Busch Gardens Brings Oktoberfest To Williamsburg With BIER FEST
Busch Gardens is debuting an all new event this September titled Bier Fest! The new event honors the theme parks Bavarian heritage it’s own Oktoberfest celebration. This festival-style event spans two weekends and features live music, traditional German food and 75 draft and bottled beers that offer beer aficionados a robust palate of flavors to sample..
This fall guests can explore the many flavors of beer with brewers from 10 countries. With beer varieties from Europe, Asia and America, Busch Gardens Bier Fest is the largest beer celebration in the parks history.
Park President Carl Lum said:
“I look forward to hosting guests as we celebrate the fine art of brewing.”
Guests walking through the Oktoberfest village can enjoy traditional German music by The Happy Dutchmen. This Oompah band engages audiences with songs like Edelweiss, Schitzelbank and Ein Prosit and invites the audience to join in traditional German dances, including Der Ententan and the Chicken Dance.
Busch Gardens Bürgermeister will host a tapping of the keg ceremony at 11:30 a.m. on each day of the event. Park leaders will tap a locally produced, cask-conditioned keg, also known as a firkin keg, to kick off the days event. Local craft beer brewers developed the small batches of cask-conditioned beer that will be available in limited quantities that day.
Beer enthusiasts interested in tasting a variety of styles can purchase a Bier Fest Sampler that provides 10 individual 3 oz. samples for one price. The card can be used anytime during the entire four-day event so guests can relax and enjoy their selections.
Just to name a few Biers available at the event:
German & Oktoberfest Biers
Goose Island Oktoberfest
Legend Oktoberfest
Spaten Oktoberfest
Crisp & Fruity Biers
Harpoon UFO Big Squeeze Shandy
Legend Z Dam Ale
Magners Cider
Shock Top® Honey Bourbon Cask Wheat
Bold & Roasty Biers
Alewerks Washington’s Porter
Dominion Oak Barrel Stout
Smartmouth Cowcatcher Milk Stout
Hoppy Biers
Goose Island IPA
Lagunitas IPA
O’Connor Great Dismal Black IPA
Firkin Biers
Alewerks Brewing Company Firkins
Center of the Universe Brewing Company Firkins
Legend Brewing Company Firkins
St. George Brewing Company Firkins
Traditional German cordials also will be available for guests interested in exploring the world of liqueurs. Among the offerings will be a selection of traditional German Schnaps. Traditional Schnaps is made from apples, pears, plums or cherries. It does not contain sugar and is not particularly sweet, though it carries some of the flavor of the fruits used in the distilling process. Busch Gardens is offering a special Cordials Tasting at an additional cost during Bier Fest for guests who want to learn more about these offerings.
And of course, no Oktoberfest is complete without FOOD! Guests can cleanse their palates with new German-inspired cuisine offered at the park only during this event, including hand-breaded pork schnitzel in creamy mushroom-and-bacon sauce and German meatballs in caper cream sauce. Das Festhaus will also serve it’s regular menu during Bier Fest so guests can enjoy familiar German-inspired entrees they expect from the park.
Das Festhaus will showcase live music during the event, including singer, songwriter and guitarist Kevin MaC the first weekend and country music group Harley Boone the second.
Bier Fest takes place two weekends, Sept. 12-13 and 19-20 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Access to Bier Fest is included with park admission.
Also new in 2015 is a roller coaster called Tempesto! The new launch coaster is modeled after an Italian daredevil called Tempesto. At first glance, the track looks short, but those who dared to ride Tempesto were launched multiple times (forward & backward). The coaster launches forward, then backwards through the station then launches forward again through the station at speeds over 60mph going up and over the huge 153 foot tall loop, where the rides signature loop-the-loop inversion takes place. This is an amazing ride! Everyone who has been on the new coaster got off with smiles and said they would definitely ride it again. Watch our video with rider testimonials below!
There’s so much to see in 2015, to see what else is new for 2015 by clicking here! And coming soon to the park is the annual Howl-O-Scream Halloween event!
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