Raise a glass of beer to Oktoberfest on Thames
A BAVARIAN-STYLE beer hall will pop up by the Thames this autumn for what looks set to be London’s biggest Oktoberfest event.
It will ship in more than 250,000 pints of German beer for its two-anda-half week run.
Up to 5,000 revellers will cram onto its 220 bench tables to enjoy food, drink and live entertainment.
The event, from German brewer Erdinger, will run on most days between October 5 and 22 in Greenwich, where it will occupy a 16,700 sq ft space next to the O2 Arena overlooking the Thames and Canary Wharf.
An open-plan wooden beer hall, designed to look like a 19th century Bavarian building, will be assembled on site.
It will be decorated with floral garlands and feature a stage hosting traditional bands from Munich as well as DJs.
There will also be a huge funfair for families and Alpine-style huts selling German souvenirs and Bavarian delicacies including pork knuckles, sauerkraut and bratwurst.
More than 40 expert Bavarian waitresses will be flown over for the event to serve customers and train local staff on how to carry up to 10 steins of beer at a time. They will be kitted out in traditional dirndl dresses, while male staff will be dressed in lederhosen and knee-high socks.
A large proportion of the beer sold will be Erdinger Weissbier, a wheat beer, which is one of Germany’s biggest sellers.
Erdinger owner Werner Brombach said: “With the Erdinger Oktoberfest we will bring a traditional German event to London. We want to celebrate Bavarian enjoyment of life with the people and our friends in London.” He added: “The British are real beer experts and know how to appreciate a good beer.”
Millions of people head to Bavaria each year to celebrate Oktoberfest in Germany. The event was first held in 1810 to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen.
Tickets to Erdinger Oktoberfest start at £10. VIP tables and drinks packages will also be available. Book at erdingeroktoberfest.co.uk