Oktoberfest is the most popular and massive folk festival in the world. Every year, with the advent of autumn, millions of people visit the southeastern part of Bavaria. It is there, in the city of Munich, that the festival will be held in the next couple of weeks. The whirlwind of great mood and unrestrained fun, music and dancing will absorb you.

Tons of fried chicken and Bavarian sausages, fish and pretzels, washed down with an unrealistic number of liters of beer. Those who come here should forget about diets and proper lifestyle for a while because Oktoberfest is the largest beer festival in the world.

As soon as the celebration of the next Oktoberfest comes to an end, preparations for the new Festival of the next year immediately begin. Oktoberfest is a Munich creation, its duration is two to three weeks. The third Saturday in September is traditionally considered the start of Oktoberfest, and Oktoberfest ends on the first Sunday in October. But if Sunday falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the holiday will be extended until October 3 (Day of German Unity). In 2019, the Oktoberfest celebration will last 15 days, from September 21 to October 6.

Beer, for the celebration of Oktoberfest, can produce and supply only six Munich breweries. This beer complies with the requirements of the "Beer Purity Law" issued in 1516. This law prescribes the composition of beer, which must consist of three components: barley, hops and water. In non-holiday times, this beer is called “March” and its strength reaches 6%.

History of the Oktoberfest Beer Festival

October 12, 1810 is considered the date of the origin of Oktoberfest. This is the wedding day of the Bavarian Prince Ludwig with Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghaus. The celebration was decided to be held outside the city in the field. Since that time, this place has been called Teresa's Meadow, and now Oktoberfest is celebrated there. On October 17, 1810, horse races were held in this meadow, and now there are disputes about which date is considered the beginning of Oktoberfest.

The idea of ​​celebrating Oktoberfest was in the spirit of the Bavarian population and it was decided to hold an exhibition of agriculture here a year later, which has become a tradition for Oktoberfest. It is still held during Oktoberfest to this day, although now not every year, but once every four years. In 1811, the first shops selling beer were opened. In 1813, they decided not to hold Oktoberfest because of hostilities with Napoleon. Until 1819, the organizational issues related to the celebration of Oktoberfest were dealt with privately, but it was in this year that the city council became responsible for holding Oktoberfest and decided to make Oktoberfest an annual holiday. In August 1850, a bronze statue of "Bavaria" was erected on Teresa's meadow. In 1872, the dates for the celebration of Oktoberfest changed. It was decided to move most of the festival to the month of September due to better weather conditions. And since 1904, its terms have been finally established and are not subject to change.

Gradually, various components were added to the celebration of the festival, thanks to which the familiar image of modern Oktoberfest is formed in our minds. Since 1881, during the beer festival, fried chicken appeared on sale, and since 1892, glass beer mugs have replaced clay mugs used until then. In the same years, the owners of beer tents began to get rid of the entertainment components inside the tents. Dancing scenes with attractions migrated to the street, thereby adding additional benches and tables for customers. In 1886, Oktoberfest was electrified. According to one well-known German newspaper "AZ", it was Albert Einstein who screwed in the first light bulbs in Michael Schottenhamel's beer tent.

Prior to the outbreak of the First World War, the festival became increasingly popular. In 1910, the centennial anniversary was marked by the sale of more than a million liters of beer, and in 1913, the Oktoberfest was marked by the erection of a beer tent for a record 12,000 seats. Subsequently, the festival was not remembered for many years, first the war, and then the post-war crisis. When the Nazis came to power, the celebration of Oktoberfest underwent significant changes and only 1949 brought the revival of the old Oktoberfest.

Beer Festival Events

Procession of owners of beer tents

The festive procession of the owners of beer tents traditionally marks the beginning of the Oktoberfest celebration since 1887. A young girl holding a bell in a black and yellow hoodie is the symbol of Munich, called the "Munchner Kindi" and, together with the mayor, is at the head of the festive procession. They ride on a festive wagon, followed by the owners of the Oktoberfest beer tents. They are carrying barrels of beer, which will be sold. Musicians also take part in the Oktoberfest procession, who will later delight the ears of visitors to beer tents. The Oktoberfest procession originates in the center of Munich and moves to the end point - Teresa Meadow. The duration of the festive procession is about an hour. More than a thousand people are accomplices of the procession. The streets are crowded with Munich residents and tourists, there is a television broadcast.

How to open the first barrel of beer

Upon the arrival of all members of the festive procession at their destination at noon, the main event of the first day of the festival takes place - driving a tap into the first barrel of beer. This obligation was entrusted to the Bavarian mayors in 1950 and is carried out by them to this day. Every year, the people of Bavaria look forward to this moment and often make bets on the number of blows the mayor will need to open the barrel. The record in this case was set in 2006 by the then mayor Christian Ude, he needed only one blow, but the anti-record in this case belongs to the discoverer Thomas Wimmer, whose barrel took as many as 19 blows! Having driven in the tap, the mayor exclaims “Uncorked!”, followed by 12 signal shots, which serve as a signal for the owners of all beer tents to start trading. The first mug of beer is poured at Oktoberfest for the Bavarian Prime Minister.

Oktoberfest costume procession

Costume procession, another of the oldest Oktoberfest customs. For the first time, this event was held in honor of the 25th anniversary of the marriage of Ludwig and Teresa. Since 1950, no Oktoberfest has been complete without it. The second day of the festival was the day of the costume procession. The starting point of the procession is the building of the Bavarian Parliament, and the procession ends on the Teresa meadow. The procession usually involves 8,000 participants who dress in national and historical costumes. A Munich child is invariably at the head of the demonstration, accompanied by authorized representatives of the Bavarian government. Following is a procession consisting of forty elegantly decorated wagons, musical ensembles, various communities of folk costumes, shooting societies. Recently, representatives from various European countries have often joined them.

How is Oktoberfest

No matter how interesting the festive events are, the very juice of this whole event can be felt only in the crowd of celebrating people. During the Oktoberfest celebrations, all roads lead to Teresa Meadow. It is unlikely that it will be possible to convey in words this feeling of undivided joy, reckless fun, with indispensable attributes in the form of vocal accompaniment distributed from all sides in various languages ​​or sensual dances on the table, seasoned with inexhaustible beer libations.

Oktoberfest beer tents

The most important attributes of Oktoberfest are the world-famous Munich beer tents. Their owners are six world-famous Munich breweries: Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu, Hofbräu, Paulaner, Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr and Löwenbräu. The total number of beer tents installed in the meadow during the festival reaches 32. Of these, with a capacity of up to 10,000 people - 14 tents and with a capacity of up to 1,000 people - 18 tents. Beer in Teresa Meadow is sold only in tents, which are constantly crowded and before you can quench your thirst you have to stand in line. Beer mugs there are the same size - a liter. You need to be prepared for this in advance, you will not be able to get standard half a liter there.

Oktoberfest waitress girls

A beautiful, young, buxom girl, dressed in a national Bavarian costume, she has an incredible number of mugs of beer in her hands, and a cheerful smile on her face. It is this picture that most likely pops up in the head of a person who has never been to Oktoberfest. In fact, there are more men than women as waiters at Oktoberfest. And there is a rational explanation for this, carrying huge trays of food or a dozen liter mugs at a time requires endurance and strength. But even if a waiter in a female form approaches your table, it is not a fact that she will be young and beautiful. Working at the Oktoberfest is very lucrative and the chance to meet a waitress “well over 30” is growing every year. But of course there is always a chance that you will be served by a young and smiling waitress!

Food and drink

The key drink of Oktoberfest is beer, which is specially prepared for this holiday. This beer contains less gases in its composition (compared to regular), but it has a slightly higher alcohol content (5.8% -6.3%). But besides beer, there is an opportunity to enjoy the taste of other drinks. Walking through the meadow, you will definitely see a tent selling Munich wine. There is always the opportunity to drink stronger alcoholic drinks and those that do not contain alcohol at all.

It is not possible to visit Oktoberfest and not enjoy traditional Bavarian snacks. You should definitely try Hendl (fried chicken). It is she who is most eaten during the passage of Oktoberfest. Bratwurst (pork sausage) and Schweinshaxen (pork knuckle) will be appreciated by pork lovers. Steckerlfisch (fried fish on a stick) is a traditional beer snack. Weisswurst (white Bavarian sausages), Kartoffelsalat (potato salad), Brezel (pretzel) and many other goodies will not leave anyone indifferent.

Attractions, Oktoberfest for families

During the “Beer Festival” on the territory of Teresa Meadow, there is a huge amount of entertainment for visitors from the old carousels, which have been delighting Oktoberfest guests for 80 years, to modern attractions. Tuesday is considered the "family" day of Oktoberfest. On this day, food, drinks and attractions delight visitors with children with their prices. On the territory of the festival there is also a “family square” equipped with carousels for the youngest guests and a cafe with children's menus.

Where is Oktoberfest held besides Munich?

• The Cannstatter Volksfest, or Stuttgart October Festival, ranks second in the world in terms of scope, this type of celebration. You can visit it when you arrive in the city of Stuttgart in the month of October, and be surprised at its scope, as more than 4.5 million people visit it every year.
• In the Federal Republic of Germany, cities such as Hörn with the Kranger Kirmes holiday - Fair Week and Bremen with its own - Bremer Freimarkt gather about 4.4 million people during their festivities, Düsseldorf is slightly inferior to them with the fair - Gröste Kirmes am Rhein, which they visit 4.3 million people.
• Oktoberfest is celebrated not only in Germany. In Canada, in the city of Kitchener, Oktoberfest is also celebrated, its average attendance is about 800 thousand people.
• In the south of Brazil, in a town called Blumenau, there is also a tradition to celebrate their Oktoberfest. About 650 thousand people gather on the streets of the city.
• In the United States of America, Oktoberfests are celebrated in many cities. For example, more than 500 thousand Americans visit Cincinnati annually during the festival, and almost 200 visit the city of Tulsa.
• In the capital of the Russian Federation, a large number of institutions hold a kind of Oktoberfest.
• The fame of Oktoberfest has acquired a global scale for a very long time. Every third inhabitant of Germany at least once, but was at Oktoberfest. 1985 brought an attendance record for Oktoberfest, with over 7.5 million visitors that year. There is no other party in the world like it, which could boast the same number of people. That is why the Beer Festival – Oktoberfest 2017 should not pass you by!

Stars at Oktoberfest

Big fan of the festival

Oktoberfest is a unique beer festival, accompanied by fun folk festivals and costume processions, which has been held annually in Munich for over 200 years. Within 14-16 days, about six million guests manage to visit the holiday, which is four times the number of residents of the capital of Bavaria.

The territory of the huge Teresa Meadow, whose name in German sounds like Theresienwiese, is 42 hectares. It is located in the center of Munich, close to the main train station and underground stations. The period of the festival is chosen taking into account that the last day of festivities falls on October Sunday or on the Day of German Unification - October 3rd.

Hosting the Oktoberfest

On the opening day, the traditional procession of the festival participants starts at 10:50. Dressed in traditional Bavarian attire, tent owners sit on colorful carts loaded with barrels of beer and follow the streets of Munich towards Theresienwiese. Folklore music, songs and welcome cries of guests sound.

At 12:00, the mayor of Munich knocks the cork out of the first barrel and exclaims “O’Zapft is!”, which is perceived as “Pour it up!”. From that moment on, the festival is considered open, and beer is poured in all tents and open areas.

The next day, starting at 10:00, you can see a colorful costume procession, in which several thousand people take part. The column, accompanied by brass bands, follows through the center of Munich towards Theresa Meadow.

Both Tuesdays until 7 p.m. are reserved for family days. At this time, attractive discounts are provided for parents with children.

On the first Thursday at 10:00, a divine service is held, at which the names of Oktoberfest participants who have gone to another world are remembered. After the service, the first communion and baptism of the children of the organizers and workers of the festival takes place.

On the second Thursday of the celebrations at 11:00, guests are invited to attend a unique concert free of charge. Brass bands and drummers dressed in Bavarian folk costumes show their skills

On the final day of the holiday at 12:00 at the foot of the statue of Bavaria, a spectacular salute from hand mortars begins. At exactly 23:30 Oktoberfest closes until next year.

Festival visit

As with any other holiday that lasts more than one week, Oktoberfest has both noisy and relatively quiet times. On opening and closing days, as well as on weekends, it is crowded and bustling. The “quietest” period is considered to be until 15:00 on weekdays and until 18:00 on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. During these hours, there are practically no queues, and free places in tents can be found without much difficulty.

On weekdays from 10:00 to 15:00, Oktoberfest visitors are in for a pleasant surprise - up to 30% discounts.

Oktoberfest Beer

Traditionally, the Munich brewers become the participants of the festival. Each tent sells certain brands of beer, specially brewed for folk festivals. The general name of the foamy drink sounds like Oktoberfestbier (Oktoberfestbier).

Brands

The products of six breweries are presented at the festival.

Augustiner. The oldest Munich brewery was founded in the first half of the 14th century at the monastery of the same name. The 6% festival beer is bottled in the tents of Augustiner-Festhalle and Fischer-Vroni.

Hacker Pschorr. Production has been known since the beginning of the 15th century, but the impetus for development was received only in the 18th century, under Maria Theresa Hacker and Joseph Pshorra. The beer presented at the Oktoberfest is characterized by the lowest strength - 5.8%. The product can be tasted in the tents of Hacker-Festzelt and Pschorr-Bräurosl.

Hofbrau. The plant was founded at the end of the 16th century by Duke Wilhelm of Bavaria in the 5th century. as a court brewery. Nationalized in the 19th century. The beer at the festival is the strongest - 6.3%. Served in only one large tent - Hofbräuzelt.

Lowenbräu. The history of the "lion" brand can be traced back to the end of the 14th century, but popularity came only in the 19th century, when the enterprising Georg Brey took over the company. Today, Löwenbräu is part of the transnational Belgian campaign InBev. Oktoberfestbier is 6.1% ABV and is served in the Schützen-Festzelt and Löwenbräu-Festhalle tents.

Paulaner. The brewery has been known since the first half of the 17th century. It was founded by the monks of the mendicant Order of Minims (German - Orden Paulaner) for their own needs. At the beginning of the 19th century, the company was bought by the brewer Sacherl, after which it began to develop. Festival beer has a strength of 6%. It is presented in three tents - Armbrustschützenzelt, Winzerer Fähndl and Käfer's Wies'n Schänke.

Spaten Franciscanner. The foundation period is the end of the 14th century. At the beginning of the 19th, the plant was owned by the Seldmayer family. Today the brand is part of the InBev concern. Oktoberfest beer has an ABV of 5.9%. A foamy drink is poured in the Marstall, Schottenhamel, Ochsenbraterei (Spatenbräu-Festhalle) tents.

Oktoberfestbier beer prices are slowly but surely creeping up. From 2002 to 2016, the cost of a liter mug increased from €6.30-6.80 to €10.40-10.70.

Tickets for Oktoberfest 2019

You can get to the territory of the beer festival and enter the tents for free. But keep in mind that the number of tables in tents is limited, so in the evening, especially on weekends, almost all of them are overcrowded even before 18:00. Booking a table for 10 people with the exact date and time of the visit is guaranteed to be in one or another tent.

Reservation of places in large tents begins a few months before the opening of the festival, most often from December.

You can secure a guaranteed place on the official website of the selected tent, subject to a certain condition. It consists in the need to purchase a voucher min for 20-80 euros, depending on the tent, the set of dishes and the time of the visit. When calculating for a festive lunch/dinner, the amount of the prepayment is taken into account.

The only entertainment area with a paid entrance is Oide Wiesn (translated as an old meadow). A ticket costs 3 euros, and riding on historical attractions is only 1 euro. Here there are beer tents, and more free compared to the central alley, concerts are held and festival beauty queens are chosen.

Oktoberfest tents

There are 14 large tents and 21 small pavilions on the territory of Theresienwiese. Beer is released only to those who sit at the table. At peak times (evenings and weekends), the tents are overcrowded and closed, so it is unlikely that you will be able to get inside without a voucher. You can try your luck either until 15:00 on weekdays, or early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday. Another option involves visiting outdoor areas (the so-called beer gardens). It is less colorful here, but also festive and fun.

large tents

Schottenhamel and Schützenfestzelt tents are considered old-timers on Theresienwiese. They appeared in 1867 as small beer shops with several dozen seats. Festival kicks off in Schottenhamel. It is here that at 12:00 the current mayor of Munich opens the first Oktoberfest barrel and drinks the first glass of beer. The tent serves 10,000 people in total - 6,000 inside the tent and 4,000 outside.

Characteristic features of the Schützenfestzelt include a large shooting range for amateur shooters and the serving of Bavarian pig in beer sauce with cabbage. The capacity of the tent is more than 5100 people. Seats outside the pavilion - 1400.

The largest in terms of capacity is the Hofbräu-Festzelt tent, opened in 1955. It is characterized by reasonable prices, international presence and bunches of hops hanging everywhere. Under the roof of the tent, 6898 guests can simultaneously be, and outside - 3022 beer lovers.

The smallest of the 14 tents is the cozy Käfers Wiesn-Schänke. It accommodates only 1,000 people, but there are 1,900 more seats on the street. A feature of the tent is its later closing.

The “youngest” tent is Marstall. The owners managed to get a contract with Oktoberfest in 2014. Above the entrance there is a sculptural composition with horses, and inside there is a musical stage stylized as an old carousel. The capacity of the pavilion is 3,200 seats; another 1,000 people can sit outside the tent.

Features of other large tents:

• Armbrustschützenzelt - crossbow shooting competitions have been held for over 100 years;
• Augustiner Festhalle - beer is poured from authentic oak barrels;
• Pschorr-Bräurosl - the regulars of the institution are mainly residents of Munich;
• Fischer Vroni - trout baked on a stick is served as an appetizer;
• Hacker Festzelt - a colorful "heavenly" interior and an original music podium;
• Löwenbräu - a five-meter lion at the entrance attracts the attention of guests with a roar. A favorite place for fans of the Munich football club;
• Ochsenbraterei - bull meat roasted on a spit is offered as an appetizer;
• Weinzelt - in addition to beer, 15 varieties of wine and champagne are served;
• Winzerer Fähndl - Singing is allowed, the beer garden is located on the sunny side.

Payment in the tents is accepted exclusively in cash in euros or pre-purchased vouchers!

small tents

21 pavilions do not have brand names. Nevertheless, Oktoberfest is unthinkable without them. Tents can accommodate from 90 to 500 people. In addition to the festival beer, they offer traditional Bavarian dishes of veal, poultry and fish. There are sweets on the menu.

Founding history

The first, modest-scale event was initiated by an officer of the Bavarian National Guard in October 1810. The idea arose in the process of preparing for the celebration of the wedding of the heir to the Bavarian crown, Louis I, and Teresa, nee Princess of Saxe-Hildburghausen. A proposal to organize a race in a meadow that comes close to the outskirts of Munich was sent to the father of the newlywed, King Maximilian I of Bavaria. A positive response was received immediately.

October festivities have become annual. A break was made only in those periods when Bavaria had to conduct military operations or fight deadly epidemics.

Oktoberfest in the 1920s: video

attractions

Antique carousels, shooting galleries and other entertainment are located in Oide Wiesn. In a separate zone, modern attractions are presented:

• a Ferris wheel 50 m high, from which the Alps are viewed in clear weather;
• roller coasters almost a kilometer long;
• a tower that gives a feeling of slight dizziness from a free fall from a 70-meter height;
• a chain carousel rotating thrill-seekers at high altitude;
• castle of horrors, etc.

In addition, spectacular acrobatic shows and many other events are held here.

Festival with children

Family days are held every Tuesday. In addition, on the territory of Oktoberfest there is a whole children's area Familienplatzl. There is also a beer garden, where adults are offered a festival drink and snacks, and kids can enjoy a children's menu and sweets. You are allowed to bring food with you.

Show programs with animators and puppet shows are held daily for children. The best periods to visit the festival with kids are weekdays until 17:00. For safety reasons, strollers are not allowed on Saturdays and on other days after 18:00. Children are encouraged to dress in bright clothes so that they can be easily seen in the crowd.

Children under the age of 6 are not allowed in the beer halls after 18:00. Teenagers under 16 are not allowed to drink beer.

Opening hours

On weekdays, tents and tents open from 10 am, and on weekends they open an hour earlier. Closing of institutions - at 23:30, the last spill of beer - at 22:30. Eateries and cafes are open until 23:00.

On the first day, on Fridays and throughout the last week of the festival, souvenir shops are open from 10:00 to 24:00. On other days:

• from Monday to Thursday - from 10:00 to 23:30;
• on Saturday - from 09:00 to 24:00;
• on Sunday - from 09:00 to 23:30.

Rules

Smoking is prohibited in tents and beer gardens. There are special zones, balconies, corridors for smokers.

Entrance to the territory of the festival with luggage exceeding the dimensions of 10×15×20 cm is limited. You can leave the "excess" in the storage rooms.

On the territory of the Oktoberfest it is forbidden to ride bicycles and scooters, ride boards and skates, and bring animals.

Bringing food and drinks into the tents is not allowed.

(München Hbf) - on S1-S4 and S6-S8;

Bus routes will deliver to stops:

• No. 63 - to "Heimeranplatz";
• No. 62 - to "Hans-Fischer-Straße" and "Poccistraße";
• No. 53 and 153 - to "Schwanthalerhöhe";
• No. 58 and 68 - to "Georg-Hirth-Platz";
• No. 134 - to "Alter Messeplatz", "Schwanthalerhöhe" or "Theresienhöhe".

From tram lines 18 and 19, get off at the Holzapfelstraße or Hermann-Lingg-Straße stops, and on tram lines 16 and 17, get off at the Hackerbrücke stop.

From other cities, you can take the train to Munich Main Station (München Hbf). It is located 15 minutes walk to Teresa Meadow. Intercity buses stop at the Central Bus Station of the Bavarian capital. It is 800 meters from the beer festival site.

In 2010 Oktoberfest celebrated its 200th anniversary. See photo report from the anniversary festival.