A MASSIVE German beer and food festival is coming to York’s Knavesmire next week – and organisers are promising it will be a family occasion.
The three-day Folks Fest event will be staged at Bustardthorpe on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
It will feature a 600-seater Oktoberfest beer tent, market and food stalls, a continental café bar and a kids play area.
It is being promoted by Triebwerk Events, which said the festival was one of 25 German lifestyle events it was organising across the country this summer.
A spokesman said: “Visitors will be entertained all day by a variety of live acts including oompah, brass, folk and acoustic artists performing on stage.
“People can also sample Wurst, Schnitzel, Sauerkraut, Bratkartoffel, Northern German Pilsener and Export from the foothills of the black forest, Bavarian Wheat Beers from the world’s oldest brewery, among a great selection of food and drink.
“For the younger family visitor, there is face-painting and a children’s play area and drama workshops.”
He said family outdoor beer festivals had not happened in Britain before.
He said: “In Germany, we’re lucky enough to have events like this regularly and they’re always been part of our popular culture.
“Seeing how many Brits experienced the high-points of German lifestyle in 2006 during the World Cup, I decided it was imperative this was brought to the UK.”
He said Folks Fest would keep visitors dry, come rain or shine, with more than 1,000 covered seats available.
The festival, for which entry is free, will be open on Thursday, from 3pm to 10.30pm, on Friday, from 11am to 10.30pm, and on Saturday, from 11am to 10.30pm. Organisers say that no unescorted under-18s and animals, except for guide dogs, will be allowed on the sites.
For more information, visit the website www.folksfest.com
