Kryal Castle Oktoberfest Q&A

Flying to Germany is expensive, and while it may seem like there’s no other chance to have an authentic Oktoberfest experience in Australia, you’d be wrong. Kryal Castle are one of the most authentic versions of the event going around, with Bavarian music, 10 traditional German beers, German food and of course the wonders of the castle and Daryl Braithwaite. We had a chat with one of the organisers Danny Grant.
Hi Danny, thanks for taking the time to chat with Forte Magazine, how are you and what are you up to at the moment?
What aren’t I up to! Organising what will hopefully be the biggest and best event I have ever put on to date.
So the second announcement is out, how long has the whole event taken to get it to where it is now?
We launched the event in June but the planning process has been in the pipe works for a lot longer, from idea to reality has been over 18 months.
Kryal Castle does hold quite a number of events, what makes Oktoberfest such a special one?
Well it’s Oktoberfest in a giant freaking medieval castle with live jousting, german beers and food, live bavarian music all day then to top it off, Daryl Braithwaite is performing all his classics live! I think that sorta speaks for itself really. Don’t you think?
Most other Oktoberfest’s in the region are held outdoors in fields, or under tents, what kind of vibe does Kryal offer the event given it’s in a massive castle?
It’s both an outdoor and indoor festival, the whole castle will be open for people to explore. We will have activations in basically every corner of the castle from the giant maze to the abby and live pop up performers throughout the day. Plus live music in various places throughout the theme park.
Beer is obviously a huge aspect of Oktoberfest, what beers are on offer at the event?
We have around 10 traditional German beers, I won’t reveal all our secrets but some are well known, others are not. But alongside beer we will have a German Cider. And for people who aren’t into German alcohol we have teamed up with the guys at CC to supply an alternative for people who just want to come for the party not the tastings.
There’s also a traditional Bavarian band and German food, is it important to still maintain part of the tradition of the event?
Well believe it or not majority of our festival is very on point to history, Bavarians also lived in castles and some also participated in jousting, so to be honest we are quite possibly not only the most unique but also the most authentic one in Australia. In saying that it’s still a major twist on the original version, we will be keeping as on point as we possibly can but we also want to showcase the awesomeness of Kryal Castle too.
Daryl Braithwaite is obviously a great addition to the event, are you looking forward to singing along to ‘The Horses’ with a pint in hand?
To be honest that’s how the whole concept was founded! I had often driven past Ballarat dreaming of one day doing an event there. In early February we had Daryl Braithwaite at my venue Empire watching 800 people belt out ‘The Horses’ – it all came together! Not two weeks later I pitched the idea to Jim and Gaz, my new partners, and we started to make our dream a reality.
What’s the thing you look forward to the most at Oktoberfest?
The food and beer. You can’t go past how delicious German food and beer is.
What’s your one piece of advice for first timers at the event?
Pace yourself! Taste all the beers and all the food on offer and enjoy yourself.
Thanks again for taking the time to chat with us, are there any last words of wisdom you’d like to share with our readers?
Yeah, get your tickets now and we are confident this will sell out! This will be one for the ages, you don’t want to be that guy/girl who missed out when all your friends are talking about it for years to come.
When & Where: Kryal Castle, Leigh Creek – October 24