Taicang serves beer and more in local version of 'Oktoberfest'

Experience a blend of German-style charm and Suzhou-style life where you can indulge in beer, music, food, and performances at the 19th Taicang Rothenburg Beer Festival, in neighboring Jiangsu Province.

On Thursday evening, Taicang, located less than an hour's drive from the Shanghai Hongqiao area, held the grand opening of the 19th Rothenburg Beer Festival.

The opening ceremony featured high-energy singing and dancing performances by several German bands, classic Bavarian dances, German beer and sausages, and various international cuisines, providing an carnival experience.

Representatives of foreign businesses and Chinese tourists came together to drink heartily and savor the sweet taste of friendship.

This year's beer festival will last from August 8th to August 16th, spanning nine days.

As an annual festival, it fully embodies the cultural essence of the Munich Oktoberfest, allowing everyone to experience a rich German-flavored beer feast even in the Jiangnan water towns.

As the German proverb "Bier ist Freundschaft" says, beer is a bridge of friendship. Known as the "hometown of German enterprises," Taicang hopes this beer festival will broaden platforms for Sino-German cooperation and exchanges.

For many consecutive years, the Taicang Beer Festival has been held around the same time as the world-famous Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

Christian Sommer, chairman of the German Centre in Shanghai, expressed his gratitude, stating that as someone born in northern Germany, he is especially thankful for the opportunity to experience a southern German tradition in Taicang.

"Today Taicang, tomorrow Munich! Either way, cheers tonight!" Sommer exclaimed at the opening ceremony. The first Beer Festival was held in Taicang in November 2006.

Subsequently, the annual Beer Festival became one of the representative cultural exchange activities in Taicang's cooperation with Germany.

The Taicang Rothenburg Beer Festival has become the most direct manifestation of the accolade that German businesses regard Taicang as a "second hometown," setting a model example for Sino-German cooperation and exchange.