Oktoberfest Party Ideas – Planning an Oktoberfest Party
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Planning an Oktoberfest party and you need Oktoberfest Food Ideas?
One of the top questions that people ask when planning an Oktoberfest party is what type of food they should serve! Well, I’ve got you covered from brat to beer in this post. You’ll be the most prepared host or hostess for your Oktoberfest party!
What is Oktoberfest?
Perhaps you’ve stumbled upon this post when trying to figure out how to host your first Oktoberfest party. So let me ask you – do you know what Oktoberfest actually is? I’m no expert, but I will tell you that Oktoberfest is a folk festival held every year in Germany in the two weeks leading up to October. To my understanding it is celebrated up until the Sunday in October that signifies German Unity Day. Oktoberfest has taken place every year since 1810. Originally it was part of a wedding celebration. This celebration of Bavarian culture lasts about two weeks. Big tents, called Beer Tents are set up along with music, traditional Bavarian food, and carnival type rides for all to enjoy. The celebration begins with the mayor tapping the keg! Fun, right? You can read much more about the tradition of Oktoberfest here.
What do you need for an Oktoberfest party?
Here I’ll break down the essentials you need to put together to celebrate Oktoberfest at home this year. We’ll keep it pretty simple and look at:
- Food for Oktoberfest
- Oktoberfest beer
- Oktoberfest themed decor
- Games for your Oktoberfest party
Oktoberfest Food Ideas
Authentic Oktoberfest foods include traditional Bavarian fare. The great thing about traditional Oktoberfest food is that it’s all fun, and it’s easy to prepare. If you want to make it even easier, arrange to have the party catered (there’s no shame in that game).
- Roast pork (traditionally named Schweinebraten)
- Sausages (bratwurst)
- Bavarian pretzels (brezin)
- Kasespatzle or Noodles (spatzle) layered with cheese
- German Sauerkraut
- Bread dumplings
- Schnitzel
- Roast chicken (there’s an easy one for you)!
- Potato pancakes
- German potato salad
- Red cabbage
What beer do you serve at an Oktoberfest party?
The only answer would be – German beer! Here’s the beer that is traditionally served at Oktoberfest:
- Paulaner
- Lowenbrau
- Hacker-Pschorr
- Spaten
- Augustiner
- Hofbrau
If for some reason you cannot find one of these brands of beer to serve, you can always provide any pilsner you can find. Don’t go crazy – keep it simple. Remember one of my biggest party planning tips – always have non-alcoholic options available, and keep your alcohol menu small.
Planning your Oktoberfest party decor
Again, keep it simple. Go with a blue and white theme. These are the colors of the Bavarian flag. I’ve linked a few of my favorites below (affiliate) so you can pull it all together easily.
Banners & Fun Decor
Did anyone say costume?
There are so many cute and inexpensive costumes out there to really kick your Oktoberfest party to the next level. Check these out! (affiliate)
Pulling it all together
I’m hoping you’re well on your way to planning your first Oktoberfest with these Oktoberfest Party Ideas – Planning an Oktoberfest Party. Remember as always – keep it simple, keep it fun, and enjoy your own party!
xoxo,
JJ
