This was the view as we approached the Oktoberfest fairgrounds. I was so excited I had to go pee pee behind that tree on the left.
In Hannover, Oktoberfest takes place at the Schützenplatz, which is an open area directly across from the AWD Arena (home of the Hannover 96 soccer team, and yeah, you heard me right, I just called it ‘soccer’). This year, Oktoberfest ran from September 28th until October 14th, and yet The Wife and I almost missed it! We kept meaning to check it out, but (my wife) couldn’t seem to find the time. I finally jogged past the fairgrounds one morning and noticed it would only be open for one more weekend. That’s when I finally convinced my wife we had to go.
“I ran past Oktoberfest this morning and there’s only one weekend left!” I exclaimed. “There were tons of beer tents in there! They even had roller coasters with Germans on them! Screaming Germans! I need this, honey. I need it so bad.”
The Wife relented and we experienced our very first Hannover Oktoberfest together. It was AWESOME.
Here are the pictures we took that night. I’m sorry there aren’t more; I was too busy experiencing pure, unadulterated joy.
This was the view as we approached the Oktoberfest fairgrounds. I was so excited I had to go pee pee behind that tree on the left.
Looks like the entrance to just about any fair you’d find in the United States, doesn’t it? Though inconspicuous from this angle, that tent on the left is just a tiny feature of a massive beer garden seen immediately upon arrival. I told my wife, “Go on without me. I’m never leaving this place.”
“Look, kids, it’s the world’s scariest clown! And, uh oh, he’s trying to throw darts right into your adorable little eyes! Here are your ride tokens. Have fun!”
Currywurst is a really cheap carnival / food cart dish here in Germany. They hack up a bunch of pork sausage and drown it in curry sauce without a trace of remorse. Next to our currywurst are french fries slathered in (oh God) mayonnaise, which immediately reminded me of that scene from Pulp Fiction about Holland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO4HfasmD6E
That’s my full liter of beer on the left, and my wife’s sissy half-liter on the right. I don’t know why this picture in focused primarily on the table, but I do know drinking in public is legal in Germany, and Oktoberfest actively encourages it.
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I visited Oktoberfest in Munich and I too planned to do a post about the experience complete with pictures. Well that didn’t happen. “Someone” got inebriated quite quickly so we were only there for a short time before I had to steer said “someone” back to our friends apartment by their lederhosen suspenders. As you can tell, I had an amazing time.
Sounds like your wife was somewhat reluctant to attend.. I guess after a while we all become a bit jaded about local events – darn tourists, darn misrepresentation of local culture, darn traffic – glad you had fun though :) Maybe you should make a project of attending Oktoberfest in every city nearby to compare and rate =p
She wasn’t reluctant; she just had a different set of priorities. She was under the impression she had to “work” and do some “chores” before we could check it out.
I, however, was under the impression there would be beer.
Glad you enjoyed your real German Oktoberfest!
Most cities and smaller towns have a Fair through out the year. Münchner Oktoberfest, Hamburger Dom, Bremer Freimarkt u.s.w.
BTW der Bremer Freimarkt (lit. Free Fair) , first held in 1035, is the oldest fair in Germany and considered to be the biggest festival in Northern Germany. :)
Bremer Freimarkt? I must now ask my wife about this and mark the calendar, for there must surely be beer at this event, and surely nothing else can be so important. :)
I am sure you will find at the Bremer Freimarkt – hometown of Beck’s Beer – beer somewhere ;)
If need to be, you can go to “das Bayernzelt” at the Bremer Freimarkt and have a Hefeweizen ;) ;)
Ha, I was there weeeeks before you. Unfortunately I was uber-pregnant, so couldn’t go on any rides and mereley functioned as a life-size coat hanger/cash mashine for my little monster who must have ridden every single kids ride and tried every single sweet treat on offer. It was a borderline miracle that he didn’t puke all over the place and probably only due to the fact that it started raining towards the end and we couldn’t sample the chocolate apples at the very last stall close to the exit. Fond memories…
Sandra, you were at the Hannover Oktoberfest?? You gotta tell a brother these things! I would have bought you a beer and knocked a few I.Q. points off that unborn baby of yours!
Yip, I sure was. Unfortunately with my likewise uber-pregnant sister and her 4-year old brat. I seriously doubt she would have enjoyed me getting all drunk with a random American Asylbewerber.
On the bright side of things that unborn baby of mine isn’t quite so unborn anymore, so I’ll let him know that he’s to blame for all my recent and near-future brain lapses. We call this Schwangerschaftsdemenz and Stilldemenz.
And I have to say, I am impressed how you reply to every single comment you receive. I do as well, but it took me a few months of blogging before I realized its importance.
Oh God, My Wife Is German. 
I visited Oktoberfest in Munich and I too planned to do a post about the experience complete with pictures. Well that didn’t happen. “Someone” got inebriated quite quickly so we were only there for a short time before I had to steer said “someone” back to our friends apartment by their lederhosen suspenders. As you can tell, I had an amazing time.
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You can still write the post! You must write this post!
Do it for me! Do it for the Germans!
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No promises, but we shall see. I will need to come up with a witty fool proof pseudonym first of all. lol
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Absolutely. How about Drunky McPete?
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Oh, that looks like so much fun!! I’m so happy you got to experience it and you caught it before it was over.
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Thank you Bumble! Me too.
Perhaps next year we will check out the real deal in Munich.
Have you ever been to an Oktoberfest?
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Sounds like your wife was somewhat reluctant to attend.. I guess after a while we all become a bit jaded about local events – darn tourists, darn misrepresentation of local culture, darn traffic – glad you had fun though :) Maybe you should make a project of attending Oktoberfest in every city nearby to compare and rate =p
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She wasn’t reluctant; she just had a different set of priorities. She was under the impression she had to “work” and do some “chores” before we could check it out.
I, however, was under the impression there would be beer.
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Glad you enjoyed your real German Oktoberfest!
Most cities and smaller towns have a Fair through out the year. Münchner Oktoberfest, Hamburger Dom, Bremer Freimarkt u.s.w.
BTW der Bremer Freimarkt (lit. Free Fair) , first held in 1035, is the oldest fair in Germany and considered to be the biggest festival in Northern Germany. :)
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Thank you!
Bremer Freimarkt? I must now ask my wife about this and mark the calendar, for there must surely be beer at this event, and surely nothing else can be so important. :)
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I am sure you will find at the Bremer Freimarkt – hometown of Beck’s Beer – beer somewhere ;)
If need to be, you can go to “das Bayernzelt” at the Bremer Freimarkt and have a Hefeweizen ;) ;)
LG Anja
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Excellent! Hopefully they serve maß beers. They don’t do that as often up here in the north, I’m discovering. :(
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Ha, I was there weeeeks before you. Unfortunately I was uber-pregnant, so couldn’t go on any rides and mereley functioned as a life-size coat hanger/cash mashine for my little monster who must have ridden every single kids ride and tried every single sweet treat on offer. It was a borderline miracle that he didn’t puke all over the place and probably only due to the fact that it started raining towards the end and we couldn’t sample the chocolate apples at the very last stall close to the exit. Fond memories…
LikeLike
Sandra, you were at the Hannover Oktoberfest?? You gotta tell a brother these things! I would have bought you a beer and knocked a few I.Q. points off that unborn baby of yours!
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Yip, I sure was. Unfortunately with my likewise uber-pregnant sister and her 4-year old brat. I seriously doubt she would have enjoyed me getting all drunk with a random American Asylbewerber.
On the bright side of things that unborn baby of mine isn’t quite so unborn anymore, so I’ll let him know that he’s to blame for all my recent and near-future brain lapses. We call this Schwangerschaftsdemenz and Stilldemenz.
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Nice! Congratulations on your newest baby!
Woah… pregnancy dementia. That sounds kind of awesome.
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In any case it’s a brilliant excuse for everything!
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Haw haw!
Well then, as an excuse for everything, can I use Testicular Dementia?
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Oh go on then. How convenient that this is not just a temporary thing (one would hope!). Now I am actually a bit jealous of that excuse…
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Totally trademarking it. :)
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To paraphrase you,”Another great post – and pics!”
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Thanks Doggie!
And I have to say, I am impressed how you reply to every single comment you receive. I do as well, but it took me a few months of blogging before I realized its importance.
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