There’s truly no party like a San Miguel Oktoberfest.
The country’s most-anticipated beer festival officially kicked off at Okada Manila last September 20–21, drawing over 8,000 revelers to the Crystal Pavilion for two nights of overflowing beer, great food, and powerhouse live performances.
The festivities opened with a ceremonial toast led by San Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMB) President Carlos M. Berba, San Miguel Pale Pilsen brand ambassador Coco Martin, and Okada Manila Vice Chairperson Takako Okada, marking the start of the brand’s 135th anniversary celebration.
Guests were treated to complimentary samplers curated from San Miguel Beer’s worldwide portfolio, including exciting new brews such as India Pale Ale, Fruity Wheat Ale, Summer Ale, and Specialty Lager. Pop-ups from Las Flores, Café Fleur by Chef Sau, Flipside Burgers, and Purefoods Deli lined the venue, while the new SMB Draft Beer Mobile Bar Truck kept the drinks flowing.
Adding to the fiesta vibe, partygoers went home with limited-edition San Miguel Beer merchandise, a fitting souvenir of the iconic celebration.
On stage, the festival roared with top OPM acts: Rico Blanco, Lola Amour, December Avenue, Arthur Nery, Maki, Brownman Revival, The Dawn, Autotelic, The Juans, Over October, The Cohens, Paprika, DWATA, Carousel Casualties, It All Started in May, Magiliw Street, Sean Archer, Acapellago, DJ Chelsea, and DJ Rammy.
The night also brought surprise thrills. Fresh from their championship run, the San Miguel Beermen joined the party, gamely shooting hoops with festivalgoers. Meanwhile, billiards icons Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante wowed the crowd with an exhibition match, even inviting fans to test their skills at the pool table.
The Okada Manila kick-off is just the beginning of a series of San Miguel Oktoberfest celebrations:
- October 18 – Paseo de Santa Rosa, Laguna featuring Rocksteddy, Sunkissed Lola, Progeny, The Collars, and Parisukat
- October 31 – Queensland Manor, Cebu City featuring Urbandub, December Avenue, Missing Filemon, Nikolay, and Kuwako
Recognized by the Department of Tourism since 2005 as the country’s biggest fiesta, San Miguel Oktoberfest continues to raise the bar for celebrations—uniting Filipinos through music, camaraderie, and the world-class brews that have defined the brand for generations. Tickets are available now at Ticket2Me.net. (with reports from Loyd Pino)
