Oktoberfest beer festival now underway in city centre

[dutchman]

Broadgate has been transformed into a corner of Bavaria with the start of the city’s first ever Oktoberfest.



Lager is flowing and oom-pah songs are being sung as thousands of people get into the raucous spirit of the famous German beer festival.

The fun started tonight and is set to continue throughout the weekend.

A huge marquee, which can seat 1,750 people at long tables, has been set up outside Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre.

The tent is decorated in blue and white colours and waitresses and waiters are dressed in traditional German lederhosen and dirndl outfits.

One of those sporting the traditional attire is organiser Carsten Raum, who said he was hoping the event would attract more than 5,000 people over the next five days.

He said: “We were attracted to Coventry because you have this wonderful space here in Broadgate, it’s the perfect place for a big marquee and Oktoberfest.

“In Coventry there is a really positive spirit and a desire to try new things, I think that presents a good opportunity.

“It’s also a test for us. If the event proves to be popular, we will want to come back every year.”

Mr Raum said he expected a good atmosphere at the event, which is free on every day except Saturday when there will be a £5 charge to enter the tent. He added that more than 1,000 tickets had already been sold.

Drinkers will be served a five per cent Bavarian German Festival Beer which has been brewed specifically for this event, along with red and white wine.

Mr Raum said: “This beer is the same as the one we serve at the festival in Germany. It’s a mixture of sweet and herbs, so you can drink a lot!”

Punters can also tuck into German Schnitzel with Bavarian fries and a special dessert surprise.

The festival opened at 4pm and will run until 11pm today, Thursday and Friday, as well as from 12noon until 11pm on Saturday.

On Sunday the doors are open from at 1pm to 9pm.

A half-pint will set you back £3 and a pint-and-half costs £6.99. Food is priced at £1.50 for crisps, or £8.50 for Bavarian sausage and fries.

Alternatively food and drink packages, with a guaranteed seat, are available from £34 per person.

If you want to be a genuine Bavarian for the evening, you can hire lederhosen and dirndl for only £29.

The former comes in sizes 30 to 44 inches, and the latter is in sizes ranging from eight to 22. Oktoberfest has a long-standing tradition in Germany.

It started in Munich around 200 years ago and is a celebration of the gathering of the harvest throughout Germany.

Oktoberfest isn’t solely for over-18s with the Sunday event aimed at families.

[rebbonk]

A half-pint will set you back £3 and a pint-and-half costs £6.99. Food is priced at £1.50 for crisps, or £8.50 for Bavarian sausage and fries.

It wasn't anything like that expensive when I was last in Munich!

But it's nice to see Mutton's patio put to use.

[Davey]

We popped in today. It's got the atmosphere of a really bad wedding reception about it. Steins of beer are £9.50.

We had lunch at cafe Italia instead and it was gorgeous.

[dutchman]

Oktoberfest organisers hope to return next year



Around 4,000 people flocked to Coventry’s Bavarian beer festival.

Oktoberfest was hosted in Broadgate from August 26 to August 31.

Frankfurters and fries were even cooked up for guests who felt a bit peckish during their visit.

Organiser Carsten Raum spoke to the Telegraph previously about the success of the first Coventry Oktoberfest in its first few days and what the plans for the future were.

Before the event had even opened on Wednesday, punters had already purchased around 1,000 tickets for Saturday’s drinking and dining experience.

Carsten said: “It is good that people are having a good time and we want people to have an experience from Oktoberfest, as well as enjoying themselves.

“We are hoping that we will be able to come back next year.”

The German festival closed its doors at 9pm yesterday after its free family-friendly final day.

The festival is now heading off to London for a five-week stint, before returning to the Midlands in October with a visit to Birmingham.