The 2017 Qingdao Beer Festival will be held during August 4th-27th at Golden Sands Beach — WanRen Square, located in Huangdao District, Shandong Province, China. The festival has evolved from an annual two week international event into a 3 to 4 week Asian Oktoberfest. Traditionally, festivities started the second Saturday in August at the Laoshan District Venue. However, with the new addition and growing popularity of the West Venue, the festival has recently opened earlier with an opening ceremony and show at Golden Sands Beach. This is the largest beer festival in Asia with international breweries from all over the globe flocking to the sandy shores of China’s Sailing City. If you are a serious drinker or a casual weekend enthusiast, you’ll see the best of China’s beer drinking culture at this event. Picture huge tables filled with beer-swilling, elated Chinese and beautiful women performing on stage as the sound of GanBei (bottoms up) rings out across the numerous beer tents. With music of all kinds featured at the numerous stage venues and beers from around the globe: Beck’s from Germany, Kirin & Asahi from Japan, Carlsberg from Denmark, Corona from Mexico, Heineken from Holland, Tiger from Singapore, Budweiser from the states, and of course China’s Tsingtao Beer, just to name a few. As a foreigner, you’ll be swamped with offers of free beers to GanBei. The Chinese are generous and kind, they are happy to show foreigners a good time. The annual event, which started back in 1991 as the 100th birthday celebration of Qingdao City, originally lasted for two weeks and began with a grand opening concert and ceremony, followed by beer tasting, evening entertainment, drinking competitions, carnival events, and concluded with a themed final ceremony. This event has matured over the years and not even has themed mascots that follow the animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Besides beer there’s tons of food, both Chinese and Western, to gorge on when you get the munchies. If you’re at the east coast venue don’t forget, beautiful Shilaroen beach is just a 30 minute walk away! Mount Lao Scenic Recreation Area, only 30-40 minutes by bus or taxi from the Beer Fest, offers a refreshing reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the beer fest. The 2017 Qingdao Beer Festival starts on August 4th, 2017 at Golden Sands Beach Wanren Square in Huangdao District and ends on August 27th, 2017. If you are trying to book your travel early, it’s a safe bet to make reservations for the second weekend of August. By that time all venues will be open and in full party mode. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qingdao_International_Beer_Festival

The post Qingdao Beer Festival, the Asian Oktoberfest appeared first on Asian Itinerary.