Oktoberfest in the Gardens Is Bringing Its Big Bavarian Celebration to Brisbane for the First Time

Every September and October, Germany erupts with brews, food and lederhosen-wearing revellers for its annual Oktoberfest celebrations. When that time rolls around Down Under, Australia follows suit. One such festivity is Oktoberfest in the Gardens, which has been throwing big Bavarian-themed celebrations around the country for 13 years — but will only bring the fun to Brisbane for the first time in 2023.

The River City lost its own Oktoberfest Brisbane this year, with the long-running local event announcing that it was saying auf wiedersehen after 15 years of steins, schnitties and German shindigs. Enter Oktoberfest in the Gardens, which will hop into Brisbane Showgrounds for its Brissie debut on Saturday, October 14.

The RNA site will serve up the same kind of beer- and bratwurst-fuelled shenanigans that Germany has become so famous for. So, if you're a Brisbanite with a hankering for doppelbock and dancing to polka, it's the next best thing to heading to Europe.

Oktoberfest in the Gardens boasts a crucial attraction, too — as well as serving a variety of pilsners, ciders, wine and non-alcoholic beverages, it constructs huge beer halls to house the boozy merriment.

When you're not raising a stein — or several — at the day-long event, you can tuck into pretzels and other traditional snacks at food stalls, or check out the hefty array of entertainment. Live music, roving performers, a silent disco, rides and a sideshow alley are all on the agenda.

Oktoberfest in the Gardens will also hit the Gold Coast on Saturday, September 30. And, with another new stop in Newcastle and return visits to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth similarly on its itinerary, it expects to welcome in over 70,000 people across its seven stops.

"Australia loves Oktoberfest. COVID was a tough time in the events industry and saw the demise of other events such as Oktoberfest St Kilda and Oktoberfest Brisbane. Our team was very fortunate to be able to run successful events in some parts of the country when others were in lockdown and this allowed us to make it through," said Ross Drennan, co-founder of Nokturnl Events, which runs Oktoberfest in the Gardens.

"We're now going all in to really ramp up Oktoberfest in the Gardens and take it to the next level with events all around the country."

OKTOBERFEST IN THE GARDENS 2023 DATES — QUEENSLAND:

Saturday, September 30 — Broadwater Parklands, Gold Coast
Saturday, October 14 — Brisbane Showgrounds

Oktoberfest in the Gardens hits the Gold Coast in September and Brisbane in October — head to the event's website for tickets and further details.