Manchester Oktoberfest

For my third weekend in the UK, we started to broaden our horizons beyond Leicester. One of my cohort colleagues found an Oktoberfest celebration nearby, so a few of us decided to check it out!

Saturday morning, we took the train through Sheffield into Manchester. The line passed through Stockport, and the county football club was playing Grimsby later that afternoon. There were several fans (for both sides) on the train which made the ride quite entertaining. Throughout the ride, they periodically broke into songs and chants.

Once we arrived in Manchester, we stopped by the Piccadilly Tavern for a classic UK-style breakfast. I had a cappuccino while my friends had a few pints to start the day. By the time we left, we were absolutely stuffed and ready to explore the city further so we headed to Platt Park where the Oktoberfest was being held.

When we arrived, it was quite an eclectic celebration: plenty of steins and lederhosen about, accompanied by a unique mixture of music. When we entered the tents, we were greeted by Don't Stop Believin' and many other hits, including Sweet Caroline and Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!! Ein Prosit was periodically mixed in as well of course, with plenty of stein swinging (and some splashing to dodge from those already feeling the effects of the ale).

The weather outside was gray and damp, quite classic English fall weather. Inside the tent, however, the atmosphere was much brighter. Dancing was not limited to the dance floor but also on the benches and tables, some wobblier than others as we discovered which made things even more exciting.

Following the celebration, we headed to another bar based on the recommendation of some friends we made on the dance floor. The bar had a bunch of games (pool, shuffleboard, bowling, pong...) and a really fun atmosphere.

With a full day of shenanigans, we were quite exhausted by the time we decided to head back. The day trip was enough for this time around, we're looking forward to exploring more in the future!