by Dorian Boddie
Beers and brats and pretzels, oh my! Do as the Germans do and celebrate Oktoberfest in style with these 5 must haves. Prost!
Pretzel to Spätzle
The best part of any gathering is great food. The ideal base menus should consist of Bratwursts, warm soft pretzels and potato salad. Baked goods featuring German chocolate make for the perfect dessert.
Bier (aka beer)
With so many domestic and international breweries offering tasty Oktoberfest and German style beers there’s no shortage of options. For a fun twist, ask guests to bring their favorite seasonal six pack. This helps stretch your party planning budget while allowing everyone to sample a large variety of brews.
Dirndl & Lederhosen
Create the perfect European atmosphere and take your get-together to the next level by encouraging attendees to come adorned in traditional German garb. Lederhosen, Dirndls, and other Oktoberfest themed apparel is readily available on Amazon. Door prizes for the best dressed is a must.
German Themed Cocktail
A German or seasonal cocktail is the perfect party favor to get everyone in the spirit (pun intended). One crowd pleaser is this Fireball apple cider Jello shot topped with whipped cream, sweet and spicy with a lingering hint of cinnamon whiskey.
Hoist a Stein
A traditional stein hoisting competition will be the highlight of your event! Keep the stopwatch rolling as groups of 3 or 4 party goers compete to hold Steins full of beer or water on fully extended arms. Make sure you have prizes for the guest with the longest hold time. If at least 50% of your guests leave the party feeling like they may have torn their rotator cuff then you know that this party game was executed successfully.
