Prost! It’s that time of year again, where German’s and general beer lovers alike don their finest dirndl and lederhosen to celebrate Oktoberfest. While the tradition originated in Germany, cities around the world host Oktoberfest festivities overflowing with kegs, bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels and a constant echo of ‘prost’ around the beer hall.
We’ve compiled a list of the world’s best Oktoberfest celebrations, as well as some info on how much you can expect to pay for your beer and bratwurst.
Munich, Germany
Festival dates: September 21 to October 6
If you’re a stickler for tradition and believe in going hard or going home, may I suggest just forgetting everything else and heading straight to Bavaria to experience Oktoberfest? Home of the festivities, you won’t find anywhere more authentic than Munich. The best bit? If you miss the festival, you can still experience the beer and food all year round in Munich’s famous beer halls.
Pricing:
1L jug of beer - 11.80 euro
Bratwurst - 1.5 euro
Brisbane, Australia
Festival dates: 11 – 20 October
Soak up the iconic Brisbane spring weather at Australia’s biggest Oktoberfest celebration. This family affair has everything you need for a great day out including a kids zone, rides and plenty of German beer, wine and delicacies.
Pricing:
Tickets - range from $18 - $37 AUD
Beer - $7 AUD for a plastic cup
Bratwurst - $7 AUD
Kitchener-Waterloo, Canada
Festival dates: 11-19 October
This festival really is the jack-of-all-trades when it comes to Oktoberfest celebrations. Boasting a fun run, golf experience, fashion show and Thanksgiving Day parade, it's safe to say you almost want to stay sober for the festival. Don’t stress, though, there will be plenty of beer and food to keep you satisfied as well.
Get the best food and drink at the Concordia Club where you can expect to pay the following:
German Sausage and potato salad - $11.25 CAD
1L German Beer - $12 CAD
Hong Kong, China
Festival Dates: 17-27 October
An unlikely but very worthy addition to this list is Hong Kong. Oktoberfest is celebrated throughout the city, though the most notable festivities are at the Marco Polo Bierfest and Beerliner German Bar and Restaurants. Like many others on this list, expect plenty of beer, pretzels, German music and Bavarian games. The best bit? You can end your night by viewing the Symphony of Lights show at 8pm.
At the Beerliner German Bar you will pay the following:
German Sausage platter $238 HKD
1L German Beer $56 HKD
Cincinnati, Ohio
Festival Dates: 20 – 23 September
Cincinnati is well known for its German heritage, and the town prides itself on having the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the USA. Grab a ‘wurst and a beer before participating in the worlds largest chicken dance and watching the annual ‘running of the wieners’. This adorable race features plenty of sausage dogs (often dressed in costume) competing in a race. This alone is enough to convince me to visit Cincinnati.
Pricing:
Bratwurst Sausage - $6 USD
Mug with beer - $12 USD with $8 USD refills
Bacon Bier cheese tater tots - $ 6 USD (for those wanting an American/German fusion)
Johannesburg, South Africa
Festival dates: 12 – 14 September
2019 will see the 43rd annual celebration of Oktoberfest in Pretoria. The event encourages over 10,000 people to celebrate Oktoberfest beneath the stunning African skies. This year the festival went cash-free with revellers only able to use credit, debit and travel money cards like the Cash Passport Platinum to purchase food and drinks.
Pricing:
Tickets - 60 - 200 rand pp
1L beer - 40 - 50 rand
Sausage - 50 rand
Blumenau, Brazil
Festival dates: 9 - 27 October
The Blumenau Oktoberfest celebration dates back to 1984 and is an 18 day festival that welcomes almost 700,000 revellers. While there you may even glimpse Oktoberfest royalty, otherwise known as the two princesses and queen. Purchases at the festival are made with an Oktober Karte or ‘party card’ which can be purchased and reloaded both in advance and at the festival with a debit, credit or travel money card like the Cash Passport Platinum.
Prices:
Admission: ranges from 16 - 46 rand
Beer and Bratwurst: Unfortunately, I don’t have a randest idea how many rand the beer and bratwurst cost due to the Oktober Karte. If you’ve been and know how much they charge, please let us know!
To get bier ready, be sure to dress in your finest lederhosen and visit your closest Travel Money NZ to load up on foreign currency and grab a Cash passport Platinum. With over 150 locations across New Zealand and Australia, our Best Price Guarantee will ensure you’re taking off with plenty of cash to buy a pretzel or four.
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