Nothing conveys the Bavarian spirit better than the annual Oktoberfest celebrations. However, if you are anywhere else in the world, we have created a list of locations where the Munich Oktoberfest is celebrated just as well. One of the biggest events in the German calendar is Oktoberfest, especially in the Bavarian capital Munich. The party is known worldwide and more than six million people flock to the city every year. While the festival is worth visiting at least once in its original location, if you can't make it to Munich, there are many others you can enjoy around the world. So celebrating Oktoberfest is all about good food and drink, especially for beer lovers.
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
With the second largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany with around 600,000 visitors each year, Cincinnati, or “Zinzinnati” as it is known during the festival, offers some of the most interesting andmost fun eventseverywhere. The entertainment program is very diverse and includes a large number of competitions and mass events.
One of them opens the festival and is called “Running of the Vienners”. It's a race where dozens of dachshunds in hot dog costumes run around the square, while at Bierkrug several local women race to get as many beer mugs across the street as possible.
At the center are real clocks that represent the so-called “chimes” and inform about the beginning of the fun. The organizers from the American city are trying to create a unique atmosphere as wellmaintaining the true spirit of the celebrationand the audience with traditional German gamesto entertain. Among them is also the aforementioned race with filled beer cups in hand, nailing for speed and the famous rolling of empty barrels.
Celebrate vegan Oktoberfest
Every year a lot of beef and over half a million chickens are consumed at Oktoberfest. In Santa Monica, the organizers chose an alternative – they organized the first Oktoberfest for vegans. There are vegetarian sausages, vegan fish & chips, desserts and everything a vegan heart desires on the menu.
Tour De Hans in Toronto
The largest Oktoberfest celebration in North America takes place in Kitchener-Waterloo, 100 km fromToronto in Canadainstead of. Due to the fact that Thanksgiving Day falls on the same days, the parade in his honor becomes the most spectacular part of the Canadian Oktoberfest. Thousands of people gather on the streets every day to watch various theatrical performances, the length of which is 5 km.
For sports lovers, there are also one hundred and fifty kilometers of cycle paths that include sightseeing and a special Oktoberfest celebration at the finish. One of the main symbols of the Canadian festival is Miss Oktoberfest. There is a ball in her honor that attracts thousands of participants from all over Europe.
These twin cities attract approximately 700,000 visitors to an event that has celebrated the German heritage of the founders of these two cities for almost fifty years. There is plenty of German beer to enjoy and also a musical concert known as “Rocktober” as well as a parade of dogs called “Dogtober”.
Hibiya Oktoberfest in Tokyo, Japan
The event will take place in Hibiya Park, which is located near the center of the Japanese capital. Many people come together to revive some of the best German traditions and drink countless mugs of beer.
The organizers offer numerous amusements in the large marquee that stands in the heart of the park, and the place is surrounded by stands selling pretzels and sausages. A Humpta Band, which provides musical entertainment, also ensures the right atmosphere.
Brazil: In the rhythm of the unsurpassed samba
Known for its love of carnival, Brazil invites tourists to experience the diversity of two cultures – Brazilian and German. The festival takes place in Blumenau, where more than 700,000 visitors come every year. It is considered the second largest in the world, with special attention also being paid to the music that constantly accompanies the celebrations.
It's a classic German lyric layered over traditional Latin American rhythms. The Brazilians' favorite is the competition for the speed of drinking beer. Participants must drink a “meter” of beer from an oblong bottle with a volume of 600 milliliters without spilling a single drop.
This charming Brazilian city was founded by German immigrants in the 19th century and the authentic atmosphere in the old town is definitely reminiscent of Germany. The distinctive architecture gives the area a feel that is perfect for Oktoberfest.
The event tends to recreate the traditional German activities and dances while also selecting a queen of the festival. This then represents the city for the coming year.
Parties with pretzels in Cambodia
The Pan-Asian Beer Festival in Cambodia's capital runs from October 23rd to 25th and hosts more than 3,000 visitors each year. Guests are offered national German food and drinks as well as relevant music and a competitive program. You can eat hot dogs, race beer kegs, and play an ancient German game of money, beer, and pretzels. The rules of the game are very simple. Participants throw beer mats and pretzels onto a table so that the images are clearly visible. Each of the stands has its value and the winner is the one who has accumulated more money.
Oktoberfest in Ireland – nailing and yodeling
The Irish version of Oktoberfest in Dublin includes just as many competitions. Even if the competition for hammering nails into wooden boards has little to do with the original, you can show how much Bavarian temperament you have in the remaining competitions.
You can also consider singing and Bavarian folk dances, which are very similar to Irish culture, as part of the program.
Frankenmuth, Michigan, USA
This area of Michigan is known as “Little Bavaria” and has been hosting festivals with many traditional dances for over a quarter century. The quality of the dancing is much better before everyone enjoys a few glasses of beer. This small town is full of quirky places and events, offering plenty of options if you want to celebrate an Oktoberfest like this.
