Oktoberfest Celebrations Around the World

The original Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held every year in Munich during late September and early October. It is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810. Visitors enjoy amusement rides, side stalls and games and consume large quantities of beer and traditional foods. Oktoberfest: More Than Just Beer; Best Fall Vacation Getaway Ideas

Outside of Germany, the largest Oktoberfest is in Kitchener, Ontaro and surrounding cities in the Waterloo region. The next largest are in Blumenau, Brazil, Cincinnati, Ohio and Denver, Colorado. An Oktoberfest is held in New York City under a big tent along the city’s East River.

Argentina

The National Beer Festival is Argentina’s version, taking place each year since 1963 in Villa General Belgrano, Cordoba and attracting thousands of tourists for two consecutive weekends.

Asia

Oktoberfest events have spread to major Asian cities like Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul and Bangkok. These Asian versions add local twists, but keep the beer, music and costume traditions. Some events attract over 100,000 visitors.

Qingdao, China hosts a major beer festival in late August inspired by Oktoberfest, as Qingdao has German roots. Qingdao has the largest Oktoberfest celebration in all of China. Beijing holds their celebration at the Paulaner Brauhaus in the Kempinski Hotel. The Hong Kong Marco Polo Bierfest has been held since 1992 and other events take place at Happy Valley Racecourse and the Indian Recreation Club. 

In the Philippines, Beer and music festivals are held from September to December and organized by the San Miguel brewery which makes San Miguel beer and other alcoholic beverages.

Australia

Oktoberfest celebration was bannned from university campus grounds, However, a private vent company launched Oktoberfest in the Gardens in the Supreme Court Gardens, Perth on October 7, 2011. The event has expanded to Adelaide and Sydney and now attracts thousands annually. Royal Melbourne Oktoberfest is held in the Royal Exhibition Building and at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
The Harmone German Club, Caberra holds a festival over a three-day period in October. Brisban e celebrates over the first two weekends in October and offers a variety of German beers, wine and food, music and dancing.
The seaside village of Emu Park on Queenland’s Capricorn Coast’s celebration has been held since 1984 and organized by the local Lion’s Club.

Canada

Major Oktoberfest events happen in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. Kitchener-Waterloo’s Thanksgiving Festival is the largest in North America after Munich’s festival. Vancouver, British Columbia also has a popular German cultural festival in early October.

Eastern Europe

Budapest, Hungary holds a popular Oktoberfest celebration along the Danube river. It features local takes on German food and music Krakow, Poland hosts a Krakowski Festiwal Piwa, or Krakow Beer Festival, inspired by Oktoberfest. Belgrade, Serbia also puts on a major Belgrade Beer Fest in August.

Latin America

Argentina celebrates Oktoberfest in Villa General Belgrano, a village founded by German immigrants. Chile’s capital Santiago has an Oktoberfest with beer, folk dancing and traditional clothes. Oktoberfest is celebrated in Blumenau, Brazil with German beer, food, and folk dances. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, as Blumenau has a large German population.

New Zealand

Auckland hosts a major Oktoberfest event each year, as do some other New Zealand cities like Wellington and Christchurch. These festivals celebrate Kiwi-German heritage and culture with beers, bands, food and family activities. Some people dress in dirndls and lederhosen.

Scandinavia

Copenhagen, Denmark, hosts a Tivoli Oktoberfest with beer, brass bands and amusement rides at the famous Tivoli Gardens. Oslo, Norway also has an Oktoberfest festival in the fall with German beers, food and music.

United Kingdom

Several cities around the UK host Oktoberfest celebrations, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Newcastle. The London Oktoberfest takes place over two weekends in October. Other UK events feature beer tents, German food, music and costumes. The largest Oktoberfest celebration in the UK is in Newcastle, with over 160,000 visitors each year.

United States

German-Americans are the largest self-reported ancestral group in the United States. Hundreds of large and small Oktoberfests are celebrated throughout the country, with the largest being in Cincinnati, Ohio. Pennsylvania is known to have many celebrations due to its Pennsylvania Dutch population. Other major celebrations take place in Huntington Beach, California, as well as many other California towns, Cullman, Alabama, Nashville, Tennessee, Tempe and Phoenix, Arizona, Denver and Parker, Colorado, Newark, Delaware, many towns in the State of Florida, Helen, Georgia. Rosemont, Illinois. Indianapolis and other towns in Indiana. Then we have celebrations’ in Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and the list goes on and on. Almost every state in the United States has an Oktoberfest celebration. Places to Celebrate Oktoberfest in the US

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