Oktoberfest has returned to Alton Towers Resort for 2024, bringing with it a whole host of oomptastic fun! We round-up all that this event has to offer in its fifth year.
As has been seen with all of the events this year, Towers Street has undergone a seasonal transformation, immersing guests in the Oktoberfest atmosphere as soon as they enter the theme park. At the top of Towers Street are new additions in the form of flags and small items of theming. The rest of Towers Street is decorated with the traditional bunting and pretzel-adorned wreaths, with the Maypole and iconic inflatable entrance found at the bottom. Another new touch for this year’s event sees the frog fountains receive event-appropriate outfits.
The Front Lawns are the focus of this year’s Oktoberfest, with a rolling line-up of entertainment on the Front Lawns stage from 11:45am. However, there is no secondary stage in the Mutiny Bay Courtyard this year. Entertainment continues until around one hour after the ride close time, this being 7pm on Friday – Sunday (an improvement on last year’s 6pm closes) and 5pm on Monday – Thursday. Boards at the entrance to and throughout the Front Lawns display full details of the show times for the respective day, with these also detailed on the Resort’s app. A large cover has been installed for this year’s event to ensure that guests can enjoy the entertainment in all weathers. There are also other activities on the Front Lawns to partake in, including axe throwing.
The entertainment offering remains similar to prior seasons, including live music, sing-alongs and dancing, with The Oomparty Band and Robert Burton returning to perform. Additionally, The Party Pilots are a new addition to the live music line-up for 2024. Sadly Darwin the Dodo has not returned to fulfil the role of Oktoberfest mascot this year, although Alton Bear can be found out-and-about sporting a Trenker Hat. There are also various other roaming characters who interact with guests, such as Alpine Horn Man, The Barrel Monks and the Clockmaker.
An important part of Oktoberfest is of course the speciality food and beverage offerings. Drinks are served on the Front Lawns from both the two storey Wunder Bar and a second, smaller bar. The speciality beers on offer this year are Spaten, Veltins, Paulaner Munich Lager, Paulaner Weissbier and the Fantastisch Lager – the latter is the product of the ongoing partnership between the Resort and local brewery the Rural Brewing Company, which began with last year’s Oktoberfest. A new offering for 2024 is Bierplanken, which consists of three half pints of German beers and a bag of salted pretzels for the price of £12.50. The beers are otherwise available individually at a price of £7.50 for a pint and £4.00 for a half pint. A Radler cocktail is another new addition, priced at £4.00.
Food options include the traditional bratwursts and pretzels, along with the less traditional offerings from the Chip Haus. For 2024, the Resort have sought to further diversify its menu with new additions which include a Grill Platter with Frikadellen Pork Meatballs, Kartoffeln (Herbed Potatoes with Bacon) and Käsespätzle (German Egg Noodles with Cheese), as well as Raclette Cheese. For those looking for something sweeter, there are toasted marshmallows, churros and other sweet treats.
Oktoberfest merchandise is available to buy at the Souvenir Store, located on the Front Lawns. A wide selection is available from branded steins, mugs, plushes, and keyrings, as well as Trenker hats, T-shirts and long-sleeved shirts.
Oktoberfest remains a great time to visit the Resort. Although the entertainment has been condensed onto one stage for 2024, the result is what is effectively a continuous programme of entertainment for the entire afternoon and into the early evening. The large cover is a welcome addition for 2024 and helps to enhance the atmosphere on the Front Lawns, encouraging more guests to stick around regardless of the weather. This can only be a positive for an event where audience participation is most definitely encouraged!
Oktoberfest runs daily at Alton Towers Resort until 29th September.
Have you experienced Oktoberfest yet this year, or are you planning a visit to the event before the end of the month? Let us know on our social media channels.
