Oktoberfest 2024: The parties, events and beer halls across London

Celebrated successful Munich since 1810, not annually but often, Oktoberfest was expansive from the start, opening arsenic a wedding solemnisation for Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Not 1 of those low-key weddings — determination were equine races, music, and, of course, beer.

The races whitethorn person ceased, but the brew and euphony thrive. In Germany, and contempt the name, it runs from mid-September to aboriginal October, drafting millions of visitors from crossed Europe and beyond. They question for steins of Bavarian beer, capable up connected pretzels, sausages, and roast chicken, and creation connected the brew hallway tables. Dirndls and lederhosen are a communal sight.

London was a small dilatory to drawback on, but the past 2 decades person seen it clasp the Bavarian-themed madness. Things kicked disconnected present successful the aboriginal 2000s, and present a increasing fig of venues propulsion up pop-up brew tents, accepted German brass bands, and a enactment of imported Munich beers. Canary Wharf and Greenwich Park person some gone large connected it.

This year, determination are plentifulness of events popping up; beneath is where’s best. Prost! 

The prize for largest Oktoberfest successful the UK goes to the longstanding London Oktoberfest, which has capableness for 50,000 revellers. This year, determination are 2 antithetic locations: St Paul’s Green successful Hammersmith and Walpole Park successful Ealing. They connection themselves up arsenic a “cult that you person to join” — instrumentality to the beer, don’t portion the Kool-Aid — and it's perchance the astir authentic recreation of the festival successful the city. They adjacent person a preferred covering marque truthful you tin get your Bavarian costumes earlier the 2 large weekends begin. 

Tickets from £35. October 17-19, Saint Paul's Green, W6 9HW, October 25-26, Walpole Park, W5 5EQ; london-oktoberfest.co.uk

Munich Cricket Club promises to big “the BIGGEST and the BEST OKtoberfest solemnisation successful London EVERYDAY from Thursday 19th September to Saturday 26th October!” and, alarming usage of superior letters aside, it does look good. The nine is acceptable to enactment each time until October 26 astatine 3 locations (Tower Hill, Victoria, Canary Wharf) — expect an oompah band, sausage boards and buckets of brew — with 4 further parties planned, too. Look retired for the closing bash successful particular, which should beryllium huge.

Tickets from £15, October 3, 5, 24 & 26, Tower Hill, EC3N 2AU; Victoria, SW1P 2LU; Canary Wharf, E14 4AE, munichcricketclub.co.uk

For an East End Oktoberfest, caput to Juju's, conscionable disconnected Hanbury Street. Every Friday and Saturday until October 12, determination volition beryllium parties moving from 1pm and past again from 7pm. Live oompah euphony volition travel courtesy of the Bavarian Strollers, who specialise successful sing-along anthems. Look retired for hosts Eva Von Schnippish and Envy, and erstwhile the oompah stops determination is the committedness of DJs to soundtrack the remainder of the sessions. There’ll beryllium plentifulness of games, and prizes for the best-dressed too.

For those successful the temper for thing a small earlier connected successful the day, Hackney Church Brew Co is offering an alternate to the evening celebrations, with a Beery Bavarian Brunch. Sessions commencement astatine noon and past again astatine 2pm, with 90 minutes of bottomless brew (or Prosecco) offered successful the pat room, which is acceptable to beryllium done up similar the brew halls of Munich. To soak it each up, bratwursts cooked implicit occurrence are offered, and there’ll beryllium an oompah set for atmosphere.

Tickets from £35, September 28 and October 5, 17 Bohemia Place, E8 1DU, designmynight.com

Albert’s Schloss volition beryllium stocking each six of the accepted beers served astatine the Munich bierfest for the people of its celebrations. Events commencement astatine 5.30pm each evening, and with nary tickets and nary introduction fees, the barroom has a argumentation of “Everyone ist willkommen”. Expect thing akin to heading to an Irish pub connected St Patrick’s Day; adjacent erstwhile it’s not Oktoberfest, Schloss is bully for a due nighttime out.

It’s short-lived, but this twelvemonth the Ship is transforming its terrace into a brew hallway for the Oktoberfest enthusiasts of the capital. The pub is hosting a afloat play of events to get into the tone of the festivities. On Friday September 27, determination volition beryllium a “Do Your Wurst” bratwurst eating competition, wherever a £30 introduction interest buys 3 bratwurst and a stein to lavation them down — quickest clip wins a circular of beers for up to six people. On Saturday, determination volition beryllium a stein holding contention — longest clip wins, currywurst sharer and a circular of brew for 4 the prize. On Sunday, nary competitions, but an oompah band, elephantine pretzels, and a nonmigratory DJ til late. 

Tickets from £30, September 27-29, 41 Jews Row, SW18 1TB, theship.co.uk

After a immense occurrence successful erstwhile years, the Electric Ballroom is doing it again. Live euphony comes from the No Limit Street Band, who committedness to supply a thigh-slapping soundtrack. Combined with dancers, currywurst and schnitzel, and the finest Bavarian beers.

For a 3rd twelvemonth successful a row, Dalston FH3 is being transformed into an immersive, authentic brew hallway experience. Drink steins of brew and devour bratwurst to your heart’s contented to the soundtrack of Eighties and Nineties popular classics, arsenic covered by their unrecorded Bavarian oompah band. Having sold retired for the past 2 years, it's worthy getting your tickets aboriginal for this one.

Head down to SW2 to bask Brixton Oktoberfest, featuring the singular German Jukebox band. The Electric volition beryllium transformed into a lively brew hallway implicit with accepted woody tables, authentic Bavarian thoroughfare nutrient and unrecorded music. A bully 1 for those who are connected a budget, with tickets from £6. 

Flat Iron Square, the sprawling Borough venue with aggregate bars and restaurants, is acceptable to big a superior Oktoberfest solemnisation connected October 5 and 12, with each the classics of the play accounted for. Bratwurst, an oompah band, DJs ‘til precocious and plentifulness of German brew marque this 1 a classic, and with its noon-5pm opening hours, good suited for those looking to adhd a halt to a day-session of Oktoberfest partying. 

Many events committedness a large nighttime out, but fewer committedness the UK’s biggest party. That's what’s billed astatine Clapham Common, which is promising the biggest outdoor Oktoberfest successful the country, with 17,500 attendees expected implicit 7 abstracted sessions this October. Plentiful steins? The lawsuit is seemingly readying to sling 100,000 of them. Bratwurst? More than 800 types of the authentic sausage are acceptable to beryllium served. Importantly, tents volition guarantee that the celebrations are weatherproof.