Hundreds celebrate UK's first sober Oktoberfest in Leeds

The event offered all the Bavarian irreverence of a traditional Oktoberfest, from authentic Bratwurst to live oompah music, but without a drop of booze or the dreaded next-day hangover.

Guests were welcomed with steins of Mash Gang’s signature alcohol-free lager, Chug, and threw themselves into a packed lineup of classic Oktoberfest games, including the headline challenge ‘MASHkrugstemmen’, a twist on the traditional Stein-holding competition. One lucky reveller walked away with a huge Mash Gang bundle, while others battled it out for the chance to win on the spot prizes from the pretzel toss.

One attendee, Leeds local Jordan Joyner-Claybrough, said: “It’s great that people these days can come out, build a community and have a good drink and a good time, without the need for alcohol.”

Speaking after the event, Jo Taylor, Global Marketing Director at Mash Gang, said: “Mash Gang is all about bringing people together over great beer, and that’s what we’ve achieved with Swaptober Fest. It was great to see so many people there enjoying fantastic tasting beer, as well as the food and music, and it proves that alcohol doesn’t have to fuel a great night out. Our beer is brewed purposefully to 0.5%, with all the complexity, depth, body and taste of full strength beer. It just happens to come with the added benefit of being alcohol-free, meaning a hangover-free day to follow.”

The Sober October movement continues to gather momentum, with over 4 million Brits taking part since its inception. Over the past five years, interest in booze-fuelled events during October has dropped by 60%, with a respective step-up in interest in events where people are either sober or moderating, showing a clear shift in how people want to socialise and a growing appetite for nights that don’t come with a hangover.