Oktoberfest Munich

The Munich Oktoberfest for beginners. Come join the party!

You race a mob of lads in leather shorts to find a seat in the packed, wooden tent.
A barmaid whams down an enormous glass of beer. You drink to the cry of Prost! and get ready to do it again.
Then you stroll outside and jump on the roller-coaster. You’re pushed, pulled, stretched and slammed and decide this would have been a better idea before the beer!
Feeling hungry now? Nothing a plate of pork knuckles wouldn’t fix. Easy to fill your belly here, if you’ve got the coin for it.
The sun goes down and you head back inside.
You start swinging your drink and singing along to the sound of oom-pah music.
Soon you’re dancing on the benches with a dozen friendly locals…

A flower seller at the Munich Oktoberfest. Picture: Pierre Lewandowski

Your hub for all things Oktoberfest

How it started

Munich’s Oktoberfest originated in 1810 as a horse race to celebrate a royal wedding. But everyone apparently enjoyed the drinking a lot more, and had such a great time they decided to do it all again the following year.
The horse race is now part of history but the beer certainly isn’t and neither are those willing to drink it. Oktoberfest (with a k, not Octoberfest) is officially the world’s biggest party, drawing six to seven million visitors a year to southern Germany (a record 7.4 million in 2026).
The action takes place on Munich’s fairgrounds, (officially called the Theresienwiese, informally, d'Wiesn), south-west of the city’s Main Train Station.

Inside one of the famous beer tents at the Oktoberfest in Munich. Picture: Tommy Loesch

When is Oktoberfest in Germany in 2027?

A cheerful Oktoberfest waitress lugs a table's worth of beer to a grateful public. Picture: B. Roemmelt

The dates for Munich Oktoberfest 2027 are Saturday, September 18 to Sunday, October 3.
There’s often a mad rush to find a seat when the tents open at 10am (9am on weekends). On the opening Saturday nobody gets a beer until the mayor taps the first keg at midday.
There’s a costume parade on the first Sunday. Weekdays are much quieter than weekends, especially around lunchtime.

Which tent to pick
Most of the drinking is done in the 17 big beer "tents" - actually big wooden halls. You can reserve tables through www.oktoberfest.de but most sell out months in advance.
The festivities officially start in the Schottenhamel tent and often reach their rowdiest in the Hacker (Heaven of Bavaria).
The Marstall tent is the first one you see as you walk through the main gates.
The Hofbräu tent is famed for pulling far more tourists than locals, the Augustiner might be the best for Bavarian authenticity and the Löwenbräu tends to fill up later than some of the others.

Four of these five girls are wearing "Dirndl" themed T-shirts. Perhaps not the genuine article but still quite nice! Pic: uLe @ Dortmund

Where to stay

Munich’s Thalkirchen Camping Ground could be the cheapest place to stay with tents available for just a few euros. There’s a small supermarket on site, regular buses to the Wiesen and a 24-hour party ambience during Oktoberfest. It’s at Zentralländstr. 49, Munich.
A handful of good hostels sit just south of the main train station, about a 15 minute stagger back from the Wiesn. Check out Jaeger’s www.jaegershotel.de for its friendly bar or the top-rated Wombat’s www.wombats-hostels.com. Both are in Senefelder Strasse.

What to wear to Oktoberfest

Practically anything goes, but for an extra layer of fun consider kitting out like a local. For guys, a pair of Lederhosen leather shorts start from €120. For gals, a traditional Dirndl dress cost upwards of about €100.
Tip: When worn correctly Dirndls also reveal the wearers’ availability. Look just above the apron: If there’s a bow on the right she’s taken.
A bow on the left means she’s still to be had, and a bow bang on the front marks a virgin.

What to eat and drink

Beer! The amber fluid is served exclusively in one litre glass mugs, called Maß (mass) that cost close to €16 these days, and you also add a tip.
The beer is slowly brewed through the summer and packs a six per cent alcoholic punch. For a change, try the beery-lemonade mixture called Radler, or head out to the wine tent.
Food is everywhere at Oktoberfest Munich. Popular picks are grilled chicken (Hendl), pork knuckles (Schweinshaxe) and giant pretzels (Breze).
The huge hearts half the girls hang around their necks are made of gingerbread. For the daring there’s the Ox (Osche).

Spirits up: A group of friends in Bavarian costume at the famous German beerfest. Pic: Mike-Campbell

What to say - Oktoberfest Munich essential phrases

To help you along, I’ve compiled a list of essential phrases every visitor should consider learning for the Oktoberfest.
If anybody can report using the one about the meadow full of cows successfully, I’ll happily buy them a Maß.

A few more Oktoberfest Munich pictures...

Looking good: Cute Oktoberfest girls in Dirndls pose for the camera at the Munich festival. Pic: © AFP

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