Watchwords

Pretty as a picture those pretzels, and the young lady isn't bad either. Photo courtesy of Oktoberfest Brisbane.

Watchwords

Pull out your leather pants and practice your Schunkel - Oktoberfest Brisbane 2012 is here!

 

An article is coming soon, but meanwhile here are the basics...

The Event: OKTOBERFEST BRISBANE

Date and time: Over two big weekends – Friday, 12 October 2012 from 4.00 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, 13 October 2012 from 11.00 a.m. to midnight; Sunday, 14 October 2012 from 11.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m., AND Friday, 19 October 2012 from 4.00 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, 20 October 2012 from 11.00 a.m. to midnight; Sunday, 21 October 2012 from 11.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. (On days running until midnight, last entry is at 11.00 p.m. On days running until 8.00 p.m. the last entry is at 7.00 p.m.)

Venue: RNA Showgrounds, Bowen Hills, Brisbane – entry via the Gregory Terrace gates only.

Ticket price: Buy your tickets online at http://oktoberfestbrisbane.com.au/tickets in advance and you will save $1 to $2 on the gate price. NOTE: MINORS (UNDER 18 YEARS) RECEIVE FREE ENTRY BUT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AND SUPERVISED BY A RESPONSIBLE ADULT AT ALL TIMES. YES, THAT’S 18 NOT 15 APPARENTLY. Online prices are: Fridays (12 and 19 October) $15; Saturdays (13 and 20 October) $20; Sundays (14 and 21 October) $15. There is no booking fee and tickets can be purchased online until 5 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to each weekend.

Special deals: there’s a Double the Fun Friday and Saturday deal for $26, Best seats in the Haus at a V.I.P. table if there are a lot of you, and ‘Sundays are Family Fun Days’ with special prices. Check out the ticket website above for those deals. With your pre-purchased tickets you can also have your printed ticket or phone (with bar code ready) scanned at the gate so you don’t have to stand in line at the box office on the day.

What’s happening: Willkommen to Oktoberfest Brisbane! It’s the ultimate German experience with leg-slapping traditional dances, yodellers and bell-ringers and a great opportunity to learn more about German culture and history. Miss Oktoberfest will be crowned (judged mainly on her strength and ability to carry several steins at once) and the winner of the Bavarian Strongman competition will be announced – presumably carrying steins is a prerequisite for this as well.

Who could pass up the delicious Bavarian food (no chicken nuggets here) or the taste of handcrafted beers made from 200-year-old recipes? Alcohol won’t be served to minors or patrons who are under the weather.

The kids are well catered for with puppet theatre, face painting, affordable rides and lots of baby animals. Oh, and you can milk a cow too if you’re that way inclined. It really is enough to make you get out the lederhosen. For more information, a program of events and some great pictures, visit the Oktoberfest Brisbane website at http://www.oktoberfestbrisbane.com.au.

Getting there: Do yourself and your family a favour and go by public transport.  Check with Translink for bus, ferry and rail times on 13 12 30 or use the Journey Planner at http://translink.com.au. It’s an easy ten-minute walk from the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital bus stop and other main bus routes going through the Valley stop opposite Gregory Terrace.

If you’re coming by train it’s about a ten-minute walk from either the Bowen Hills or Fortitude Valley train stations. If you really do have to bring the car, there is parking at the RNA Showgrounds (access via Gregory Terrace) for $10/day and Black & White Cabs, one of the official sponsors of the event, have established a taxi rank on Gregory Terrace for the duration.

If you came to the Oktoberfest Tent for a quiet time you're in the wrong place. There's entertainment galore and in the pauses you can hear the banging of steins. Photo courtesy of Oktoberfest Brisbane.