Vegas Legends Siegfried and Roy Kick Off Oktoberfest

By Scott Roeben, on September 15 2013
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It’s not quite October, but if you were a beer hall called Hofbrauhaus, wouldn’t you want Oktoberfest to last as long as possible?

On Sep. 14, 2013 Las Vegas entertainment icons Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn did the honors of tapping the first keg to mark the start of six weeks of Oktoberfest celebrations in Sin City. By “celebrations,” of course, we mean “drinking beer until it feels like you’re in Bavaria.”

Everybody taps it in Vegas.
Siegfried breaks the seal.

Hofbrauhaus is a few blocks off The Strip, and is a faithful reproduction of the world’s most famous beer hall, the Hofbrauhaus in Munich, Germany.

Because of its design, Hofbrauhaus is similar to a box speaker, always assuring the sound level is deafening. Which sort of makes it seem like you’re having even more drunken fun than you are.

Hofbrauhaus should probably have an umlaut over the first "a," but we couldn't find one on our keyboard.
Hofbrauhaus should probably have an umlaut over the first “a,” but we couldn’t find one on our keyboard.

Beyond the barrel-sized mugs of beer, staples of Hofbrauhaus include German fare like sausages, schnitzels, sauerbraten and other “s” words.

Oh, there will be meat.
Oh, there will be meat.

Conservatively speaking, the pretzels are the size of tractor tires.

Pretzels, the official food of getting blitzed.
Pretzels, the official food of getting blitzed.

Siegfried (74) and Roy (68), of course, are known around the world for what was at one time the most popular show in Las Vegas. They began performing in Las Vegas in the early 1970s, and landed a gig at The Mirage in 1990.

Siegfried is still the life of the party.
Siegfried is still the life of the party.

The pair performed close to 6,000 shows together until Roy Horn was severely injured by a tiger during a show on Horn’s birthday, Oct. 3, 2003.

Roy Horn has always claimed the tiger that bit him was trying to pull him to safety.
Roy Horn has always claimed the tiger that bit him was trying to pull him to safety.

Although they’ve been out of the limelight since their show ended, Siegfried and Roy still draw huge crowds when they appear in public, and fans were out in droves at Hofbrauhaus.

Siegfried was born in Bavaria and Roy was born in Germany, so they're all over this Oktoberfest thing.
Siegfried and Roy were both born in Germany, so they’re all over this Oktoberfest thing.

Yes, we freely admit we didn’t know Bavaria was part of Germany until right this second. So, sue us. Six million people take part in Oktoberfest in Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. We also didn’t know Munich (a city) was in Bavaria (a state), Germany (the country). We need to get out more.

At the German Oktoberfest, they don’t call it that, by the way. They call it “die Wiesn,” after the fairgrounds where the event is held, the “Theresienwiese.”

Hofbrauhaus means "royal beer factory." Not that anyone at Hofbrauhaus will remember any of that.
Hofbrauhaus means “royal beer factory.” Not that anyone at Hofbrauhaus will remember any of that.

Hofbrauhaus will host a string of Vegas personalities doing the keg-tapping duties throughout Oktoberfest, including Playboy playmate Claire Sinclair (9/27), the cast of “Million Dollar Quartet” from Harrah’s (9/21), Claire Sinclair, the “Australian BeeGees” from Excalibur (10/18), “American Idol” alum Taylor Hicks (10/19), Claire Sinclair and, also, Claire Sinclair. We’ll probably be there for Claire Sinclair.

So, break out your lederhosen and earplugs, it’s Oktoberfest at Hofbrauhaus!