SuppliedAlthough many places try to emulate it, it’s a tall order to top the spectacle of the legendary German Oktoberfest beer festival. Despite the challenge, Edmonton is one such place hoping to do just that with the Edmonton Oktoberfest.
Oktoberfest is a traditional festival in Munich, Germany, which fills the city annually with beer, music, and people. It originated when Bavarian Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese and invited the entire city of Munich to party. Now, almost 200 years later, about six million people from around the world come to the city each year from September 16th to October 3rd to keep the celebration going.
Edmonton’s third annual Oktoberfest was held at the Edmonton Expo Center for two days at the beginning of this month. The local gathering showcases craft beer from various breweries around Edmonton and Alberta. Although the atmosphere at Edmonton Oktoberfest’s didn’t come close to the electrifying environment of Munich’s, there were still a few aspects that kept true to the original.
When I attended Munich’s Oktoberfest this past year, it was a one of a kind experience: a winning combination of unbelievably rowdy and incredibly friendly. Every five minutes, people were up on their tables chugging 1L steins of beer and immediately after, would be singing and dancing with their neighbours, and conversing with people from all over the world (attendees we met hailed from places as far as Korea, Australia, and Brazil). One standout traveler said he’d visited 74 different countries and was only in his 20s! Another festival-goer, a tattoo artist from LA, gave everyone at the table customized felt tattoos. The live band performing throughout the festival provided the perfect soundtrack for meeting these interesting people, playing a mix of traditional German drinking songs and modern hits. If you love beer, music and meeting people of all cultures and backgrounds, Munich’s Oktoberfest is a destination worth visiting at least once in your life.
Edmonton’s Oktoberfest wasn’t quite the life changing experience Munich’s was, but it was still enjoyable. They also hosted a live band who played traditional German songs, and there were a number of people dressed in traditional German attire such as lederhosen (the leather suspenders you see on guys) and dirndls (the colorful dresses you see on girls). Some people danced, but for the most part, there was much less of a sense of community compared to Munich’s Oktoberfest. People were dispersed throughout the large hall, which provided little opportunity to socialize between groups — the lasting highlight from the festival in Munich. As for the beer, the serving size was definitely smaller: two dollars bought about 75 mLs of beer. Fortunately, the taste of most was impressive enough to help make up for the smaller portions, and there was a good variety to be tasted from brewers across Alberta and other international locales such as Germany and Mexico. A personal favourite was the Toronto-based Mill St. Organic for its light and refreshing taste.
Munich and Edmonton’s Oktoberfests were enjoyable, albeit Munich’s definitely more so. For anyone who enjoys beer, visit the Edmonton Oktoberfest but for someone looking for a once in a lifetime experience, plan to say “Prost!” next year in Munich.
