Fall is right around the corner in Brooklyn, and so is one of the first celebrations of the season: Zum Schneider’s Munich in Brooklyn, billed as the city’s “premier” Oktoberfest celebration.
The festival is set to return to 3 Dollar Bill in Williamsburg from Sept. 29 – Oct. 8. Taking cues from authentic German Oktoberfest celebrations, Munich in Brooklyn takes place outdoors, under decked-out tents packed with food, drinks, traditional garb, and live music.
At the center of the festival, of course, is the beer. Munich in Brooklyn serves only imported beers, like Hofbräugaus Traunstein and Andech, all served in authentic 1 liter steins. The tents and decorations were designed by Munich native Angela Wendt — an extended family member of Sylvester Schneider, the owner and founder of Zum Schneider’s.
“We truly enjoy what we’re doing and don’t cut any corners to present the real Munich Oktoberfest feeling. We’ve refined it over decades now,” Schneider said in a statement. “Maybe that’s why we proudly call our Oktoberfest simply the best in NYC.”
Schneider himself will join in the festivities, performing with his band Mösl Franzi and the JaJaJas.
To accompany the brews, the festival will serve up soft Bavarian pretzels and traditional German foods like pork shank, obazda cheese spread, half-roast chicken, homemade potato salad, and German sausages, plus vegetarian choices.
This year, the kitchen at Munich in Brooklyn will be run by chef Jake Wolf — also known as “Wolfi” — who formerly worked as the chef at the brick-and-mortar Zum Schneider’s restaurant in Alphabet City. A graduate of the International Culinary Center and the owner of a German-American fusion restaurant in North Carolina, Wolf was “instrumental” in fine-tuning the menu at Zum Schneider’s, according to festival organizers.
Wolf will be joined by Oscar Gogan, a Michelin-star winning chef who served as Chef de Cuisine at an East Village restaurant before setting off on his own. Gogan the half-brother of Schneider’s sons, Rory and Flynn.
This is the eighth annual Munich in Brooklyn, which has drawn crowds of up to 7,000 people in years past. Schneider, his sons, and their manger help run the event alongside a team of longtime employees they say now feel like family.
Zum Schneider’s Munich in Brooklyn will run from Sept. 29 to Oct. 8 at 3 Dollar Bill in Bushwick. Time slots and ticket prices vary. Visit nyc.zumschneider.com for more details.
