When you wake up on the kitchen floor, surrounded by Dairylea slice wrappers, you know you’ve had a pretty good night.
So was the scene in the early hours of the morning following Ocktoberfest. Ok, so the unremembered consumption of said Dairylea isn’t particularly Rock n Roll but at my age it’s enough.
We visited the festival on the opening night of Wednesday 28th October. Mid week is always going to be a quieter affair but the atmosphere is amazing. Held in a giant blue and white marquee on the Forest Recreation Ground, the 5 day event celebrated all that is good about the traditional German beer festival.
We pre-purchased a package of food, beer and seat reservation and are instructed to get there for 6.30. We needn’t have done as the huge marquee wasn’t even a quarter full. On entering we were given a packet of crisps, yep, seemed a bit weird but in hindsight maybe it was to line the stomach ahead of the inevitable assault we were going to put upon it.
Our vouchers offer 2 steins of beer, food and a mystery dessert. Crisps are demolished as the waitress brings our drinks and we watch some of the revellers, who by the looks of it have already been there some time. There is a real party atmosphere as visitors dance to Schlager music, played by a cracking band who have travelled from Southern Germany to be there, the theme being modern Tyrolean music. Many visitors really get into the spirit too by dressing in lederhosen, which can be hired from the tent, or you can bring your own if you already possess it (before you ask I don’t)
Between sets the DJ spins classic tunes – but in German such as 99 Luftballons, Kraftworks The Model, oh and Cotton Eye Joe! with revellers standing on the tables and benches to dance.
Oktoberfest has a long tradition which started in Munich 200 years ago and is actually a celebration of the gathering of the harvest. The beer is brewed in Germany and specially made for the Nottingham Oktoberfest, having a strength of approx. 5.0% volume. We have few but it isn’t the beer that gets this reviewer sleeping on the kitchen floor, oh no. Our ticket includes, we are told, traditional German food and a mystery dessert. The food turned out to be Schnitzel – which was basically breaded chicken and fries. The dessert was not of the pudding variety but a herbal digestive at 44% volume and, after having one, it’s powers persuade me it would be a good idea to have another!!!
I vaguely remember weaving my way to the portaloos, the obvious panic when I thought I was stuck inside but was turning the lock the wrong way and a vague recollection of getting a cab home. After that it all went a bit Dairylea!
Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. Would I go next year? You can bet your Lederhosen I will.
