Expect large glasses of foaming wheat beer, brass bands, lederhosen everywhere and big ole’ bratwursts at these Oktoberfest celebrations in London. There’s everything from dancing on tables to sharing platters at these ten spots – good preparation for Winter Wonderland rolling into town right? Prost!
1. The Official Camden Oktoberfest
Kicking off our roundup of the best things to do for Oktoberfest in London this year is The Official Camden Oktoberfest – ‘the most complete, the most considered and the most incredible celebration of the famous Bavarian beer festival’. 2023 will once again see Camden’s iconic Electric Ballroom being full decked out into a traditional Bavarian beer hall with large beer tables, Oktoberfest bunting, and much, much more.
Expect four dates of beer-fuelled, food-filled fun with all the classic dishes on offer like authentic German bratwurst, grilled Black Forest sausage, currywurst plus giant German steins of beer too. Don’t also forget the backing soundtrack, which will be headlined by the No Limit Street Band – the UK’s number one brass party band! Get a hold of your tickets here.
📍Electric Ballroom, 184 Camden High Street, London, NW1 8QP.
🚇 Nearest station Camden Town.
2. Oktoberfest Brixton
Get ready and prepared for a Bavarian blast as Oktoberfest Brixton makes its grand debut in London this October 2023! The party is set to pop off at the nightclub Electric Brixton, which will accommodate 2,000 merrymakers throughout October. Brixton will become the heart of Bavarian exuberance, with the space morphing into an authentic beer hall complete with traditional wooden tables, festive bunting, lively music and more.
You can expect a dizzying mix of hearty German food, invigorating music, and rip-roaring comedy as you party Oktoberfest-style. Add in steins filled to the brim with German beers such as Spaten, Löwenbräu & Becks and seven hours’ worth of fun every Saturday night in October, and you can see why we’re really anticipating this one. Plus, dress-up in traditional Dirndl and Lederhosen are both actively encouraged – winner, winner! Cop your tickets here.
📍Electric Brixton, Town Hall Parade, Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1RJ.
🚇 Nearest station is Brixton.
3. Oktoberfest 2023 at Market Halls Oxford Street
Now this one bills itself as the biggest Oktoberfest party in the entire UK, so you’re in for a good time here it has to be said! You’ll be able to indulge in authentic German food, quench your thirst with steins of refreshing lager and beer, and immerse yourself in the sounds of a live Oompah band, live MCs, and DJs who’ll spin the decks until 11pm.
So put on your Bavarian dress, Dirndl, or Lederhosen, and cheers to an incredible night of fun and festivities. Prost! The night itself will be running over two Saturdays in October – the 14 and the 21– so get a hold of your tickets now here.
📍Market Halls Oxford Street, 9 Holles Street, London, W1G 0BD.
🚇 Nearest station is Oxford Street.
4. Oktoberfest at Between the Bridges
Between The Bridges offers over 4000-square-feet of drinking space right on the Southbank, and it’s a great space for a good old knees up it has to be said. This year for Oktoberfest, they’ve got two special evenings planned on both Friday and Saturday nights at the end of September.
Fridays see the arrival of the ‘Old Dirty Brasstards’ – a tweed-clad, ten-piece drum and brass powerhouse band who play an eclectic mix of pop and R&B that never fails to get the crowd dancing! If you’re wanting to come along on Saturdays, then it’s all about ‘Massaoke’ – the UK’s original and best live band singalong party where a live band smashes out the greatest anthems alongside lyrics up on the big screen – and all you need to do is sing along! Get a hold of your tickets for both here.
As if that wasn’t enough, they’re also announce a groundbreaking collaboration with UK Black Pride on Saturday October 7, ushering in the UK’s pioneering ‘Blacktober Fest’, which hands over the spotlight to the LGBTQI+ communities hailing from African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American, and Middle Eastern backgrounds. Then, on October 14 and 21, ‘Pink Oktoberfest’ returns for an unforgettable fusion of traditional Oktoberfest and vibrant LGBTQI+ celebration. Attendees can expect an exhilarating lineup featuring London’s elite drag acts, dazzling cabaret performances, dynamic dancers, and the unmistakable rhythms of the OmmPah Pay Band. Sign us up!
📍Between the Bridges, The Queen’s Walk, London, SE1.
🚇 Nearest station is Waterloo.
5. Oktoberfest Spezialitäten at the German Gymnasium
Housed in a historic gym right by St. Pancras station in King’s Cross St. Pancras, the German Gymnasium is a stylish spot that offers a slightly more upmarket Oktoberfest experience. So, if you’re wanting to shell out a bit more and be a bit more *ahem* classy, then this is the place to come!
Head Chef Alex has been scouring his collection of Bavarian Bierhall menus from many years of Oktoberfest celebrations, and the result is their curated ‘Oktoberfest Spezialitäten’ menu, showcasing the very best Oktoberfest foods. Expect plenty of sauerkraut, brined pork line, double pints of ABK beer and much, much more.
They’ve also got live oompah bands on throughout the Oktoberfest period, and if you show up in traditional dress, you’ll get a free stein of ABK Hell Lager. Winner, winner.
📍German Gymnasium, 1 King’s Blvd, London, N1C 4BU.
🚇 Nearest station is King’s Cross St. Pancras.
6. Oktoberfest Halloween Party at Pergola Paddington
Another one of our favourite venues for an Oktoberfest London celebration, Pergola Paddington will once again be transformed into a ‘wunderland’ of oompah bands, bratwurst baguettes and overflowing steins for four whole weeks – from September 28 until the end of October.
Added to this, the Wunderbar will take it to completely the next level this year. Not only is it the only place in the world to serve Wunderbeer, a special Oktoberfest brew, a menu of unique Oktoberfest cocktails and some bloody delicious food too. Plus, they’ve got DJs playing the biggest singalong hits – so strap in for a raucous time! Add in their bottomless brunches and ‘Margarita Mondays’ – where a marg is just seven quid – and you can see why we absolutely love this joint.
📍Pergola Paddington, 5 Kingdom Street, London, W2 6PY.
🚇 Nearest station is Paddington.
7. Fridays at Bierschenke Bierkeller
Offering the ‘authentic taste of Munich in London’, there’s really no better place to celebrate Oktoberfest than at Bierschenke Bierkeller near Tower Hill. The Bierkeller itself will be decked out in traditional white and blue bunting, and there will be all the usual Bavarian beers on tap too, live oompah music, excellent sharing platters and much more too.
They’ve also been running parties here for 12 years, and even better, it’s free entry! What more could you ask for…
📍Bierschenke Bierkeller, 50 Earlham Street, London, WC2H 9LJ.
🚇 Nearest station is Covent Garden.
8. London Oktoberfest
London Oktoberfest caters to over 30,000 punters per year, which means that it’s technically the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the entire UK. Not bad right! Blue and white colours (of couse), characterise the tent and waitresses and waiters are dressed in traditional Dirndl and Lederhosen, serving beer which comes all the way from a small brewery in Nuremberg.
Bands fly in from actual Germany too, and this year they’ve got three fun events in Ealing and Finsbury Square – including their famous Halloween Edition on October 28. Get ready to get your drink on.
📍You’ll find London Oktoberfest at various locations in London. You can find out more here.
9. The Munich Cricket Club
Our penultimate addition to this roundup of the best things to do for Oktoberfest in London this year is The Munich Cricket Club – a Bavarian Bierkeller with weekly live oompah bands, German beers served by the stein and classic Bavarian food across their three venues in Tower Hill, Canary Wharf and Victoria too.
Running from September 16 until October 31, you can expect dancing on tables, a lively atmosphere and some classic grub to soak up some of the booze. Result!
📍You’ll find The Munich Cricket Club at various locations in London. You can find out more here.
10. Oktoberfest at the Big Penny Social
Rounding off this list of the best is one of our favourite breweries up in Blackhorse Road – the 1,400-capacity Big Penny Social. Running on September 29 and 30, you’ll be able to indulge in celebrations at London’s biggest beer hall, where there will be Munich-themed Oktoberfest decorations, authentic German food like pretzels and bratwurst and steins of beer of course too.
They’re also going all out with entertainment from The Lederpop Brass Band – one of the most unique and authentic oompah bands around – and after-hours stuff from London’s greatest pop party Club de Fromage. It’s gonna have a real party vibe at this one!
📍Big Penny Social, 1 Priestley Way, London, E17 6AL.
🚇 Nearest station is Blackhorse Road.
So there you have it – a roundup of the best places to enjoy Oktoberfest in London this year. Get ready to raise a stein or two, munch on a bratwurst and maybe, just maybe, dance on tables!
Also published on Medium.