Learning how to take proper penalties like the Germans and hearing Queen and Oasis like never before will be among the attractions at a four-day Oktoberfest beer-tacular in east London this October.
The famous Bavarian festival will be taking place in London for the first time at the Tabacco Docks in Wapping from October 8 to 11.
Organisers reckon around 24,000 revellers will be tempted along to get a taste of what the 200-year-old event’s all about.
With celebrations in Germany being moved to September, it will be the one genuine October-based Oktoberfest in Europe.
Here are five highlights from what’s planned:
Beer! A traditional German beer hall will be set up, complete with long tables and benches.
More than 100,000 pints of lager, in traditional German one-litre Stein glasses, are expected to be drunk.
German beer company Paulaner will be shipping over 600 barrels of traditional light lager with the recognisable frothy white head.
Beauties! All that lovely beer will be served by waitresses dressed in traditional (the word traditional is getting used a lot here) dirndl costumes with laced-up bodices, white blouses, full skirts and aprons.
The men’s outfits will include genuine lederhosen breeches, alpine hats and socks up to the knee.
Food! More than 50,000 traditional sausages are expected to be eaten during the four days.
Grub will be laid on from restaurant chain Hermann Ze German, including wurstl (sausages), sauerkruat (pickled cabbage), shnitzel (breaded and fried meat) and potato salad.
Music! A Bavarian oom-pah band will provide the soundtrack for the festival but unlike in Munich they will be playing classic British pop and rock songs from bands such as Queen and Oasis.
Sadly, the Germans are rather too used to singing We Are the Champions already.
Games! There’ll be plenty of tongue-in-cheek activities to be found at Oktoberfest. For instance, you’ll be able to get lessons from German professional footballers on taking penalties, and take part in a beach towel tossing game to stake your claim to a sun-lounger.
As event organiser Timo Schimdt says, it should be “amazing fun”.
Oktoberfest tickets are £10 for general admission including the Paulaner beer tent, Bavarian garden, pub and Munich market.
A £60 pass includes unlimited steins of Paulaner beer and a meal of your choice from Herman Ze German.
A table for 10 at £600 includes 10 passes and VIP tables for £1,000 are located adjacent to the oom-pah band stage.
For bookings go to www.oktoberfest.london
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