Here’s the low-down on the ‘most authentic’ Oktoberfest in the Philippines

Don’t look now but Sofitel’s Oktoberfest will span two nights, October 6 and 7, to accommodate an expected crowd of 6,800 merrymaking folks.

You can expect the expat community to come in droves at the Oktoberfest. Apart from the Germans, the Dutch and Belgians have made their presence felt.

While partnering with the German Club Manila lends authenticity to the local adaptation of the beer festival, it’s not really the partnership that makes it the most legit.

According to German Club Manila President Bernd Schneider, it’s the fact that Sofitel’s Oktoberfest doesn’t try too hard with shiny new offerings. “You come here for the food, for the beer, for the merriment, for tradition,” Schneider said at the press launch of the event.

Just like it did the last seven years, the hotel chain and the German Club will convert the Harbor Garden Tent into a traditional biergarten. There will be a huge spread of delicious traditional Bavarian dishes — not unlike a lot of Pinoy favorites too.

German sausages, pork knuckles, cheeses, dessert, everything!

There’s the pork knuckles, which is akin to our beloved crispy pata; the goulash which is similar to our caldereta, the roast chicken which Pinoys will compare to our litson manok.

Women will wear the usual dirndls (aprons, yo!), men will sport the traditional lederhorsen (leather shorts, for comfort).

There will be entertainment galore, care of the Bavarian Sound Express, which they are flying in straight from Germany by the way, with traditional Bavarian music and international hits.

Free-flowing beer!

And of course, the star of any Oktoberfest: free-flowing beer. Now if we can have it for three weeks long like they do in Munich, then our Oktoberfest would be as real as it gets. Can we hear a prost to that? — LA/KVD,GMA News

Tickets start at P3,700. Premium tickets to Saturday, October 7 are already sold out. Call +6328942899 for ticket reservations.