Oktoberfest en Kweyol held on Sunday October 6 at Samaans Park drew a massive crowd to the event that now forms a major part of Creole Heritage month here. According to the organizers it was another successful year, based on the thousands who attended, their positive feedback and the crowd engagement with the entertainment, beers and food. The event is organized each year by Windward and Leeward Brewery Ltd (WLBL) and endorsed by the Folk Research Center (FRC) and the Saint Lucia Tourist Board.
This was the sixth annual Oktoberfest En Kweyol, which blends the original Oktoberfest beer festival in Germany with the rich Creole Heritage of Saint Lucia.
Where the beers were concerned Oktoberfest offered the popular Oktoberfest beer Paulaner as well as Amstel Extra, Parbo Beer, Bulmer’s Pear Cider, Desperado Red and Affligem Blond. The Paulaner, Bulmer’s and Parbo were among the favourites and fast sellers at the event. A new product, Piton Radler, a twist of Piton beer with lemon was also sampled at the event and of course WLBL’s own portfolio of Heineken, Piton, Guinness, Desperado and Strongbow Gold was available.
On the traditional side of things, the event offered great local cuisine, from crab and dumpling, bouyon and green fig and salt-fish to roast bakes, fish cakes and a variety of locally prepared meats. For the entertainment, steel-pan music, masquerade and a number of folk and traditional groups including Mamai LaCaye, Avort Servis and Secret band kept the atmosphere alive. Even some of the performers like Soca Bandit, Yardie and General Bakes added a local and creole flair to their performances whilst Midnight Groovers of Dominica offered some authentic Cadance-lypso music. DYP, DJ HP and Ricky T also performed.
