THE world’s largest beer festival, Oktoberfest, is due to begin next week, with celebrations kicking off across the UK.
The festival was first held in Munich in the early 1800s, but is now celebrated all over the world, with German booze at the heart of the festivities.
Darren Fletcher – The SunOktoberfest is now a globally popular beer festival that started in Bavaria[/caption]
Here are five places across the UK where you can enjoy a few steins this autumn.
London – Munich Cricket Club
Labelling itself “London’s best Oktoberfest experience” Munich Cricket Club is one of the best places to celebrate in the capital.
There are three branches of the German-style bierkeller, which features weekly live oompah bands, german beers and traditional Bavarian food.
For Oktoberfest, they promise more of the same, with “music, steins, fun and dancing on the tables” on offer.
Their celebrations will run from September 16 until October 31 this year, with table booking required.
Each of the three branches, Victoria, Tower Hill and Canary Wharf, will have live music on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Manchester – Freight Island
Popular food and drink spot Freight Island will be hosting a big Oktoberfest party across four days in Manchester this year.
The “cultural hub of food, drink and entertainment” will have German beer, oompah bands and a special bratwurst menu from September 28 until October 1 this year.
The inside of Freight Island will be transformed in to an all singing, all dancing Bavarian beer hall complete with long wooden tables and traditional bunting.
Tickets are £8 for Thursday, Friday, Sunday and £10 for Saturday – which includes entry and a traditional German bier stein to take home.
Newcastle – Times Square
If you’re a Geordie, it doesn’t matter if you can’t make it to Munich for Oktoberfest – you can still have a stein on the Tyne.
Times Square, outside the Centre For Life, will be hosting three weekends of Oktoberfest fun, which they promise will be “the biggest Bavarian party in the north”.
As many as 10,000 people are expected to attend this year’s celebrations, with a 2,000 capacity beer tent being set up to host oompah bands, traditional foods and of course plenty of booze.
The event will be running every Friday and Saturday from Friday, October 13 until Saturday October 28. Tickets are £10.
Lederhosen fancy dress is very much encouraged on Tyneside.
Edinburgh – West Princes Street Gardens
Scotland‘s capital will also be hosting an Oktoberfest party this year, with the West Princes Street Gardens set to be “transformed into a complete authentic Oktoberfest experience”.
From Thursday October 5 until Sunday October 8, Auld Reekie will have “everything that makes a real Oktoberfest” including the beer, the live music, full Oktoberfest decoration and food inside their tent.
It will have a capacity of 1,000 people, with tickets on sale now.
The Edinburgh Oktoberfest website promises “you will not sit for long before you want to sing along and maybe stand on the benches” for a dance.
Cardiff – VSA Warehouse
Oktoberfest is also set to return to Cardiff this year, with the Welsh party strongly encouraging guests to get their lederhosen on for the party.
Beer hall atmosphere, table service from traditionally-dressed waiting staff, authentic beer and food, live bands and a sausage eating contest are all part of the fun at the VSA Warehouse.
A table of six can be booked from £75 for the celebration, or from £10 per person.
The party will take place on Saturday, September 30.
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Darren Fletcher – The SunOktoberfest celebrations will be held in the UK over the next two months[/caption]