It’s not just Halloween events and pumpkin picking that fill up the October calendar, make sure you leave room for Oktoberfest too, the traditional German beer festival that has spread across Europe.
Wales is no stranger to the festival, but in 2023 there are more events planned than ever before which is why I’ve put together this round-up of the best Oktoberfest events in Wales in 2023.
I will be keeping the list updated as I hear about additional events. Get in touch if there are any I’ve missed.
Map of Oktoberfest Events in Wales
1. Oktoberfest Cymru: Cardiff (30th September and 1st October 2023)
Oktoberfest Cymru is an Oktoberfest tour that kicks off in Cardiff on 30th September for two nights at VSA warehouse.
Expect the warehouse to be decked out as a huge Bavarian beer hall with German street food and live music from Oompah bands.
The event runs from 4pm – 11pm, with last entry at 6pm. Don’t forget to don your best lederhosen! Tickets start at £22 per person and can be purchased here with plenty still available at the time of writing.
2. Bingo Lingo Oktoberfest: Swansea (6th October 2023)
Bingo Lingo is known for its large-scale boozy bingo events, and in honour of the Bavarian beer festival, they are taking over Swansea Arena with Oktoberfest themed bingo event.
It will be held on 6th October with doors opening at 6pm and last entry at 7.30pm.
Only final release tickets are still available starting at £24.50 and can be found here.
3. DEPOT (Cardiff) Presents: Oktoberfest (7th, 14th, 21st October 2023)
Cardiffians are lucky that they have two large-scale Oktoberfest events to choose from. The second is the biggest Oktoberfest festival in Wales, hosted by DEPOT warehouse across 3 Saturdays during October (7th, 14th, and 21st).
I have been to this event before and it was a huge party with a lively atmosphere, music from traditional Oompa bands, and lots of audience participation including sausage eating competitions.
The best part about the event is that you can order drinks (in steins) to your table directly from their app so there’s no more queuing. They also have a good selection of street food vendors with a range of different foods.
The event runs from 5pm – 11pm but it fills up very quickly so aim to get there early for a good seat. Tickets start at just £11 and can be purchased here.
4. Oktoberfest Cymru: Anglesey (TBC?)
The biggest Oktoberfest event in North Wales is usually held by Oktoberfest Cymru at Anglesey Showground.
I have heard the potential date of 8th October suggested, however, I have seen no official page to buy tickets for this event yet.
Last year, the event didn’t go very well with huge queues and many people asking for refunds (see full news article) so perhaps it won’t take place this year.
I’ll update this article if I hear any more news.
5. Oktoberfest Cymru: Newport (14th October 2023)
Oktoberfest Cymru will be back in Newport again in 2023 at The Queens Hotel. The event will kick off at 5pm and run until 11pm (last entry at 7pm).
Tickets can be purchased here but are already selling out for this huge event that promises live music, sausage-eating competitions, authentic German street food, and more.
6. Caernarfon’s Loompah Noson (14th October 2023)
Caernarfon will have its own version of Oktoberfest on 14th October, hosted by the team at Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon (Caernarfon Food Festival).
It’s been named ‘Loompah Noson’ an amalgamation of the Welsh phrase ‘lwmp o noson’, meaning ‘one hell of a night’ and ‘Oompa’ which is a type of music associated with Bavaria and traditionally played at Oktoberfest.
The event will take place at the Market Hall in the centre of Caernarfon, starting at 7pm. Expect a huge beer hall with German-inspired food and lots of local beers.
Tickets cost £15. You'll need to complete this form and then you'll be told how to pay via bank transfer.
7. Oktoberfest Cymru: Carmarthen (28th October 2023)
The final stop for Oktoberfest Cymru will be Carmarthen where they’ll take over Carmarthen County Showground on the 28th October.
Being Oktoberfest Cymru’s final event in Wales, expect them to go out with a bang. They have promised Oompa bands, German street food, sausage-eating competitions, and other surprises too.
The event will run from 4pm until 11pm with final entry at 7pm. Fourth-release tickets are currently available, starting at £22.50. You can buy them here.
8. Oktoberfest Ruthin (28th October 2023)
On 28th October, Market Street in Ruthin will host an Oktoberfest event with beer, dancing, and a lively atmosphere. The event kicks off at midday and tickets can be purchased here, starting from just £11.55.
Of course, there’ll be German food to keep you energized, including bratwurst, currywurst, and other favourites.
There will also be live music from the Oompa band known as ‘the Oompah Stompers’ and DJ Bavario will lead entertainment for the day.
9. Oktoberfest Rhyl (28th October 2023)
This year, Rhyl will have its own take on Octoberfest at Rhyl Town Hall, hosted by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd.
The event is being held on 28th October and will run from 6pm with live music and DJ. There will also be German food and the steins of beer will be flowing until late.
Tickets start at £10 and can be purchased here.
Published: 27 September 2023