For the first time ever, we are hosting a combined State Championship event with both North Carolina AND South Carolina venues, and we're very excited to continue our partnership with Gilde Brewery to host the combined Steinholding Championship Finals of The Carolinas on Saturday October 17th, 2026 at 6:00pm at Gilde Brewery in Charlotte, NC! Qualifying venues from both North and South Carolina are eligible to join this tournament and send their winners to Charlotte! The German lagers will be flowing, and the winner of the men's and women's competition finals will be crowned the Steinholding Champions and will be invited to represent The Carolinas and attend the USSA National Steinholding Championship! This year's State Champions will ALSO receive prizes from our partners at BavariaTrachten.com where you can use the discount code STEINHOLDING to get 10% off any purchase of lederhosen, dirndls, and other great festival apparel all season long!
There are a limited number of spots available for the finals and you'll need to compete at one of our Qualifying Venue partner locations (listed below) to qualify for the finals and get your shot at the big prizes.
1. We're partnering with breweries, bars, and festivals across North Carolina AND South Carolina to host preliminary qualifying rounds at these venues. The men's and women's winner from each registered Qualifying Venue will be invited to represent their venue at Gilde Brewery for the Championship Finals. The different venues are listed below along with the dates and times for each competition. If your favorite North or South Carolina venue isn't hosting a competition, tell them to get registered so you can join the fun!
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2. You can compete at Gilde Brewery Oktoberfest in their preliminary round competitions! Competitors who post the best overall times during their qualifying competitions on September 19th and 26th, and October 3rd, 2026, all at 7:00pm will qualify to move on to compete in the State Championship Finals!
U.S. Steinholding Association Official Steinholding Rules will be used. There will be a team of USSA-trained judges at the finals, so study up on the rules and spend some time training to make sure your form is clean, or you won't last long in the Championship Round!
Check out the initial competition map and venue list below. Don't see your favorite venue listed? Reach out to them and tell them that you DEMAND STEINHOLDING and they need to sign up! We'll be announcing more locations throughout the summer and fall so check back and follow us on FB and IG for updates. Remember- these venues will have limited spaces available for their qualifying rounds, so show up early and register in advance with the venue if you can!
| Venue | Address | Competition Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Birdsong Brewing Co. | 1016 N. Davidson St., Charlotte, NC 28206 | August 22nd, 2026, time TBD |
 | Fonta Flora Brewery | 6751 NC-126, Nebo, NC 28761 | September 19th, 2026 at 5:00pm |
 | Foothills Brewing | 3800 Kimwell Dr., Winston-Salem, NC 27103 | September 26th, 2026 at 2:00pm! |
 | Southend Brewing Oktoberfest | 117b W Lewis St., Greensboro, NC 27406 | October 3rd, 2026 at 6:00pm! |
 | Crank Arm Brewing Co. Sproktoberfest | 319 W Davie Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 | Date/time TBD |
| | Gilde Brewery | 3530 Dewitt Lane, Charlotte, NC 28217 | Local Qualifiers: September 19th and 26th, and October 3rd, 2026, all at 7:00pm State Finals: October 17th, 2026 at 6:00pm |
Want to compete or host a competition in a State Championship tournament? Check out the buttons below for more information!
