Canadian Beer Festivals
The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is the second largest Oktoberfest outside Germany. This nine day even is termed as Canada’s Great Bavarian Festival. On the lines of the original Oktoberfest, this also takes place in Germany and starts on the Friday before the Canadian Thanksgiving. Taking place in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, this fiesta also offers other beer based entertainment and a Thanksgiving parade is a major attraction of this.
A huge Beauty pageant by the name of Miss Oktoberfest is also organized during the beer festival which is televised nationally. As beer flows, traditional food is also served at the fest. Close to 700,000 people attend this annually and thousands of casks of beer is consumed. Celebrations in the form of traditional dances, races, parades also take place during the festival.
The places where the festivities take place and beer is served are called Festhallens. These festhallens are operated by Canadian based German clubs that ensure everything is done in true German style. There is an official Opening as well as Closing ceremony for this fest where events are organized to mark the celebration. There is a Keg-tapping festival at the opening while Rock Acts, breakfast events, College nights, gay events take place in the days that follow.
The festival also has a mascot called the Onkel Hans who is a plump man with a thick moustache and a traditional hat dressed in a Bavarian outfit. He is shown holding a Beer Stein (traditional Beer mug) and a sausage roll in each of his hands. There is also his counterpart, Tante Freida associated with him.
The Canadian Oktoberfest is one time that the Canadians let their hair down and party into the night.