Oktoberfest is already close? Just say ‘prost!’
It’s always a fun, if somewhat surreal, experience to watch the Oktoberfest pre-festivities launch at Solaire Resort Entertainment City in early June. Just the sight alone of Filipina waitresses dressed in dirndl dresses hoisting mugs of Hofbräu Weizen beer flown in fresh from Munich raises a grin; it’s enough to make you give in and just say “Prost!” (“Cheers!”)
Held yearly in partnership with German Club Manila, Oktoberfest at Solaire features the closest sampling you will find of authentic kegged Munich beer, Bavarian-inspired festivities and classic Oktoberfest favorites, including German sausages, cold cuts and cheeses, schnitzel and apfelstrudel.
It’s a place for reconnecting with friends, discussing the efficacy of current streaming horror shows, debating the relative merits of “Tattoo You” in the Rolling Stones’ canon, and maybe snagging a pretzel or two, along with some German Rindgulasch (a classic beef goulash with bread dumplings and red cabbage), and Munich-style Weisswurst (a delicious pork and veal white sausage with sweet mustard).
As we took in the Oktoberfest vibes, which occurred at Solaire’s Pool Bar & Grill facing Manila Bay (the actual Oktoberfest will be held Oct. 8 to 10 inside at Solaire Grand Ballroom), we absorbed vital facts such as that German Club Manila has been actively promoting its Bavarian festivities since 1906, making this the 86th edition here; we learned that Dr. Jorg Lehmann, director of Hofbräuhaus, serves up a crisp and delicious brew each Summer Solstice, the one we’re currently sipping; and we discovered that certain German Club members are not above spilling most of their stein’s contents onto the ground in order to win a beer-chugging contest.
We also became reacquainted with the Fliegerlied, a popular bit of Bavarian partyschlager that involves “schwimming” (swimming) and “fliaging” (flying) dance moves, as every lederhosen-wearing waiter and dirndl-dressed barmaid joins in.
Other than that, the purpose of our visit was to make sure the public is aware that Oktoberfest will be a hearty party, with entertainment provided by the Bavarian Sound Express, as well as a great chance to strengthen German-Filipino ties and get new friendships brewing.
The program featured remarks from German Club Manila president Eric M. Gottschalk, German Ambassador to the Philippines Dr. Andreas Pfaffernoschke, Oktoberfest host Michael Schiele (dressed in lederhosen for the occasion); as well as video remarks from Mayor of Munich Dominik Krause and Dr. Christian Scharpf, head of the Munich Chamber of Commerce.
Since too much is never enough when it comes to Oktoberfest, we chased our first skinny-glass Munchen with a giant, barbell-sized stein of fresh Hofbräu (some of us switched to Imperial Spritz or other daintier drinks) and tucked into more German delicacies, like the Bavarian Meat Platter (crispy pork knuckle, pork schnitzel, pork sausage, meatloaf, rotisserie chicken, onion jus); the Hausfrauenart (German-style smoked salmon with sour cream, green apple, pickled cucumber); a side platter of German cold cuts and cheeses like landjager, Black Forest ham, meatloaf, liver spread, mountain cheese, Bavaria bleu cheese, obatzda and beer radish; capping it off with Shredded Caramelized Pancake (Kaiserschmarrn) with rum raisin, berry compote and vanilla sauce, and an untoppable Black Forest Gateau (Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte) with chocolate, Chantilly cream and cherries.
Oktoberfest itself began in Munich in 1810 as a royal Bavarian wedding celebration, and it’s since evolved into a folk and beer festival that carries on for three days. The Manila edition follows the Munich celebration with live brass-band music, long communal tables, original Hofbräu beer and traditional Bavarian dress.
This year’s three-day festival will cap with the 7th Oktoberfest Football Tournament, which kicks off on Saturday morning, Oct. 10, at Club United, Parañaque. It’s a friendly competition with teams from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Saigon, Singapore, Jakarta, Cebu, ADB and the GC Eagles.
And finally, we heard that German Club Manila has reached an agreement with Sebastian Kellerhoff, F&B Culinary VP of Solaire Resort Entertainment City, to continue on with these Solaire festivities for another five years, which calls for another toast of Hofbräu.
Prost, kaibigans!
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Oktoberfest is coming to Solaire! Early-bird tickets are available until July 31, 2026. For inquiries and reservations, call +632 8888 8888 or visit Solaire Resort Entertainment City’s official website.
