Experiencing The Authentic Oktoberfest with Clark Marriott Hotel

When Filipinos speak of “Oktoberfest”, what first comes to mind is ‘rakrakan’ with our favorite local beers in our hands while jamming and singing along to our favorite rock bands as they perform on a stage in a grand event.

But in case you didn’t know, the well-loved beer festival hailed from Germany and is held annually in Munich, Bavaria. Wondering what and how this celebration looks like from where it originated?

Here, I’ll tell you about our experience of that authentic Oktoberfest, not in Munich but in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga!

But before the event, we checked in at Clark Marriott Hotel, where we were warmly welcomed to rest and prepare for the night. As the night set in, we went to the Clark Parade Grounds, where tables and chairs were all set inside a big white tent for a huge number of partygoers.

This is Clark Marriott Hotel’s 2nd celebration of Oktoberfest after it was first introduced in 2019, and we’re attending Day 1 of 2. This year, it is said to expect a grander, bigger, and better event with more fun and prizes, and better entertainment.

We got our free beer mugs and wrist tags shortly after we registered. I was so excited because I’m a beer-lover, which entitles us to free-flowing authentic German brew courtesy of Weihenstephaner!

We also got to enjoy delectable German dishes to our heart’s content! I was obsessed with the apple strudels, the sausages, and the Schwein Shaxe (pork knuckles) that tasted similar to Philippine’s lechon.

The program began as the executives of Clark Marriott Hotel opened a barrel and passed on beers to everyone for a ceremonial opening toast. “Prost!”, we said out loud with them, which meant cheers, and the crowd cheering was immediately followed by a high-energy performance of world-class Germany-based band, Anton Show – exactly how they do it in Germany.

Anton Show knows how to make the crowd go wild and crazy! They even went down the stage to dance and mingle with every table, which made everyone engaged. Left and right, people were dancing and singing along. They also performed popular OPM songs like Kamikazee’s Doo Bi Doo.

And like what was…