Cebu’s Own Oktoberfest

CEBU, Philippines - Over 400 people gathered in the beachfront Oktoberfest celebration at Crimson Resort & Spa in Mactan. The Bavaraian Sound Express and German Club Manila went all out in bringing to Cebu the most authentic Bavarian celebration.

Patrons from Korea, Japan, Cebu, Germany and the rest of world all enjoyed a wide selection of German fare, including roasted pork knuckle, braised sauerkraut, Sauerbratten or the red wine braised beef, herbed potatoes, sausages like Nuernberger, Weisswurst, Pork bratwurst and Frankfurter, and Fleischpflanzerl, to name a few – and the crowd’s favorite, pretzels paired with unlimited German craft beer.

“For the first time, in the three years that we have hosted Oktoberfest in Crimson, we were serving unlimited German craft beer and the crowd loved it,” said general manger Didier Belmonte. “This was the most authentic they could get to celebrating this Bavarian festival that’s known throughout the world. Along with German Club Manila, we brought to the Philippines The Bavarian Sound Express, a brass band from Germany that also did a weekend show in Manila to provide the music in the festival.”

Apart from the music, beer and food, Micheal Schiele of the German Club in Manila taught the crowd some German words all to get everyone dancing the “flight dance” or Fliegerlied. Everyone was on their feet as they danced and sang to this fun German song with basic movements such as flying, swimming and jumping.

Any Oktoberfest celebration would not be complete without the outrageously fun games and contests. This year’s celebration also held the record for the most number of beer drinking contestants in both male and female categories, both of which were done in three batches of nine contestants each. Winners of each round guzzled one liter craft beer in less than a minute’s time.

Many local guests were lucky to win various prizes from Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan, Crimson Hotel, Filinvest City Manila, Quest Hotel & Conference Center Cebu and The Manor at Camp John Hay. (FREEMAN)