Did you know that Octoberfest originated as a wedding celebration? It first started in 1810 when the King Louis I betrothed Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The joyful festivities to celebrate lasted five days and to mark their first-year anniversary they did another five-day celebration where an agricultural fair was added. It then became an annual festival with food and drink vendors introduced in 1818. It no longer represents a celebration of marriage but rather a celebration of German culture with the emphasis on food and drink.
Hog Roast Penistone was invited to cater at a pop-up Oktoberfest beer hall. Even though the temporary beer hall could hold 500 people, Hog Roast Penistone was one of 
three food options.
The main and most traditional food at Oktoberfest is in fact a Hog Roast. Germans call Hog Roasts Spanferkel and they use juicy suckling pigs which are said to have a sweeter taste. The young suckling pigs are tied to a log and placed over hot coals to cook.
Hog Roast Penistone’s whole-spit roasted pig was the centre of attention at the event. Many of the beer-drinkers came to observe the fascinating theatre of the pig slowly turning around being cooked. The tasty smell consumed the whole marquee, with many drooling guests asking when it would be ready to eat. As you can imagine, the pig did not last long with everyone quickly lining up to indulge in the succulent pork, flavoursome stuffing and traditional sweet brambly apple sauce. Even though in Germany the heads are a delicacy and actually cooked and sold separately to festival goers, there was only one guest who requested the head, and this happened to be for his dog!
It was all fun and games with the hosts of the event doing a stein-holding competition, the best dressed lederhosen and had secured a lively band playing traditional German music. The atmosphere was ecstatic. Organiser Tom had even managed to find lederhosen aprons and matching hats for Hog Roast Penistone to serve in. They certainly looked the part! 