You don’t need to be a connoisseur of German beers or dress up like an 18th-century Bavarian to enjoy taking part in Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, as it is known to Munich locals! As the world’s largest Volksfest, there’s so much more to this annual celebration than swigging mugs of booze – though, we’ll admit that certainly is a large part of it!
But as well as all of the drinking games, beer challenges and songs dedicated to a shared love of ale, this historic German-born celebration is known for its great food. Soft pretzels, juicy sausages and heavenly hog roasts are just as much a part of the celebrations as the alcohol, and to make the event more family-friendly, there are often lots of fairground rides and child-centric activities for younger guests to enjoy.
While the celebrations here in the UK are a lot smaller in comparison to the original Volksfest in Munich, we Brits always make Oktoberfest an event to remember. This year, Hog Roast Cricklewood was grateful to be involved in so many celebrations, which has led our team all over London these past few weeks.
Most memorably, our team was hired to serve a fabulous spread at an event arranged on behalf of the community by local event organisers. The open-air celebrations, which offered live music performances, beer and wine tents, carnival rides and delicious food, drew the crowds in their hundreds.
Hog Roast Cricklewood had been among the first stalls to arrive at the venue while everything was still being set up, but before our team knew it, the streets were bustling with life around them as our catering manager, Alex, guided them through the final stages of our catering process.
After plucking our gourmet sausages and grilled vegetable kebabs off the HogMaster grills and piling them into separate chafing dishes alongside a batch of mixed regular and sweet potato fries, Hog Roast Cricklewood effortlessly carved the hog roast, which they served to the merry guests alongside coleslaw, salads, crackling and sage and onion stuffing.
Everyone who tried our cooking was blown away, which added to the success of this event!