Scan Magazine
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Festivals You Don’t Want to Miss – Norway
Beer, bratwurst and Bavaria – experience the traditional German Oktoberfest in Oslo City centre Lederhosen, Dirndl and beer served in giant seidel mugs while ‘drinking songs’ are sung loudly, are things you would normally associate with Bavaria and Germany. But in Oslo, Norway, Oktoberfest is also quickly becoming a popular autumnal tradition. By Alyssa Nilsen
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Photos: Johannes Andersen
Each October, two large tents filled to the brim with 3,000 happy people indulging in German beer, food and traditions grace the Youngstorget square in central Oslo. Taking place during the last three weekends of October, Oktoberfest Oslo, Norway’s biggest Oktoberfest, imports a little piece of Bavaria and Germany to the Nordics. Dating back to the 19th century, Oktoberfest initially started as a celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig – later King Ludwig I – to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Having celebrat60 |
Issue 141
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April 2022
ed its 200th anniversary in 2010, it’s one of the most widely celebrated German festivals, as famed internationally as the Irish St Patrick’s Day or the Brazilian carnival parades.
In Oslo, Oktoberfest has been arranged since 2006, first in various smaller venues, before upgrading to the current large festival tents at Youngstorget in 2017. History, tradition and beer To get the perfect atmosphere at the festival, Tyrolean orchestra Ronald Schnipfelgrüber Tyrolerkapelle entertains the crowds with traditional singalong music and drinking songs. Everyone working the tents dons the Bavarian outfits of Dirndl and Lederhosen, and the tents are dressed up in black, red and yellow. “A clear trend among the visitors over the past few years is that more and more of them also choose to dress up for the occasion,” CEO Kalle Fostervoll says. “Women dress in the traditional Dirndl dress and men in Lederhosen, adding to the vibe
