Autumn is just around the corner, and that means one thing: Oktoberfest is back.

The world’s biggest beer festival originated in Munich, Germany, and is now celebrated around the globe, with four huge events taking place right here in Kent.

The first chance Kent residents will have to raise a glass this Oktoberfest will be in Folkestone from Friday, September 22 to Sunday, September 24.

The town’s harbour is throwing its first Bavarian Weekender at the Goods Yard this year, with its own twist on German food, drink and festivities.

The harbour, which is being renamed to Wünder Harbour for the weekend, will be free to enter and will offer flame grilled Bratwurst, hog roast and pretzels, all prepared by local businesses inside the Goods Yard.

There will also be steins of beer, live music from the Bettensteiner Footstomper Oompah Band and a wipeout ride (a giant wheel that tilts as it spins) as part of the fair.

The county’s first official Oktoberfest event will then take place the following weekend in Maidstone.

On Saturday, September 30, the Mote Park festival, organised by Lucas Live, will host two sessions of Bavarian games, authentic bier, live Oompah music, cover bands and DJs.

The day will begin with an afternoon session, which runs from 12pm to 5pm and is open to visitors aged 18 and over.

There will then be an evening session from 6pm to 11pm, which visitors must be aged 23 or over to attend.

There will also be a selection of German food, such as bratwurst, on offer.

“Oktoberfest is one of our most popular events, and we’re so pleased to bring it back for another round in 2023,” says Lucas Live marketing manager Chris Wright. “Expect the usual amount of partying, games, laughs, music and plenty of authentic German bier!”

The following week, the festival moves on to Canterbury’s Westgate Hall, the city’s largest indoor venue.

Hundreds of punters are expected to descend on the hall on Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7 for a selection of traditional beers, served in steins, and Bavarian street food.

There will also be Oompah music, lederhosen costumes and beer hall-style decor to recreate the atmosphere of the German festival.

Finally, rounding off the Kent celebrations will be two days of festivities in Tonbridge.

The outdoor event will return to the Racecourse Sports Ground on Friday, October 13 and Saturday, October 14, with three sessions taking place over the weekend.

The park will be transformed into a bavarian beer hall that can hold up to 2,000 people.

The bars will be offering up a range of draft beers, along with prosecco, wine, spirits and soft drinks for those who don’t fancy a pint of beir.

There will also be a food court with bratwurst, currywurst, German desserts and vegan options available.

The entertainment will come from the Bavarian Strollers, who have become regulars at Oktoberfest Tonbridge, along with DJs who will perform between live music sets.

Kent’s boozy autumn knees-ups will come to an end with the newly announced Oktoberfest Rochester.

The event will be at the town’s Casino Rooms on Saturday, October 21 and will transform the High Street club into a beer hall with imported German biers, live music and traditional Oktoberfest food.

If you fancy heading further afield, the four events being held by London Oktoberfest are only a short train journey away.

The touring festival will visit Normand Park in Hammersmith from Thursday, September 21 to Saturday, September 23; Walpole Park in Ealing from Thursday, October 19 to Saturday, October 21; and Finsbury Square in Finsbury from Thursday, October 26 to Saturday, October 28 and again from Thursday, November 2 to Saturday, November 4.

The event welcomes more than 30,000 visitors each year across its four weekenders.

Each festival will have large blue-and-white tents, servers dressed in dirndl and lederhosen and traditional long tables.

The beers on offer are made specially for the festival and come from a small brewery near Nuremberg, the second-largest city in the German state of Bavaria.

There will also be live music and food such as brezel, schnitzel, Bavarian potato salad and bratwurst.

For those who don’t want the Oktoberfest party to end, you can book a long table and wooden bench at The Bierkeller in Maidstone.

This German-themed bar is open year-round with steins, German sausages and live Oompah music every Friday and Saturday.

There are also regular quiz nights and Kelleroke every Thursday with 2-for-1 beer steins for the duration of the event.