2017-09-25Staff Report 2 Pinehas Nakaziko Windhoek-The 2017 Oktoberfest was launched here last week and will this year take place at the Sports Klub Windhoek (SKW) on October 28 and 29. The event is brought to life through a partnership between Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) - a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List Group and the 2017 Windhoek Oktoberfest organizing team, celebrating its 59th anniversary in the spirit of German Bavarian tradition. From the authentic German music in the background enjoyed by guests in traditional Bavarian attire (‘Lederhosen’ for the gents, and ‘Dirndl’ for the ladies) to the specially brewed ‘Festbier’ and scrumptious traditional German cuisine, such as ‘bratwurst’ and ‘pretzels’, set the tone during the launch at the NBL headquarters in Windhoek. Around 5,000 people - both from abroad and locals - annually attend the Windhoek Oktoberfest, which is marked as the best Oktoberfest in Africa, and is a part of the global Oktoberfest celebrated all over the world. Head of the Windhoek Oktoberfest organising committee Norbert Wurm at the launch emphasised how this global event has been ‘Namibianised’ to cater for and accommodate local supporters. “Yes, the Oktoberfest originated from Germany, but while the Windhoek Oktoberfest also embraces the culture from which this event originated, it is not entirely a German party, as such, but rather celebrates and appreciates culture in Namibia as well. “The Windhoek Oktoberfest is all about passion, people, and authenticity, and of course, Namibian beer. We have to cater for everyone, especially our Namibian supporters that have kept this event alive for almost six decades,” Wurm said. According to another member of the Windhoek Oktoberfest organising committee, Gero von der Wense, on the global front in Munich where the Oktoberfest originated, at least six million people from all over the world attend the event annually. The Oktoberfest initially started in 1810 and has grown to become the biggest festival in the world today. 2017-09-25Staff Report 2
