For dedicated beer lovers, fall conjures up images of Oktoberfest, and that means steins the size of toddlers, boisterous drinking songs and waitresses in dirndl skirts.But before Munich’s Lord Mayor Christian Ude can say those magic words at noon Sept. 17, he will need a couple of well-aimed swings of a hammer to pop that first keg of beer. Once he has, 17 days of partying begin in the Bavarian capital.
If beer-chugging and brass bands are not your thing, the Oktoberfest grounds also hold one big amusement park. There are Ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds, swings, slides, roller coasters and other rides that go to dizzying heights at breakneck speeds.
For Munich residents, especially on the weekends, Oktoberfest is as much a reason to dress up in their finest traditional Bavarian clothing as it is to drink beer.
Oktoberfest in America
But attending Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany - the biggest beer festival in the world (this year Sept. 17-Oct. 3) - also involves distance, time and expense.
Festivals need of dozens if not thousands of volunteers, and they're usually compensated in free tickets and beer. Ryan Katz, a beer enthusiast in Indianapolis, Ind., volunteered with a group in 2009 to work at the Great American Beer Festival. He spent two full days with a group of friends, pouring beer for breweries.
At the Great American Beer Festival, the need is big: they had nearly 3,300 volunteers last year.
Oktoberfest in Brazil
Lederhosen, beer steins, and the steady thump of German techno late into the night: it’s Oktoberfest…but it’s in Brazil.
The drinking of beer is not the only aspect of German culture that is embraced in Blumenau. Festival goers can enjoy a wide variety of traditional food, and German folk music played alongside Brazilian samba.
You could surf on some of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil, explore the stunning national park, or just check out Blumenau’s local museum…of beer.
Oktoberfest kicks off on October 6 and runs for 18 days until October 23.
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