7 p.m. Brave Combo closes the festival from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Between the headliners, the schedule fills the stages with Bavarian dancers, jazz and school bands, accordion and violin performers, and German and Bavarian ensembles. The food list includes bratwurst, pretzels and schnitzel. A children's area offers games and face painting.
Getting in, and what to leave at home
The schedule above affects how long you'll be there. Parking and bag rules affect how you get in. The organizer's FAQ points drivers to two garages and offers no shuttle.
- East Garage at 1451 Federal Way
- West Garage at 351 State St.
The West Garage address is close to the State Street side of the square, where Crate & Barrel, BYLT and the planned Ascension Coffee are. The East Garage is on the other side of the square. Leashed, well-behaved pets are welcome, which matters on race morning. Backpacks, large bags and outside food and drinks are not allowed. The FAQ doesn't say which Town Square streets close or for how long. Check the organizer's site the week of the event before planning a drive through the square.
Six days later, DiwaliFest takes the same square
DiwaliFest on Saturday, Oct. 24, runs from 3 to 10 p.m. at Town Square. The Southlake Foundation's 2026 page promotes local artisans and makers, international food, live cultural music and dance, and a children's zone with games and activities.
DiwaliFest has posted fewer details so far. As of early October, the Foundation's 2026 page doesn't name performers, stage locations, vendors or parking arrangements. The Oktoberfest bag and outside-food rules are that event's FAQ and don't automatically apply to DiwaliFest.
The festivals are close together, and the storefront changes matter for both. Anyone at Oktoberfest who passes the former Nike space at 181 Grand Ave. or finds L'Occitane at 1251 Main St. instead of Civic Place will already know the new layout when they return on Oct. 24. Ascension Coffee could also open in the time between the two festivals.
What could open between the two festivals
Ascension Coffee's timing has moved more than once. Town Square's April tenant announcement projected an August opening. Community Impact reported on Aug. 12 that a Town Square spokesperson pointed to a fall opening, with a mid-October target. The Southlake shop at 100 State St. will be Ascension's seventh in North Texas. It will have a full espresso bar, a slow bar where baristas prepare drinks by hand, and seasonal coffee flights. A mid-October target puts the opening near Oktoberfest weekend, but no specific date has been announced.
ON Running is still listed as "Opening Soon" in the Town Square directory. The Swiss brand plans a 6,000-square-foot store, its first in Tarrant County, between Alo and Sunglass Hut. Its original target was the second half of 2026.
Some of the other September openings are off the square, along East Southlake Boulevard at Park Village. Hudson House opened Sept. 14 at 1131 E. Southlake Blvd., with burgers, sushi and a raw bar. Hydration Room opened its first Texas location on Sept. 18 at 1161 E. Southlake Blvd., Ste. 280. Barry's is selling memberships ahead of a late-October opening at 1081 E. Southlake Blvd., Ste. 170. Maman's Park Village café at 1161 E. Southlake Blvd. is further out. Southlake Style reported construction starting in October and an opening in early 2027.
After October
The next big event in the area is Home for the Holidays on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 1400 E. Southlake Blvd. The visitor bureau lists it as free, with a tree lighting, a snow hill and fireworks. By then, Ascension Coffee and LOFT may be open, ON Running may have a date, and the Main Street and State Street storefronts will have settled into their new tenants.
At The Bauer Group, we follow Southlake closely, from new storefronts on the square to new openings along East Southlake Boulevard. If you're curious how this year's changes at Town Square affect daily life nearby, our team can walk you through it. Start Your DFW Home Search with an agent who knows what's open on the square.