Bier here: A previous Oktoberfest celebration in London
(Picture: Peter Dench/Getty Images)Oktoberfest, the stein-swilling Bavarian phenomenon, returns to London this autumn for another booze-fuelled celebration.
Lederhosen-clad revellers, oompah bands blasting out the tunes, plates piled high with traditional food and more beer than you can shake a German sausage at are just a few of the hallmarks of an Oktoberfest bonanza, of which there are plenty in the capital.
From bustling bierkellers to LGBTQI+-friendly nights, here are the events you need to know about for 2022.
London Oktoberfest
Some 50,000 bier-guzzlers turn up to this event each year, which has been filling up steins since 2011 and claims to be the biggest Oktoberfest in the UK. The venue itself is still yet to be confirmed, but organisers are promising a city-centre location that will host three weekends of fun. Long tables, live music, lederhosen-clad staff: it’s all there.
From £5, October 20-23, 27-30, November 3-5, venue TBC, london-oktoberfest.co.uk
Oktoberfest South London
Electric Brixton will transform from its usual gigs-and-club-nights self into a Bavarian beer hall for this south London shindig, which will take place across four Saturdays in October. Sausages and schnitzel will line the stomachs, while live oompah music in the afternoon will make way for a DJ set in the evening. Going with a group? Reserved tables for eight are available for £280.
From £20, October 1, 8, 15, 22, Electric Brixton, Town Hall Parade, Brixton Hill, SW2 1RJ, electricbrixton.uk.com
Between The Bridges
This Thameside spot does all sorts — from DJ sets to street food — and it’ll be running two different Oktoberfest events this year. The first will be fuelled with Massaoke, the crowd-pleasing singalong specialists, and brass band Old Dirty Brasstards, while the second will be titled Pink Oktoberfest, with lip syncs, drag performances and more making for LGBTQI+-friendly atmosphere.
Between The Bridges Oktoberfest, £15.68, September 23-24 / Pink Oktoberfest, £16.80 October 8, 15, 22, The Queen’s Walk, London SE1, betweenthebridges.co.uk
Camden Oktoberfest
Back for its seventh edition, this one will take over the Electric Ballroom for each Saturday in October. Beers imported from Bavaria and a menu that covers bratwurst, Black Forest sausage and currywurst will be accompanied by eight-piece brass group No Limit Street Band, before the Club De Fromage DJs take over. Eight-person beer tables can be secured for £280, which includes two free pints for each attendee.
From £20, October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Electric Ballroom, 184 Camden High Street, NW1 8QP, electricballroom.co.uk
Bermondsey Bierkeller
A venue that keeps the Oktoberfest vibes running throughout the year is Bermondsey Bierkeller, but it’ll be taking things up a notch across September and October. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights will be the ones to look out for, with a live oompah band and DJ providing the music, with darts, pool, foosball and ping pong among the games on offer.
From £15, September 1-October 31, 2-4 Tooley Street, SE1 2SY, bermondseybierkeller.co.uk
Wunderbar at Pergola Paddington
Pergola Paddington gave itself a Mexican makeover for the summer, and now it’s re-emerging as Wunderbar, a Bavarian-style beer hall. German beer and traditional food populate the menu, oompah bands do the soundtrack, and there will be prizes handed out to the best dressed attendees.
From free, September 30-October 2, Pergola Paddington, 5 Kingdom Street, W2 6PY, pergolapaddington.com
German Kraft
One for those who like their Oktoberfest experience to be a bit more discerning than simply chugging whichever lager is thrust in their direction, German Kraft’s four-weekend celebration will bring together German-style beers from at least 10 local craft breweries. The final instalment at Kraft Dalston on October 14-16 will shake things up further with Korean-German fusion cuisine, before transforming into a club night with Berlin-esque techno until 2am.
Free entry, September 23-25, Mercato Metropolitano, SE1 6DR / September 30-October 2, Mercato Mayfair, W1K 6ZA / October 7-9, Mercato Metropolitano, SE1 6DR / October 14-16, Kraft Dalston, E8 2LQ, germankraft.com
Bierschenke
This Liverpool Street spot doesn’t just dust off the dirndl for Oktoberfest — it does the Munich beer hall thing all year round. That said, it has been closed since June for refurbishment, but will be back at the beer pump in time for this year’s celebrations. Hearty food platters and signature beers made specifically for them by an 18th century German brewery are two of the biggest pulls here.
Enquire for prices, 4 London Wall Buildings, Blomfield Street, EC2M 5NT, bierschenke.co.uk
Munich Cricket Club
Don’t let the name fool you: you won’t see anyone in cricket whites at this mini-chain of Bavarian-style bierkellers in Victoria, Tower Hill and Canary Wharf. What is promised, however, is “music, steins, games, fun and dancing on the tables”. Sounds about right. There’s a free glass of limited-edition Oktoberfest beer for the first 40 people through the door on September 15, 22 and 29.
Enquire for prices, September 15-October 31, various locations, munichcricketclub.co.uk
Boxpark
The Boxpark venues in Croydon and Wembley (not Shoreditch, alas) will each be hosting their own Oktoberfest celebrations. They might not be the most authentic in London — they’re sponsored by Staropramen, a distinctly un-German brewer — but an entry ticket does get you at least one free jug of the Czech beer, which should be enough to help you dismiss any geographical discrepancies.
