Hesse’s gastronomy will benefit from the Oktoberfest hype

While the original is celebrated in Munich, numerous restaurants and organizers in Hesse also want to attract new guests with their own small Oktoberfests. “Bringing Oktoberfest into your home has been a trend for several years,” says Kerstin Junghans, deputy managing director of the hotel and catering association Dehoga Hesse, to the dpa in Wiesbaden. Such festivals take place not only in larger cities, but also in rural areas.

What opportunities does such an event offer for the catering industry? “This question needs to be answered in a differentiated way,” says Junghans. In rural areas, such festivals are usually organized by local companies. These establishments would certainly attract guests from the point of view of “experience gastronomy”.

Not all restaurateurs benefit from Oktoberfest

In larger cities, however, Oktoberfests are often carried out by the municipality itself or by external event agencies. “On the one hand, this can be accompanied by high stand fees and, on the other hand, the guests of the festivals cannot eat in local restaurants at the same time,” says Junghans. So not all restaurateurs are winners of these events.

According to the expert, how many people are attracted to the Hessian Oktoberfest also depends on the location. In metropolitan regions, there are more such festivities on offer in addition to the existing cultural and gastronomic events. “In structurally weaker areas, such festivals control citizens and motivate them to leave their home comfort zone again, so that the number of visitors to the region increases,” explains Junghans.

Potato weeks and asparagus festivals: Many traditional festivals in Hesse

Junghans calls criticism of the imitated Oktoberfest festivals far removed from the Bavarian original “disproportionate”. “Why should our industry close itself to a current trend?” she argues. The hospitality industry, with all its facets, ensures exchange and a wide variety of colors create a good atmosphere between people. Junghans points out that there are numerous events in the catering industry that are linked to other traditions: such as potato weeks, asparagus festivals, goose dinners and Christmas markets.