Missed out on Oktoberfest? Kein Problem! Here are ten equally boozy European celebrations.
Where collective drinking is concerned, Oktoberfest in Munich racks up the lion’s share of column inches. For beer lovers, it’s a bonafide rite of passage to journey to Bavaria every September and October for steins and sausages while donning lederhosen and dirndls, the traditional tracht (costume) of the region. However, Europe is hiding a whole world of boozy celebrations that make Oktoberfest look like the tip of the ice-cold iceberg.
The lesser-known gems offer a chance to party with locals, experience age-old traditions, and yes, drink your weight in whatever happens to be on tap without the millions-strong throngs that flock to Munich’s beer gardens for Oktoberfest. Whether it’s wine-drenched food fights in Spain, floating beer drinkers in Finland, whiskey-fueled nights in Scotland, or a UK-to-France race to score the new season’s Beaujolais, when Europe celebrates booze, it does so with flair, gusto, and sometimes, a healthy dose of absurdity. Here are 10 European celebrations that give Munich Oktoberfest a run for its euros.
