Oktoberfest comes to Geneva, meet its founders
Anaïs Richard
23 septembre 2025
On the Plaine de Plainpalais, the scenery changes. For ten days or so, Geneva will be decked out in Bavarian colors as it hosts its annual Oktoberfest. Under the big tents set up in the middle of the city, the air is ready to resound with the clash of voices, glasses and festive music. At the heart of this effervescence, three local figures join forces to bring the event to life: Lara Mai Vo Van, Ati Mufwankolo and Nicolas Oggier.
Friendship at the heart of Geneva’s food scene
For nearly ten years, Lara Mai Vo Van and Pascale Clemann have been a fixture on the Geneva scene. The Geneva Street Food Festival, born in 2015, then the Christmas Market from 2018, not forgetting Antichambre and a series of ephemeral restaurants are among their initiatives that have helped to reshape the city’s gourmet and festive habits. “We knew that one day we’d be working together,” says Lara Mai of her founding friendship with Pascale.
For their part, Mufwankolo and Nicolas Oggier are not newcomers. In 2016, they founded the Geneva Beer Festival at Pavillon Sicli, inspired by a London event discovered during Ati’s studies. Their aim: to celebrate beer in all its forms, combining music, conviviality and discovery. For several years, they collaborated with institutions such as the Antigel festival and Les Automnales, gradually establishing their event as a fixture on the Geneva calendar. But with the closure of the Pavillon for renovations, it was time to find a new stage and, above all, a new identity.
A new turning point
The meeting of these two teams was to seal the event’s fate: joining forces to create an Oktoberfest “à la genevoise”. Far from simply copying the Bavarian model, the project emphasizes locality and authenticity. No fewer than seven brewers from the Association des Brasseurs Indépendants Genevois (ABIG) are among the eleven selected for this year’s event. No international soft drinks either, just Swiss beverages.
The concept is simple: on one side, a tent dedicated to the brewers, on the other a large festive hall reminiscent of Munich’s traditions. Here, guests can enjoy convivial tables (reservations are strongly recommended), beers served by the liter for the more adventurous, and live concerts. Outside, the festivities continue with a small funfair, food trucks and drinks stands dotted around the Plaine. Everything has been thought out so that there’s something for everyone.
A full-scale festival
On the food side, the offer breaks away from clichés. Here, not just grilled sausages, but some twenty stands carefully selected for the quality and provenance of their products, both sweet and savoury. A varied gastronomy, true to the spirit of the Street Food Festival, where local and authenticity remain at the heart of the experience.
At the crossroads of their backgrounds – the friendship of Lara Mai and Pascale and the creative complicity of Ati and Nicolas – a common vision emerges: to make Geneva a playground for encounters, flavors and celebration. With this original Oktoberfest, they are adding a new stone to the edifice of local cultural life. And on the Plaine de Plainpalais, the event promises to become a regular fixture in Geneva.
