Nothing sums up the Bavarian spirit better than the annual Oktoberfest. But don’t worry if you can’t make it to Munich this time round, we’ve picked the best alternatives from all over the globe that are worth a visit.
(Note: Before reading further, get yourself into the “Wies’n” groove with this gem by the Michael Jackson of Bavarian folk music: Ernst Mosch.)
1. Cincinnati: Wiener Run and Chicken Dance
The Oktoberfest in Cincinnati is the biggest of its kind in the United States. One of the highlights: The Running of the Wieners. Only the strongest and bravest dachshunds (wrapped in hot dog buns) gather to compete in this fantastic race. Aside from the race, the Cincinnati Oktoberfest is also famous for its chicken dance. In 1994 no less than 48,000 people took part in this, leading to an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.
2. Santa Monica: Vegan Wies’n
While at the original Oktoberfest at least 100 bulls and nearly half a million chickens are consumed every year, Santa Monica has gone for a different approach: the world’s first vegan Oktoberfest. From meat-free sausages to vegan fish & chips, all your veggie wishes will be satisfied.
3. Canada: Tour de Hans
The biggest Oktoberfest in Canada takes place in Kitchener-Waterloo in mid October. With 19 tents, a beauty pageant and a bicycle race named “Tour de Hans” – Kitchener-Waterloo really has it all. Even the Thanksgiving parade is held here.
4. Australia: Sheep race in the outback
Small but beautiful: perhaps the smallest Oktoberfest in the world is held in Winston, deep in the Australian outback. A highlight is the “Wooly Caulfield Cup”, a sheep race featuring “monkey jockeys”.
5. Brazil: Samba and Schuhplattln
A very strange mixture of latin rhythms and the traditional Bavarian folk dance “Schuhplattlern” can be found at the world’s second biggest Oktoberfest. For those unfamiliar with “Schuhplattlern”: translating roughly to “shoe flattening”, it’s a dance where you intensely slap your hands against various body parts – face slaps or “Watschn” for your dancing partner included.
6. Cambodia: Party and Pretzels
In the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh the focus of the Oktoberfest lies more on partying than tradition. Besides a hot dog eating contest and a pretzel long throw contest, an original Bavarian band provides plenty of raucous entertainment.
7. China: Under Water Beer Drinking Contest
At the Qingdao International Beer Festival drinking contests are taken to a whole new level – they are held in an aquarium. Visitors who aren’t really into this kind of amusement can still enjoy an elephant parade and the election of the “Qingdao Beer Festival Girl”.
8. Ireland: Nailing and Yodeling
The Irish version of Oktoberfest in Dublin is also all about contests. While the “nailing” contest, where you have to hammer nails into a wooden board, doesn’t seem to have much relation to the original Oktoberfest, there are six other contests to prove how Bavarian you are. And some of them, like yodelling and “Schuhplattlern”, are about as traditional as you can get.
Which is your favourite version of Oktoberfest?
(Preview photo cred: www.oktoberfest-dublin.de)
