One of the greatest drinking festivals in the world ends next Monday. Oktoberfest- the annual festival of brews, bratwurst, pretzels, and beautiful dirndl & lederhosen- began on Saturday, September 17th and ends on Monday October 3rd, 2011. Opening ceremonies went off well in the Schottenhamel tent with the lord mayor of Munich tapping the first keg of Oktoberfest beer. Since then the celebration has continued, despite the highest beer prices of up to 9.20 € a Mass (litre of beer).

If you've missed the great beer festival in Munich, that doesn't mean you've missed your chance to sing silly songs, celebrate inebriation, and toss back a few drinks.

Drinking Festivals Around the World

Argentina

Fiesta Nacional dee la Venetian (The Grape Harvest Festival)
Early March
Argentina is ranked fifth in the world of wine production and Mendoza is at the heart of the industry. The wine harvest begins on the first Saturday of March with the blessing of the grapes.

Australia

Bitter and Twisted International Boutique Beer Festival
November 5th - 6th, 2011
This festivals in Mainland features over 50 craft beers from around the globe. It is quite unusual in that it takes place inside an ex-maximum security jail.

The Tasmanian Beeriest
November 8th - 19th, 2011
Over 100 premium beers from some of the finest breweries around the world appear at The Tasmanian Beeriest. The festival offers the opportunity to learn about the brewing process and the art of matching beer with food.

Belgium

Brutes Beer Festival
February 4th - 5th, 2011
More than 270 different beers from 67 breweries are featured in this festival, in one of the proudest beer capitals of the world.

Brazil

Oktoberfest in Blum
October 6th - 23rd, 2011
Brazil brings the wonders of Oktoberfest to Santa Catalina, Brazil. The largest celebration in the country, almost 600,000 liters of choppy (draft beer) are served.

Canada

Great Canadian Beer Festival
September 8th - 9th, 2012
A festival in Victoria, a focus on cask ales from the Pacific Northwest sets this festival apart.

Mon dial dee la Bier
June 8th - 12th, 2012
Canada's largest beer festival, breweries from all over the world come here to showcase their beers.

Czech Republic

Caský Piní Festival (Czech Beer Festival)
May 17th - June 2nd, 2012
Held in Prague, this is the biggest Czech beer festival. Costumed servers offer over 70 brands of Czech beer, payable in the festival's own currency, the Tolar.

French West Indies

Martinique Carnival
February 8th - February 22nd, 2012
Martinique's Carnival celebrates rum, revelry, and the beautiful culture of the West Indies. The island is home to seven different distilleries that cultivate more than 20 types of rum.

Germany

If you don't want to stray too far, Germany offers other beer festivals in which to celebrate the harvest.

Stuttgart Spring Festival (Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest or Cannstatter Wasen)
April 23rd - May 15th, 2011
This annual fair takes place on the fair grounds of Stuttgart's Bad Cansstatt district. Live bands, carnival rides and the flowing taps of beer make this a jolly place to be.

Stuttgart Autumn Festival (Cannstatter Volksfest or Cannstatter Wasen)
September 23rd - October 9th, 2011
Larger than the spring festival in Stuttgart, it is one of the biggest beer festival in the world (second only to the Oktoberfest). It attracts millions of visitors and the world's largest mobile Ferris wheel.

Starkbierzeit
March 15th - April 15th, 2012
Known as "Munich's secret beer festival", this fest features strong local beers traditionally consumed during Lent.

Singapore

Singapore Beer Festival
June 2012
A four-day event showcase of the best beers in the world with the first ever Asia Beer Awards.

Switzerland

Fete dee la Bier
May 15th - 16th, 2012
This Swiss festival showcases more than 170 beers on the shore in Lausanne-Ouchy. The Alps provide a dramatic backdrop to drinks and live music.

United Kingdom

Great British Beer Festival
Nest Event: National Winter Ales Festival January 18th - 21st 2012
There are a series of events, with the largest held in London. The summer event is the largest beer festival in the UK. Also called the "biggest pub in the world", it is estimated that one pint is sold every half second at the festival.

Cambridge Beer Festival
May 23rd - 28th, 2012
The longest running CAMRA beer festival in the United Kingdom, the event has been held since 1974.

The Spirit Of Speyside Whisky Festival
September 29th - October 3rd, 2011
Scotland is the home of fine single malt scotches. This festival is held every year in the spring to celebrate the fine art of scotch.

USA

Great American Beer Festival
September 19th - October 1st, 2011
This festival in Denver, Colorado started in 1982 and offers awards to the best beers from the nearly 500 breweries.

Leavenworth Oktoberfest
September 30th - October 1st,October 7th - 8th, October 14th - 15th
This quirky Bavarian styled village in the mountains of Washington state pays homage to it's Bavarian role model. It is one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the world outside of Germany.

Great World Beer Festival
October 31st - November 1st, 2011
Originally known as "Brewtopia", the great city of New York has claimed the name of the "Great World Beer Festival". New York City's longest running beer festival, it offers mainstream and specialist brewers.

Wherever you end of drinking, at least learn how to say one word:
Cheers! (English)

Fisehatak (Arabic)
Na zdraví (Czech)
Santé / A la votre (French)
Prost / Zum wohl (German)
Sláinte (Irish Gaelic)
Salute / Cin cin (Italian)
Skål (Norwegian)
Na zdrowie (Polish)
Salud (Spanish)
Chok dee (Thai)
Sei gesund (Yiddish)

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