Munich City Guide

Annual Events and Highlights Oktoberfest in Munich

This is certainly one of the highlights in Germany’s event calender. According to its name, the largest festival in September should be held in October, however according to tradition the 16-day Oktoberfest ends on the first weekend of October. It always takes place at the "Wiesn" - on Theresienwiese. The history of the Oktoberfest, the world's biggest folk "Volksfest" (folk festival) goes back to the marriage of King Ludwig I in October 1810. The high point of the wedding celebration was a horse race and a banquet on the Theresienwiese , the fairground which was named after Ludwig's bride, Princess Therese. The festivities were repeated annually and combined with an autumn market and an agricultural fair. Soon the festival grew to include beer tents, S teckerlfisch (fried fish on a stick), Brez'n (pretzel) and gingerbread hearts, shooting galleries, swing-boats and merry-go-rounds and many other more or less spectacular attractions for all ages. Nowadays, every year more than 6 Million visitors consume appr. 5 Million "Maß" (litres) of beer and 400,000 sausages, especially in the famous beer halls of the 7 Munich breweries. The Oktoberfest traditionally begins with a festive parade of the brewers and marquee landlords, their beautifully decorated floats drawn by pig, powerful "Braurösser" (brewery horses) carrying large beer casks. The Munich Mayor officially declares the Oktoberfest open by calling out the famous "O'zapft is!" (It's been tapped!) Reservations for tables at the Oktoberfest are usually made months in advance, but tents often still have tables available until a few weeks before the festival begins. Groups of more than 10 should make arrangements for a table by the end of August. A reservation must be paid in advance, but the money is refunded in form of vouchers (e.g. for beer).

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Munich City Guide