Oktoberfest may have originated far away but, luckily, the Brisbane German Club has been preserving and celebrating German culture in Queensland for over a century, which means that this October, it will host its 52nd Oktoberfest!
One of Australia’s longest-running and most authentic celebrations of Bavaria, Brisbane German Club’s Oktoberfest runs across five weekends, earning a reputation of staying true to the traditions that have made Oktoberfest world-famous. Think the sound of an accordion, long tables filled with friends and strangers, steins filled to the brim, the smell of pork knuckles roasting in the kitchen, and
traditional songs and revellers lighting up the dance floor.
You can expect traditional Bavarian entertainment, live music, stein-holding competitions, festival games, a dirndl and lederhosen pop-up market, and even the return of Mr and Mrs Oktoberfest! The Club’s famous one-kilogram Pork Knuckle will return alongside golden schnitzels, retzels, sausages, German desserts and other hearty favourites from the kitchen.
But, of course, at the centre of everything is beer. And not just any beer! This year’s festival will feature more than 40 imported German beers, poured across 24 dedicated taps, with additional seasonal and specialty Bier available from fridges.
Rotating throughout the month will be beers from all six official Munich Oktoberfest breweries, so you can enjoy the same breweries that pour at Munich’s world-famous festival. It is a testament to the Brisbane German Club’s authenticity that they even have Giesinger Bräu, Munich’s seventh recognised brewery, joining the lineup this year. In fact, the brewery is currently lobbying to become the first new brewery admitted to pour at Munich’s Oktoberfest in more than a century, so you may be seeing a lot more of it.
The celebration will also feature Paulaner’s seasonal Oktoberfestbier, which was made possible thanks to Brisbane German Club’s partnership with the renowned brewery. This special beer, traditionally brewed specifically for Oktoberfest, isusually released much closer to the festival. But Paulaner made an exception so that Australia could get its hands on it in time for the celebration!
Brisbane German Club Manager Trent Boyle is proud of the festival’s authenticity, and describes it as a guiding principle, saying, “You can recreate the look of Oktoberfest. You can’t recreate 140 years of heritage.
“Our Club has been celebrating German culture for more than a century, and for the past
52 years that has included Oktoberfest. It’s never been about putting on a beer festival.
It’s about sharing a genuine cultural tradition with Brisbane.”
Practical information
Brisbane German Club’s Oktoberfest will take place on the following dates:
- Friday, October 2 | Saturday, October 3 | Sunday, October 4
- Friday, October 9 | Saturday, October 10 | Sunday, October 11
- Friday, October 16 | Saturday, October 17 | Sunday, October 18
- Friday, October 23 | Saturday, October 24 | Sunday, October 25
- Friday, October 30 | Saturday, October 31
The official Oktoberfest breweries are Augustiner-Bräu, Hacker-Pschorr-Bräu, Staatliches Hofbräuhaus, Löwenbräu, Paulaner Brauerei, and Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu, with the addition of Giesinger Bräu.
Tickets start at $40, and include a stein and the first fill! Group bookings of 6+ are available Fridays and Sundays and include a table and a shared plate.
You can get your tickets here.
📍Brisbane German Club, 416 Vulture Street, Kangaroo Point
