Photos: Inside Harvest Haus, one of Vancouver's largest Oktoberfest celebrations

There are a number of Oktoberfest celebrations going on across the Lower Mainland this month, but this weekend, one of the largest ones is taking place in Vancouver.

Harvest Haus opened last night (October 2) at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre plaza and continues through the weekend, ending Sunday (October 5). The event is presented by the Social Concierge, which are the same organizers of Diner en Blanc and the Deighton Cup.

I had a chance to check out the festivities on opening night as a media guest. Inside the big white tent, the Harvest Haus Halle is decked out in Bavarian-style décor: long wooden tables, ornamental kegs, banners, and strings of lights. Bars pouring about a dozen different beers—including German brews from Krombacher, Löwenbräu, and Warsteiner, as well as Belgian ales by Leffe and Hoegaarden—line two sides of the tent, and rows of long tables with enough seating for 1,000 guests span the centre of the room.

Aside from a vendor selling large soft pretzels, most of the food options are located just outside the tent. Check your diet at the door because dishes include schnitzel and spaetzle, pork hock and roast chicken, hot-dogs filled with Oyama bratwurst sausages and sauerkraut, and beef or vegetarian poutine. Of course, all of this food goes perfectly with a stein of ale.

Entertainment on opening night included a band performing authentic oom-pah music on stage, and a DJ spinning more contemporary tunes during other times. Many of the staff working at the event are dressed in traditional dirndl and lederhosen and are happy to pose for a photo. Revellers are encouraged to attend in German dress as well. 

General admission to Harvest Haus is $25 (or $40 for a VIP package that includes a commemorative stein), and food and beer costs extra. Attendees are encouraged to bring cash in order to purchase “gulden”, tokens that can then be traded for edible goods.

Tickets to the Friday and Saturday night events are already sold out. However, there are still tickets available online for afternoon sittings on both days from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., as well as on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

More photos from inside Harvest Haus by Andrew Chin below.