Oktoberfest

The Oktoberfest 2017 takes place from September 16th to October 3rd.

There is a lot more to Munich than just the Oktoberfest, but it is certainly one of the things that puts Munich on the map. In Germany it’s called a Volksfest, which translates roughly as fair or folk-festival. But, really it’s a mixture of beer festival and fun fair with very traditional opening and closing parts, such as the opening procession.

Munich Oktoberfest Looping
Munich Oktoberfest Looping

About the Oktoberfest

Over 6 million people visited the Oktoberfest in 2015.

Known as the most famous folk festival – and beer festival – in the world (and the biggest), the Oktoberfest is one of Munich’s major attractions.

It starts third Saturday in September and only after a tradional ceremony: The ‘Wies’n’ publicans, set off at 11am on their colourfully decorated floats pulled by horses, make their way along Schwanthaler Strasse towards the Theresienwiese.

The first barrel of beer is personally tapped by the Lord Mayor at 12 noon and on Sunday, starting at 10am, groups in traditional garb from all over Europe march to the Theresienwiese. The blissful, beer-laden festival lasts for a total of 16 days and six million people attend each year.

The ‘Wies’n’ festival originates from the wedding feast for Crown Prince Ludwig and his bride Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen in 1810.

The event has some impressive statistics: 14 giant tents with a total seating capacity of 100,000 serve 5.5 million litres of potent ‘March beer’, more than 600,000 fried chickens and 84 heads of cattle. The annual commercial value of the whole thing is estimated at a minimum of 0.7 billion Euro.

Tuesdays from noon till 6pm are ‘Family Days’. We advise getting there early (like 11.00) and finding a good spot. Be warned though, Oktoberfest beer at around 8% is strong stuff and you might be advised to drink some with Radlers (shandy) too. If you’re in Munich at this time it’s a must visit.

Munich Oktoberfest Opening Times

Beer Serving Hours

Weekdays 10.00 am – 10.30 pm

Saturday, Sunday & holiday 09.00 am – 10.30 pm

Opening hours of stalls

Monday – Thursday 10 am – 11.30 pm

Friday 10.00 am – 12.00 midnight

Saturday 9 am – midnight

Sunday 9 am – 11.30 pm

Fairground attractions & sideshows

Monday – Thursday 10 am – 11.30 pm

Friday, Saturday 10.00 am – midnight

Sunday 10 am – 11.30 pm

Getting there on Public Transport

S-Bahn: S1 – S8 to Hackerbruecke
S7 and S27 to Heimeranplatz, Further with the U4 or
U5

U-Bahn: U3 or U6 to Goetheplatz and Poccistraße
U4 or U5 to Theresienwiese or Schwanthaler Höhe

Bus: 31(to Hans-Fischer-Straße or Poccistraße),
58 (to Goetheplatz),
62 (to Alter Messeplatz or Theresienhöhe) or
66 (to Alter Messeplatz, Theresienhöhe or Hans-
Fischer-Straße)

Tram: 18 (to Hermann-Lingg-Straße) or
19 (to Hermann- Lingg-Straße)

 

Entry Fees

There is no entry fee as such, you just pay for whatever is there, i.e. beer, food, fairground rides and so forth.
The next Munich Oktoberfest dates are:

Munich Oktoberfest 2018: September 22nd – October 7th