10,000 people, 2 proposals and a winning beer

This month’s Shropshire Oktoberfest event attracted 10,000 people to Shrewsbury’s Quarry. The event from the award-winning Shropshire Festivals team took place on October 1 and 2.

For the first time in the event’s 4-year history, tickets for Saturday night sold out, and the Chrisbeon VIP tent sold out on both days.

Local solicitors, Aaron and Partners, held a corporate party at the event. Stuart Haynes, Corporate & Commercial Partner at Aaron & Partners, said, “Our team and our guests had a fantastic time at Oktoberfest and it was another brilliant event from the Shropshire Festivals team. We’re very proud to support regional events like this that bring people and our local community closer together.”

“Our long-term partnership with the Shropshire Festivals team continues to go from strength-to-strength,” added Helen Johnson, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Aaron and Partners. “They are fantastic to work with – nothing is ever too much trouble and they work so hard to make things happen, so it was no surprise to see this event be another huge success.”

Members of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) ran a ‘Hopportunity Bar’ representing independent breweries unable to be there. CAMRA judges named Stonehouse Brewery’s IPA ‘Wrangler’ the best beer at the event, crowning the ale ‘Shropshire’s Choice.’

Small local businesses and independent brewers catered for the festivalgoers, many of which were dressed in lederhosen and dirndls.

Celebration was in the air with not one, but two engagements at the festival. Adam Astle proposed to Carly Griffiths in the middle of Oktoberfest in full lederhosen attire, after meeting at the event four years previously. Another couple also got engaged on the same night. Dave Kirkup proposed to boyfriend Daniel Owen in the Dingle before celebrating at the event, which they had met at in 2019.

Dave said, “Myself, Dan and all our friends had a fantastic time celebrating not only Oktoberfest but our engagement too! The team at Shropshire Festivals were so helpful and made the day go off without a hitch. Can’t wait for Shropshire Oktoberfest 2022!”

The entertainment was laid on in abundance with the Connexis Comedy Club featuring top comics and the Woodings & Co Live Music Stage hosting bands playing a mix of rock, pop and Oompah. BBC Radio Shropshire’s Paul Shuttleworth entertained the beer tent with 30 minutes of music dedicated to every missed event, from birthdays and Burn’s night to holidays and Halloween.

Two of the most popular areas were the silent disco tent, sponsored by Throgmorton Associates Wealth Management and Volvo Shrewsbury’s Carpool Karaoke tent.

Shropshire Festival’s Director of Fun, Beth Heath, said, “There were times during the last 18 months when you might have wondered whether live events would ever be the same again. Looking across our packed beer tents last weekend, I realised they weren’t. They are even better!

“The thirst for partying with our friends, being sociable, experiencing live music, buying from independent producers – it’s stronger than ever. Thank you to everyone who came – the reception you gave us was unbelievably brilliant, the atmosphere was amazing, and it was fantastic to see a sea of happy faces. We hope to see you at the next one!”

Tickets are already on sale for Shropshire Oktoberfest 2022 on September 30 and October 1 in the Quarry. Visit www.shropshirefestivals.co.uk for tickets.