What started as a marriage celebration in Munich Germany has now become a worldwide festivity. Known as the largest volksfest (People’s Fair) on a global scale, Oktoberfest celebrations gather approximately six million people every year. People from all over the world, including Filipinos, anticipate such a historical event. It never fails to fulfill their cravings for food, drinks and entertainment.
If you plan on joining the Oktoberfest 2019 celebration in the Philippines, you might want to make sure you know exactly what to do and expect, where to go, and what to wear. To help you out, here is a thorough guide to make your Oktoberfest 2019 experience one for the books!
Oktoberfest: An Overview
To better understand how Oktoberfest came to be, you might need to dig to its interesting origins and walk through its developments over the years.
A Brief History
October 12, 1810 marks the beginning of Oktoberfest in Germany along with the marriage celebration of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig (who later became King Ludwig I) to Princess Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen from Sachsen, Germany. All the citizens of Munich joined the royale event held in the fields which was then later called “Weis’n”, short for “Theresienwiese (‘Teresa’s meadow”). The event lasted for over five days and ended with a horse race, which continued to become part of the celebration until the 1930’s. A year later, the festival was expanded to include an agricultural fair. Beer pubs and performers added to the growing list of festivities starting 1818.
By 1960, Oktoberfest was hailed as the biggest festival in the world that usually runs for 16-19 days. It has then become an annual celebration that spread to other countries, including the Philippines.
Oktoberfest in the Philippines
With the efforts extended by German Club Manila, the culture of Oktoberfest began pouring in the Philippines in 1938. Every year, Filipinos mark their calendars, usually beginning in late September until the first few weeks of October, to celebrate the highly-anticipated Oktoberfest. This is one of the best times when beers, food, games, performances bring the people together.
To take the German feast a notch higher, it eventually evolved into a much bigger event that now spreads celebrations across street parties and music concerts.
What to Expect
Truth is, you’ll always have something to look forward to in Oktoberfest. And as much as you’ll love the surprises that it’ll bring, you should also know the common elements of festivities that you can experience. This way you’ll be able to set your expectations and make preparations if necessary.
Food
What’s a festival celebration without some good food? Oktoberfest opens the door for Filipinos to indulge in Bavarian specialty dishes served in selected locations. With a vast selection of pork, beef, and chicken sausages served at the table, the only option you have is to dig in. Here are some of the popular dishes that you should try at Oktoberfest:
Sauerkraut
This healthy delight is made of fermented raw cabbage sliced into thin pieces. Beyond its taste lies the nutritional benefits that you will gain.
Weisswurst
You’re missing out on a lot of things if day came the Oktoberfest and you haven’t tried this Bavarian sausage! Made from minced veal and pork, this white-colored Munich specialty is very popular during Oktoberfest. To add to its flavor, try adding some traditional sweet mustard.
Spaetzle Pan
Are you a mac and cheese fan? Well, then, you should not miss this German version of that made from egg noodles with cream mountain cheese.
Pork Schnitzel
Pork Schnitzel is a boneless meat pounded into thin cutlets which are then breaded in flour, eggs, bread crumbs. Its crispy crust and juicy inner layer will definitely leave you craving for more.
Music
Entertainment is a vital part of every festival, more so in Oktoberfest! Here, you get to witness song and dance performances as you sway the mugs around. Props to the Bavarian Sound Express, traditional Bavaraian music and international hits are brought to the country straight from Germany!
But aside from the German tunes, Filipinos most especially enjoy local music since a lot of bars and restaurants in Manila invite local artists to perform. If you’re looking for music events this 2019, you might as well take it to the extremes and experience one of the biggest Oktoberfest party in the Philippines – the San Miguel Oktoberfest Beer and Music Festival!
San Miguel Oktoberfest Beer and Music Festival
The party starts early as San Miguel brings beer and music to various places in Manila and provinces starting August 23 to October 26, every Friday to Saturday. Watch out for San Miguel Oktoberfest Beer and Music Festival in your area and jam to your favorite local bands and artists as they perform on stage!
Apart from the music, get ready to be mesmerized by high-quality lights and sounds systems that might fill the place to make your experience extra fun! Be sure to pack your essentials as well, music festivals might cause you stress if you come unprepared.
Beer
Oktoberfest won’t be called a beer festival without liters of Bavarian beers flowing around! You might even see mugs and glasses of beers being passed around, chugged and swung. Last year, German Club and Solaire served more than 25,000 liters of wheat beer and Oktoberfest beer from Weihenstephan, the world’s oldest brewery.
Beer promos come pouring down like rain so make sure to allocate some savings and make the most out of these limited offers. Be ready to try traditional Bavarian bee as well, you don’t get to taste this type of drink everyday.
Also, if you have the liver to endure them, prepare for drinking games because your alcohol tolerance will certainly be put to the test.
Where to go
Oktoberfest celebration is widespread in the country, so there’s no way you won’t feel the festival in almost every spot in the metro. Here are some of the places in the Philippines that will open doors for Oktoberfest 2019 festivities. You might want to check them out!
Solaire Resort and Casino
If you want to experience the true spirit of Oktoberfest, then you should head on to Solaire Oktoberfest Tent, Parañaque City this October 17 to 19! The German Club Manila, along with Solaire Resort and Casino, prepares its 81st Oktoberfest celebration with an expensive Biegarten (beer garden). Get ready for unlimited free-flowing Weihenstephaner beer, lavish German cuisine and a remarkable music experience brought by the Bavarian Sound Express!
For tickets, simply click on this link.
You can also visit their website at https://www.oktoberfest-manila.ph/.
German Club, Manila
Marking its 113th anniversary in January 2019, the German Club is recognized as one of the oldest expats clubs in the Philippines. It started small with only 30 people gathering to celebrate and now it can accommodate up to 7,000 people – living proof that more and more Filipinos are beginning to embrace the culture of Oktoberfest. As a matter of fact, their 80th Oktoberfest celebration dated last 2018 made history as it was hailed as the longest-running Oktoberfest celebration in the country!
This year, aside from the Oktoberfest celebration at Solaire Resort and Casino, German Club Manila also invites you to O’ Zapft is!: Nacht Der Tracht (It is tapped!: Night of the Costume)! Prepare to witness the keg tapping ceremony in Munich through a live viewing! Mark your calendars – September 21 at 6 o’clock in the evening.
Brotzeit Philippines
This international bar and restaurant brings authentic German dishes to the table! Last year, the feast came to life with people going crazy over their Brotzeit’s Oktoberfest Menu comprised of German sausages and pork knuckles among others.
This 2019, Brotzeit is throwing the Oktoberfest Party of the Year filled with good food, beers and a live band performance from Anton and the Funny Guys! Head on to Shangri-La Mall EDSA this September 21 to join the Grand Party!
Signature Party Days:
October 3 to 4 – Shangri-La Mall, EDSA
October 5 to 6 – Shangri-La at the Fort, BGC
For registrations, click on this link.
You can also visit their Facebook page to learn more.
Okada, Manila
Experience German festivity with unlimited Bavarian food and free-flowing drinks! Prepare your appetite and head straight to Crystal Corridor, Okada Manila from September 23-28, 7:00 PM to 1:00 PM! You don’t want to miss this so be sure to reserve your tickets at RestaurantReservation@okadamanila.com or dial 555 5799. Regular ticket is worth Php4,500 nett and VIP ticket costs Php10,000 nett.
For more details, visit their Facebook page.
Racks Restaurant
When you say feast, it means Ultimate Sausage Platter at Racks Restaurant! For only Php 565, you get to indulge in home-made grilled sausages in Hungarian. But wait, there’s more! It also comes with seasoned Frankfurter, Italian and Bratwurst variants plus flavorful fries and smoky mustard dip.
If you don’t have enough space in your stomach, don’t worry because you can also avail these in blue plate for only Php 285! Head on to any branch of Racks Restaurant starting September 13 to get a taste of the ultimate feast. Visit their Facebook page for more details.
San Miguel Oktoberfest
Experience a never-ending fun as San Miguel Oktoberfest sets the Philippines on party mode with its another month-long San Miguel Oktoberfest Beer and Music Festival! San Miguel Oktoberfest will surely not disappoint as it has built a reputation of being one of the biggest Oktoberfest parties in the country since 1982!
For more details, kindly check out their Facebook page.
What to Wear
German Traditional Attire
If you want to truly feel the German festivities brought by Oktoberfest, you better look the part. Some people go the extra mile to blend in the crowd, thus, they willingly wear traditional Bavarian costumes to complement the event. Women can be seen wearing the traditional Drindl with blouse and apron.
Did you know that the location of your apron tie indicates your marital status? If you’re single, tie the apron on the left side. But if you tie it on the opposite side, it signifies that you’re taken and unavailable.
Men, on the other hand, are clad in Lederhosen with suspenders and leather-made breeches. Normally, a white or checkered Trachten shirt is worn underneath. High socks and haferlschuh (Bavarian shoe) would also complete the look.
Modern Attire
However, if the traditional clothes are too inconvenient, you can still enjoy the festival by wearing clothes that you find comfortable. A lot of Filipinos can be seen attending music festivals and going to restaurants wearing a wide variety of clothes – from simple street style to extravagant and fancy attires. The only common element, and probably the most important thing, that can be seen being worn by almost everybody is the smile on their faces. Don’t forget to wear yours too!
Now that you’ve been equipped with the perfect guide for Oktoberfest 2019, it’s time to join the celebration! Remember that this festival only comes once a year so be sure to make the most out of it. And while you’re at it, be conscious of your limitations as well. Whether it be in the food you’ll eat or the alcohol you’ll drink, you’ll never go wrong with moderation. Make it a habit to have fun… responsibly!
Did you like this article? Check out our blog to learn more about Oktoberfest celebrations.
