It’s no surprise that Oktoberfest would light up Doha. With people from all over the world calling Qatar home, the annual Bavarian festival is a highlight of the autumn. And that’s what many Oktoberfest performers say is the best part of bringing a little slice of Germany to the Middle East. ‘Doha is becoming an international hub; people from all over the world are living there,’ says a memeber of the X’elchten Band, one of the many German groups who come to Doha specifically to perform during Oktoberfest.

According to the band, it’s the culturally-mixed audience they enjoy playing for: ‘It’s just a great experience for us. But it’s also a special place concerning the venue itself: celebrating an Oktoberfest under palm trees beside the beach is fantastic, especially as we mostly are used to mountains and – at least in the winter – snow. So the outdoor temperature in Doha is something we have to get used to.’ And we also have to get used to a number of Oktoberfest activities taking place around town.

Oktoberfest started over 200 years ago in 1810 in Munich as a commemorative horse race in honour of the marriage of Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. Since then, it’s attracted over five million people per year to its 16-18 days of parades, music, food and drink. And once tourists got a taste of Oktoberfest, it wasn’t long before cities all over the world adopted the tradition themselves. The X’elchten Band has been coming to Doha for three years to perform at the tent at the InterContinental Hotel. ‘The fascination of Oktoberfest is that nations, colour, status and religions take a back seat, and millions of people celebrate this festival peacefully together,’ say the band. ‘This is creating a unique vibe, which connects people and makes them return every year. This is the reason why Oktoberfest is more than just beer and pretzels.’

But drink and pretzels are definitely involved. It’s estimated that in 2007 around seven million litres of special Oktoberfest beverage was consumed in Munich: and while Doha might not reach that quantity, most tents in the city come complete with large mugs of frothy tradition. Not to mention the food: while pretzels and sausage are staples, other traditional German favourites also make appearances – expect to see hendl (a chicken dish), steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), knodel (potato or bread dumplings), kasspatzn (cheese noodles), reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), and sauerkraut and german cheeses. But remember: Oktoberfest isn’t just one more weekend buffet.

The music is also an important part: ‘We play traditional Bavarian and Austrian folk music followed by several show acts and games with which we try to involve the audience,’ the band tells us, all in a quest to get people to dance on tables and let loose, Bavarian style. ‘Basically Oktoberfest music is traditional Bavarian “mood music”. All songs that are played are entertaining the people. This creates a positive and cheery atmosphere, which makes our guests sing and dance on the benches.’

It’s also about leather shorts. Lederhosen, the traditional leather shorts-with-suspenders combo, is traditional for men, while women get the drindl – a ruffled blouse under a lace-up dress with an apron. Qatar need very little excuse to dress up, and so in Doha any Oktoberfest is stuffed full of people dancing around in the attire. ‘Bavarians are (almost) born with Lederhosen – they are our second skin,’ says the band. ‘Lederhosen are strong, comfortable to wear, timeless and not to mention sexy (the girls really like them on boys) – a lot of advantages, as we believe!’

Getting up and dancing, whether on the ground or atop the benches and tables, and in general just being a little silly, is crucial to getting the most out of Oktoberfest. ‘Be prepared for something exciting,’ the band concludes. ‘Come by taxi to be able to taste more of the world famous Bavarian beverages, and maybe take the next day off.’