Okt-ung Baby
10,000 Square Feet of Germany in Midtown

When you hear “Okt...,” your ears perk up.

You know what’s coming.

And it’s good.

And here it is...

Don your finest lederhosen for Oktoberfest NYC 2012, a patch of beer-soaked Midtown land stretching as far as the eye can see and celebrating Germany’s greatest cultural contribution, starting Saturday.

There’s a lot of potential here. You just need to dive into the fray and tap it. It’s 10,000 square feet of everything you love about Germany... and some other stuff. Beer: yes. Oh God yes. Various würstl and pretzels: affirmative. The musical stylings of Bavarian sensations Edelweiss Oompah: you know it.

Massive crowds and “high-quality souvenirs”: well, yeah, those too. But you’re going to press on and hope for a Hasselhoff sighting.

It goes without saying that you’re coming in a group. Preferably a group of friends ready to say “ja” while crashing mugs together. You’ve got options. You can just throw yourself on the mercy of the masses and move around the festival. A stein here and a round of Jäger shot-ski shots there (yes, shots taken in a group, from a ski).

Or you can reserve a table, a waitress and a package of beer/foodstuffs ahead of time. You’ll get several German beers, a waitress in culturally accurate costume and an air of civility.

Which is key in any fest situation.