‘It’s not just about getting drunk!’ How Oktoberfest took over the UK

Bavaria’s boozy blowout has inspired dozens of British tributes, from Belfast to Beverley, Cardiff to Cambridge. But what’s the attraction, other than the beer and the bratwurst?

Under a sea of Bavarian bunting, vendors hand out steins of pilsner, dunkel and weissbier, alongside platters of bratwurst, pork knuckle and pretzels. The lederhosen-clad Bettesteiner Footstompers lead the cheering crowd in a boisterous oompah singalong: “Eins, zwei, g’suffa!” (“One, two, drink up!”) Foot-tapping, glass-clinking and swaying soon turn into dancing, and eventually a full-blown conga.

The spirit of Oktoberfest is well and truly upon us – but Munich is more than 500 miles away. My friends and I are at Wünder Harbour in Folkestone, Kent, a homage to the German event. Wünder Harbour has been held since 2023, first over one weekend, and now four as its popularity has rocketed. It is just one of scores of Oktoberfest tributes all over the UK, from tiny bars to enormous marquees in pretty much every major city.

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