Oktoberfest returns this September, as the park brings a family-friendly take on the traditional German festival, featuring special entertainment, along with special walkabout characters as well as tasty food and drink.
During the event, the event arena on the front lawns are transformed into a veritable Bavarian playground, with everything you could need to celebrate Oktoberfest in the heart of the Staffordshire Moorlands.
Entertainment
Each day, the front lawns come alive with a range of singers and characters performing on the main stage into the evening, including some favourites from across the resort.
Of course, no Oktoberfest would be complete without a bit of oompah and the stage is busy from 11:45am, with acts who bring a combo of traditional German music and modern favourites to the stage.
2024 Line-Up
- Oktoberfest Sing-along – Hey Baby! Once you’ve enjoyed a stein or two, join Claus for a good old sing-along.
- Lebhaft Tanzen Show – Don’t try this at home (or on your table!) as a lederhosen-clad troop bring this outrageous dance show to the stage.
- The Oomparty Band – A Bavarian twist on all your favourite tunes – from club classics and anthems through to noughties pop hits.
- The Party Pilots – getting the party started with classics from the past 60 years.
- Bierkeller Oompah Show (7pm Ride Close only) – the classic Oktoberfest show moves from the Bierkellar onto the mainstage, featuring Robert Burton on the accordion.
Food and Drink
Around the Wisen Stage you will find a selection of stalls, with communal firepits in between, which bring German treats to the park alongside a range of other international cuisine. Including:
- Spanferkel – hog roast sandwiches, served with apple sauce and stuffing
- Schwenkgrill – traditional wursts and other sausage-based treats
- Chip Haus – whether you like your fries loaded or not
- Lebukchen – traditional desserts and hot chocolate
- Pretzels – Savoury and sweet varieties on offer
- Toasted Marshmallows – marshmallows, but toasted
Event History
Oktoberfest first came to Alton Towers in 2020 (from 11th September – 4th October), as a new outdoor celebration to help chase the pandemic blues away with some social-distanced fun. In its original incarnation, the event was centred around a pair of small stages on the front lawn.
In its first year, the event introduced many of the core features of the event, including entertainment provided by accordion, Robert Burton and oompah with a modern twist, provided by German Jukebox. The event also brought Darwin the Dodo back to the park to act as the event mascot.
German inspired food was also a major focus for the event, introducing popular options such as Spanferkel, the Schwenk Grill, Geladene Pommes and Lebukchen, as well as other favourites such as Toasted Marshmallow and Glühwein. On the front lawn, the Bier Kellar offered a selection of German and English beers like SPATEN, Erdinger and Becks, whilst the Mutiny Bay Courtyard housed the Wunderbar.
2021
After a successful first year, Oktoberfest had a major upgrade in 2021 (running 11th September – 3rd October), with lots of new theming, food and drink and entertainment, and a major expansion into Mutiny Bay.
The front lawns were still the centre of the event, now home to the much larger Die Wies’n Stage, including a new show – Lebhaft Tanzen, accompanied by a new double-decker Wunderbar. The main stage from 2020 was moved into the Mutiny Bay Courtyard, becoming the Spaten Bierkellar Stage, offering a more laid-back Bavarian experience.
The selection of food and drink also expanded with additional street food offerings, such as German Meatballs, at The Pan House.
2022
Oktoberfest’s entertainment schedule got a bit of a shake up in 2022 (10th September – 2nd October), with the departure of German Jukebox, to be replaced by Le Beat Party Band and The Oomparty Band. A new walkaround character, the Clockmaker, also joined the event’s street entertainment
Entertainment now started much earlier in the day at 11:30am. Wisen Stage shows rotated between The Darwin Show, Lebhaft Tanzen Show, Le Beat Party Band, Oktoberfest Sing-along and The Oomparty Band. Meanwhile, the Bierkeller Stage hosted its own Oompah Show, Gitarrenpatei and Singsong Shindig, hosted by the Bierkeller Landlady Fräulein Helga.
2023 and 2024
The event returned between 9th September – 1st October 2023, with a broadly similar line-up to the previous year. Notably, however, the Bierkellar bar was renamed to fittingly become known as the Welcom-Out Bar.
Unfortunately, the event was somewhat scaled back for 2024 with the loss of the Bierkellar stage, along with Fräulein Helga. and Gitarrenpatei. Darwin the Dodo’s show was also cut.
