Oktoberfest - a guide to Germany's biggest festival

Every year at the turn of September and October, our western neighbors host a huge festival, the famous hop harvest festival – Oktoberfest (Wiesn). The event, with a tradition of over 200 years, is the largest folk festival in the world, and each edition attracts about 7 million people to the Theresa Meadows in Munich. Tourists come from all over the world to celebrate, taste beer and local delicacies for three weekends.

Oktoberfest is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable festivals in the world. It is no exaggeration to say that the beer festival has gained an international reputation, not only among lovers of the hoppy drink and folk atmosphere. At Oktoberfest, we will find tents with folk art, local delicacies and souvenirs, but there are also many other attractions - from a huge amusement park, through numerous parades, concerts and accompanying events. Importantly, the festival is very easy to get to. From the train station, you can get directly to Oktoberfest on the U4 and U5 U-Bahn lines (stop "Theresienwiese").

Oktoberfest - how did it start?

Despite its name, Munich's beer festival doesn't start in October at all - although it used to. The first Oktoberfest was held on October 12, 1810, to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig, later King of Bavaria, and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Horse races were held on the meadows outside the city walls, which we know today as Theresienwiese (Theresa Meadows). Given that Prince Ludwig was a fan of antiquity, the tournaments were reminiscent of the Olympic Games. The residents enjoyed the event so much that the royal court decided to repeat it at the same time the following year.

The spontaneously created tradition was interrupted several times: in 1813 (Napoleonic Wars), in 1854 and 1873 (cholera epidemic), in 1866 (Seven Weeks' War) and in 1870 (Franco-Prussian War). As soon as the war turmoil had ended, in 1872 the event was postponed until September due to weather conditions, which is why the October festival is held a month earlier to this day.

And where does this fascination with beer come from? Festivals dedicated to it (Oktoberfests) were not uncommon in Bavaria. Their origins can be found in the 16th-century Bavarian Purity Law , which allowed beer to be brewed only from the end of September to the end of April. Before brewing a new beer, it was necessary to use up the beer from the past season – in other words, the source of love for the golden drink can be found in reason. Nothing should be wasted. Therefore, Oktoberfests were organized at the turn of September and October , and their goal was to empty the barrels for new beer.

The village nowadays

Today, the festival is a huge event, with tourists coming from all over the world. Oktoberfest, also called Wiesn (short for Theresienwiese) by the locals in Munich, is centred around 14 large tents offering space for 10,000 people and 21 smaller tents – catering points. On weekends, they are already filled with celebrators by noon, so the remaining volunteers, who were not lucky enough to get one of the 105,000 seats, sit in the beer gardens set up around the tents.

The event has four main points:

• Entry of the hosts - on the first Saturday of Oktoberfest, the hosts of the festival arrive at the meadows, appearing with their staff in beautifully decorated carriages. After the procession enters, the mayor of Munich taps the first barrel of beer, symbolically inaugurating the festival in this way.
• Costume Parade - The following day is the Trachten- und Schützenumzug , or costume parade. It is the largest of its kind in the world - a crowd of around 9,000 people flows through the city centre, and the procession of participants is sometimes even several kilometres long!
• Brass Band Concert - the second Sunday of the festival is the second largest event of its kind in the world - the brass band concert . Artists from different tents gather on the steps in front of the Bavaria statue to participate in a joint concert.
• Mortar shooting - on the last Sunday the Böllerschießen , or mortar shooting, takes place in front of the statue.

There are many different traditions associated with Oktoberfest. One of them is visiting the festival at least three times - with family, friends and work colleagues. Anyone can enter the festival grounds, regardless of age, but only people over 16 can drink alcohol.

Oktoberfest - prices

The entrance to the famous Bavarian beer festival is free of charge. The prices at Oktoberfest, however, apply to the entrance to the so-called beer tents, which is mainly due to the fact that the number of places in the tents is limited. Entry is booked for a specific day and time, and the pass, referred to as a minimum consumption voucher , entitles you to use the attractions of the tent for five hours. The price of the voucher also includes two liters of beer and a traditional Bavarian dinner.

The most expensive tickets are of course evening tickets during the busiest days, i.e. weekends. The cheapest ticket is on weekdays during the so-called afternoon shift, lasting from 11:00 to 16:30 - at Oktoberfest the price of a ticket for such a shift is around 65 euros.

Of course, at Oktoberfest, the price also applies to food and drink, which is paid for. Beer is sold in traditional one-liter mugs, and the price of such a mug is around a dozen euros. The full price list of beer for each edition of Oktoberfest is always available online, so if we want to know what expenses to prepare for, we can check the current rates online before leaving.

Oktobetfest - what else is worth knowing?

The Oktoberfest inauguration always takes place at noon on the first day of the festival, when the mayor of Munich opens the first barrel of beer . From that moment on, festival goers can order specially brewed beer from 6 Munich breweries in the tents. Those interested can try Löwenbräu, Hofbräu, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr and Paulaner. Augustiner, a beer from the oldest brewery in Munich, is also on sale.

As we mentioned, entry to the festival is free , but it is worth remembering that this is an event that enjoys great popularity. It is wise to arrive as early as possible, otherwise you will not get into the tents, and only there you can buy beer and snacks. On weekends it is best to arrive in the morning, and during the week no later than 2:30 p.m. Beer will not be served to anyone who does not have a seat.

How to Dress for Oktoberfest? There is no official dress code for the festival, but local participants often dress in traditional costumes - women wear colorful dresses with a petticoat and corset, and men wear leather trousers (Lederhosen) and hats. If we want to get into the festival spirit, we can also wear similar clothing.

If someone likes to collect trinkets, then traditional Oktoberfest gadgets include many decorations and utility items that we can buy as souvenirs for ourselves or our loved ones. Oktoberfest is not only a celebration of beer, but also of the folk culture of Bavaria and all of Germany, which is why at the festival stalls, in addition to standard beer gadgets such as the famous Bavarian one-liter mugs with the Wiesn logo, we will also find hand-made decorations and accessories, traditional gingerbread hearts or elements of traditional local costumes.

Oktoberfest Tuesdays are family days . There are many carousels for the little ones, including the Crinoline, which has its own brass band, as well as the Olympia Looping, the Toboggan, the Teufelsrad (Ferris Wheel) and many other attractions. You can also buy roasted almonds and cotton candy. Reduced prices apply on Tuesdays from noon to 6:00 p.m. Children are allowed on the Oktoberfest grounds, but children under 6 must leave the pavilions by 8:00 p.m., even if they are accompanied by their parents.

If you're still in a party mood after the tents close, you can continue the evening at the Hacker-Pschorr beer hall, which is located about 50 meters from the festival, or at the Laurent-Perrier Après-Wiesn (formerly Wiesnzelt) in the Löwenbräukeller. The Oktoberfest afterparty awaits guests from 10 p.m.