The red and white Run Wollongong T-shirt worn by Wollongong’s fit and healthy citizens may have dominated the city’s streets on Sunday, but in Kembla Grange, lederhosen and dirndls were the uniform de jour.
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Hoards of beer lovers converged on the Wollongong German Club for three days of Oktoberfest celebrations, dancing, cheers-ing and soaking up the Bavarian-themed atmosphere.
This year’s festivities included performances from German and Polish dancers, an oompah band and, of course, a range of German beers and food.
Joan and John Holmes travelled from Cooma to take part in the dancing, proving just how popular the Wollongong event has become.
Families enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere on Sunday with a jumping castle, rides and facepaint for kids.
Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, and in Germany begins in mid or late September. It dates back to 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12.
The citizens of Munich were invited to share the couple's joy at festivities in front of the city gates and the event then developed into an agricultural fair.
It wasn’t until the late-1800s that the event began to resemble the beer-filled halls Oktoberfest is known for throughout the world today.