OKTOBERFEST 2025 AT HILTON COLOMBO

Hilton Colombo kicked off its 32nd Oktoberfest on 6th November 2025 at the hotel’s Sports Centre Arena with a packed house. Since its debut over three decades ago in 1993, Hilton’s Oktoberfest is one of the most anticipated Oktoberfest events in the city’s social calendar and this year was no different. Taking place until 15th November 2025, the festival invites guests to raise their steins to an authentic Oktoberfest experience, indulge in a Bavarian buffet, flowing brews and enjoy the entertainment of the Oompah Bavarian Band from Germany. 

On our visit, the Hilton Sports Centre Arena had undergone a total makeover – decked out in red, green and yellow, packed with tables and benches (along with the crowd to go with it) and the live band was belting out a mix of traditional German music such as folk tunes and polka with a few international hits that had the crowd going. 

Matching the energy and scale of the event was the equally fantastic Bavarian buffet spread. The buffet served up a wide range of food including specialty breads, pretzels, salads and desserts but the real treat were all the hearty meat options. From traditional boiled Thuringian pork sausages to cheese and onion chicken sausages, beer battered fried fish to crumbed chicken schnitzel and succulently delicious roasted pork knuckle, to a red wine marinated soft braised beef, roast chicken and slow roasted beef rack – the options were not only fantastically diverse but absolutely mouth wateringly delicious.  

The festival also included traditional Bavarian games and activities such as the brew drinking competition (a crowd favourite), Bavarian whip cracking and brass music. 

Pix by Samantha Perera