Beer, bratwurst and bumper cars will be returning to York Racecourse this October, the organisers of Yorktoberfest announced today, following its hugely popular debut last year. York’s very own Oktoberfest sold out all sessions last year, even with extra dates being added.
This year’s Yorktoberfest will have greater capacity and will run from Thursday 20th to Sunday 23rd October and from Thursday 27th to Saturday 29th October. Tickets go on sale today and are priced at £20 per person for standard and £30 for VIP, with an early bird discount of £5 per ticket if booked before 31 July.
Yorktoberfest will follow in the traditions of the first Oktoberfest staged in Munich in 1810, bringing all things Bavarian to a giant fully-styled beer tent in the Clocktower Enclosure at York Racecourse, as well as vintage funfair rides to complete the festive scene.
Also announced today is the entertainment line-up for Yorktoberfest 2022. New this year, the internationally-acclaimed seven-piece live band, the Bavarian Strollers will perform thigh-slapping, foot-stomping oompah tunes as well as feel-good disco classics. They have travelled the world bringing their unique take on oompah music to Bier Keller evenings, Oktoberfests, bars, parties and offices, and have appeared on BBC One, Channel 4, E4, Sky, Radio 5 Live as well as programmes such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Alan Carr Chatty Man. Their Bavarian table dances and German ‘prosit’ toasts look set to make Yorktoberfest a memorable experience.
Adding to the party and returning to the stage by popular demand will be last year’s star of the show, international drag artist Velma Celli. Velma mesmerised audiences with her powerhouse vocals and outrageous humour, receiving rave reviews across social media. Known as ‘the UK’s Queen of live vocal drag’, Velma has been charming audiences across the globe for the past 10 years, from Australia to New York, and from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to London’s Hippodrome. Velma takes the drag concept to whole new dizzy heights according to her alter-ego Ian Stroughair, a well-known name on the West End stage in his own right.
Dancing is encouraged, as it has been for over 200 years, as is the wearing of Lederhosen, Dirndls or any other fancy dress, with nightly competitions and prizes for the best dressed.
The Bavarian Bar will serve authentic German beer as well as a range of wines, prosecco, spirits and soft drinks for those who prefer not to ‘hop’! A variety of German-inspired food will cater for all tastes, with the essential favourites of sausages, schnitzels and pretzels as well as vegan and vegetarian options.
Funfairs are an integral part of German Oktoberfests and Yorktoberfest will have its very own traditional funfair rides in the form of Dodgems and a Twister, adding thrills and fun to the occasion.
Yorktoberfest will have a strictly limited capacity, with specific opening times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm until 11pm, and daytime sessions on Saturdays and Sunday 23rd October only from 1pm until 5pm.
Tickets for Yorktoberfest are now on sale through ticketsource.co.uk/yorktoberfest priced either individually at £20 for standard and £30 for VIP, or in tables of six at £120 for standard and £180 for VIP. VIP tickets are situated closest to the stage and have table service for drinks and food. This year all customers will be able to book specific seats in their preferred location, and an early bird discount of £5 per ticket applies if booked before 31 July. An online booking fee applies. Tickets will also be available at the entrance, subject to availability.
Co-producer Johnny Cooper, CEO of Coopers Marquees said, “We are looking forward to transforming one of our biggest marquees into a Bavarian festival scene, with rows of tables and benches down most of its 160m length, a performance stage, rustic carts full of wooden beer barrels, thatched wooden barns, flags galore and generally everything needed for a great night out.”
Co-producer James Cundall, CEO of Jamboree Entertainment said “Yorktoberfest was so well received in its debut year, we are really excited to be planning its return to the racecourse. Once again it promises to be an evening of hearty fun, with beer, bands, and bratwurst, not to mention a sensational drag queen! It’s time to get your friends together and start planning the party!”
Yorktoberfest
