Hey Friends,
This past weekend I ventured out to attend the annual Octoberfest event at the Four Points Sheraton hotel here in Da Nang. Still battling a bit of lingering pink eye blurriness, I figured sipping a few beers at this lively festival could be a nice change of pace. However, upon arriving, I was surprised to find a nearly empty venue and subdued atmosphere that resulted in a strangely quiet Octoberfest experience.
Walking into the hotel's convention space all decked out for the beer-themed festivities, I was immediately struck by the lack of crowds. It was eerily quiet for an event I'd expected to be packed and raucous. The elaborately decorated booths of the various beer vendors stood waiting for patrons that never arrived.
Wandering past booths adorned with goods for guests to buy, I spoke to some of the vendors who all echoed similar refrains - almost no one had shown up. They seemed bored, just hanging around their untouched beer taps waiting for a crowd that likely wouldn't come.
It was disappointing to see their enthusiasm deflated, but they did their best to put on cheerful faces despite the empty venue.
At least it made for easy photo-taking without crowds in the way. But reviewing the images later, the absence of people made everything look creepily post-apocalyptic. Turning the photos black and white enhanced the eerie, deserted mood.
While the lackluster event was somewhat of a bummer, the upside was having the beautifully decorated beer hall largely to myself. The staff were exceedingly friendly and attentive without hordes of partiers to manage. I enjoyed the quiet atmosphere despite it feeling strangely lifeless.
In the end, there's not too much story to tell about this subdued Octoberfest "festival." The empty venue resulted in a mellow evening amidst a scene that should've been soaked with gemütlichkeit (*Look it up). At least the hotel's staff was on point - if only there were more people!
Have you ever shown up to an event that ended up being a total dud? Share your stories below!
In the meantime, I'll be on the lookout for Octoberfest redemption next year with hopefully more rousing crowds on hand to polka. Prost!
