On tap: German Consul General in HCM City Hans-Dieter Stell (left) hits a barrel of beer at the Windsor Plaza Hotel to begin a seven-day Oktoberfest in HCM City. — VNS Photo Van Dat

HCM CITY (VNS)— German Consul General in HCM City Hans-Dieter Stell hit the barrel of beer amid cheering sounds at Windsor Plaza Hotel last night to begin a seven-day Oktoberfest, which is the largest of it kind in Southeast Asia.

The festival which has been organised in the city for the 22nd time attracted crowd from several countries in the world and local Vietnamese.

Beside German cuisine such as sausages, sauerkraut, sauerbraten and pretzels, traditional costumes, the popular Bavarian folk music from the German band Gaukis Bavaria brought the festival atmostphere to the event.

During the week-long event, dancing to foot-stomping music, and traditional German games will be available as they are seen in every Oktoberfest held every where in the rest of the world.

The world's largest funfair has been held the first time in 1810 as a wedding of Prince Ludwig and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. There was horserace festival and citizen were invited to attend, Hans-Dieter Stell, German Consul General in HCM City told visitors to the first night of the funfair.

And since 1850, this has become an annual beer festival as an anniversary for the couple's wedding, he added.

Later it has been organised around the world.

The festival has been brought to Viet Nam for 22 years and the festival is annually organised very close to the original festival in Germany. In Munich, people sing, dance on the table, play games during the festival, said Elmar Dutt, chairman of German Business Association.

The Oktoberfest in Viet Nam, which is organised by the German Consulate General in HCM City, the German Business Association (GBA) and Windsor Plaza Hotel, recreates the massive beer halls of the original Oktoberfest in Munich.

Organisers expect the festival attract more than 10,000 people in HCM City.

Last year, 14,000 visitors consumed two tonnes of sausages, 700 kilos of pork knuckles, 350 kilos of sauerkrauts, and over 20,000 litres of imported German beer, according to organisers. — VNS