You’re on your way to enjoying a fantastic Oktoberfest Party.
Oktoberfest: Ein Prost!
Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer festival. The most notable Oktoberfest takes place
in Munich, Germany where six of the largest breweries are located. Even though Oktoberfest is
known as a drinking celebration, you can make it family oriented. If you want to throw your own
Oktoberfest here are some helpful tips!
Throw on your Lederhosen!
Oktoberfest is rich in German tradition. Any Oktoberfest celebration is going to be themed
around Germany. Have your wait
staff and bartenders wear
the traditional drindl for the ladies or lederhosen for the gentlemen. Have the guys top the
lederhosen off with hosentrager (the traditional Bavarian suspenders). Encourage your guests
to dress up as well. You can find these outfits at a costume store or through a costumer on Gig Salad.
If you want to keep with the Bavarian tradition, rent some tents and hold the festivities outside. Be sure to decorate
the place accordingly. Theme the colors around the German flag of black, yellow, and red. You
can use table linens of those
colors, hang flags around the party, and serve the beer in traditional German steins.
Oompah!
I’m not talking about the oompa-loopas! Oompah is the traditional music you will hear at
any Oktoberfest celebration; it consists of marches, and polka & folk
music. You can find polka bands and other German entertainment on Gig Salad. Another musical idea
for your party is to have a strolling accordion player. It puts everybody in the spirit of the festival.
.
In addition to some fantastic music, be sure to have plenty of entertainers! Some fun
options for additional entertainers are stilt walkers and jugglers.
If you want to make your event more family friendly, have some activities for the kids like carnival rides and bounce houses.
Märzen, Brats, and so Much More!
Now to the important stuff - beer and food! Find a local brewery to get you some authentic
brews. Check before going in, but usually most microbreweries will sell kegs. The traditional
Oktoberfest beer is a märzen, but be sure to have a few varieties as well as a bartender with other beverages for those who don’t
care for beer.
When it comes to food, I’d recommend a caterer. They can provide the food in the quantities that you need. However,
if you choose to make it yourself here are some common, hearty foods you will find at
Oktoberfest . The main dish always consists of meat. In Munich they grill up oxen, cows,
chickens and more on spits. This is quite time consuming and takes skill to perfect. I’d
recommend having plenty of bratwursts, fried chicken, turkey legs, brisket, etc. These hearty
dishes are usually served with Bavarian pretzels, sauerkraut, fried potatoes, and strudel for
desert.
Oktoberfest is a fun party to throw; however, with alcohol being consumed it’s best to
be safe. If you are throwing a large party, it is a good idea to hire some security in case things get out of
hand. Be sure to check out Gig Salad’s variety of German entertainers, caterers, and more
when planning this event. Prost!
