Cllr Neil Hopkins will officially open The Tuppenny’s three-day beer festival on Friday 18th September by tapping a traditional wooden cask of Hofbräu beer.
The ceremony is inspired by the tradition in Munich, where the city’s mayor opens Oktoberfest by tapping the first keg.
The Tuppenny, on Devizes Road, has staged its own version of the Bavarian festival for the past five years.
This year’s event will run from Friday 18th September until Sunday 20th September, coinciding with the opening weekend of Oktoberfest in Munich.
Beers from all six of Munich’s traditional Oktoberfest breweries will be available – Hofbräu, Spaten, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Augustiner and Löwenbräu.
The venue will also offer a selection of Oktoberfest-inspired beers produced by UK craft breweries.
Following the ceremonial barrel tapping on Friday evening, a traditional Bavarian Oompah band will perform inside the bar.
The band appeared at The Tuppenny’s Oktoberfest for the first time last year and will return with Bavarian folk music alongside brass versions of pop and dance tracks.
Hayley Stapleton, co-owner of The Tuppenny, said:
“We’re really proud to bring the spirit of Oktoberfest back to Old Town again for 2026, it was such a great event last year.
“It was the first time we’ve had the Oompah band, and they are definitely going to be an annual fixture.
“We work really hard all year round to bring the people of Swindon the very best beer that we can, and Oktoberfest is no exception.
“You’d have to travel a long distance to find representations from all six Oktoberfest brewers under one roof for this weekend.
“It’s such a great party atmosphere with so many people embracing the traditional Bavarian dress code. It’s easily one of the biggest highlights of our year.”
Entry to the Oktoberfest weekend is free, with The Tuppenny opening on Friday afternoon ahead of the Mayor’s barrel-tapping ceremony that evening.
Visitors are being encouraged to join in with the celebrations by wearing traditional Bavarian-style fancy dress.
