Dundee’s third annual Oktoberfest was a “wunderbar” occasion in attracting record crowds and raising a record sum for charities.
The weekend German-themed celebration by the Rotary Club of Dundee drew more than 1,800 people over three nights and is estimated to have raised between £10,000 and £12,000 for good causes.
Club president Tim Heilbronn said the festival of beer, music and bands is proving to be Dundee’s most anticipated outdoor event, held in the atmospheric venue of marquees alongside the RRS Discovery.
“The weather conditions could not have been more perfect, and everybody clearly arrived with well-filled wallets, very intent on having a good night out,” he said.
“My fellow members of the Rotary Club of Dundee certainly succeeded in giving them one.”
Oktoberfest was one of the highest trending topics in Dundee on Facebook with the site reaching full capacity on Saturday.
The beers sourced through Belhaven Brewery and Speedwell Inns, as well as continental brews, proved so popular that the Rotarians had to get in additional stock to satisfy the demand.
The bands, who all played for free, had the audience rocking in the aisles, with headline acts Gleadhraich, Jack Rabbit Slims, Judge Hardie and the Crimes, and the Full Tin Tin proving as popular as ever.
In the “heat of the kitchen” were members of Interact (the school branch of the Rotary movement) from St John’s and Menzieshill high schools as well as the High School of Dundee.
The German food was sourced from Metzgerei Jedowski in the Sauerland and Dundee baker Alan Clark produced German Brtchen (rolls).
Stephanie Baker of Dundee High said: “We sold over 1,400 items of German food altogether and over 550 on Saturday alone.
“I put on my apron and served so much Bratwurst that I wonder if I can ever look at another one again.”
She added: “We did not sell burgers as they are not German; we sold Frikadellen (a German meatball) and Nackensteak (pork steak), Bratwurst and Currywurst.
“A few men demanded cheeseburgers, not accepting our protestations that they were not on the menu, but we were given some lovely feedback from authentic German customers.”