Oktoberfest Munich 2024

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…

oktoberfest munichA flower seller at the Munich Oktoberfest. Picture: Pierre Lewandowski

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 about six million visitors a year to southern Germany.
The action takes place on Munich’s fairgrounds, (officially called the Theresienwiese, informally, d'Wiesn), south-west of the city’s Main Train Station.

oktoberfest munich tentInside one of the famous beer tents at the Oktoberfest in Munich. Picture: Tommy Loesch

When is Oktoberfest in Germany in 2024?

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

The dates for Munich Oktoberfest 2024 are Saturay, September 21 to Sunday, October 6.
There’s often a mad rush to find a seat before the beer starts flowing at 10am (9am on weekends).
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.

oktoberfest-2016-munich-girlsFour 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 about €14.50, 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).

oktoberfest-table-peopleSpirits 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.

Oktoberfest Munich phrases...

May I sit here? - Darf ich mich zu dir setzen? (Darf ik mik zoo dear set-zen?)
One beer, please! - Eine Maß, bitte! (Eyne mass, bit-tey!)
Cheers! - Prost! (Prawst!)
Your eyes are as pretty as a meadow full of tulips. - Deine Augen sind so schön wie eine Tulpenwiese . (Dine-ny ow-gen sind so schern vee eyne tul-pen-vee-say)
Let’s go back to my tent for a coffee! - Gehen wir mal zu meinem Zelt für einen Kaffee! (Gay-en veer mal zoo mine-em zelt fair eyn-en kaf-ey!)
I need to chuck up. - Ich muss kotzen. (Ik moose kot-zen)
• I have a killer hangover. - Ich habe so einen Katter. (Ik hab-ey so eyn-en kat-er)

A few more Oktoberfest Munich pictures...

munich-oktoberfest-2015-girls-kissingLooking good: Cute Oktoberfest girls in Dirndls pose for the camera at the Munich festival. Pic: © AFP

Do you like this site? Get the guidebook!

Destination-munich-ebookDestination Munich and Bavaria is the best, most up-to-date and entertaining travel guide to the region - guaranteed.
It gives you full-colour maps, practical information and top tips on how to get the most out of your visit.
It's 227 pages of up-to-the-minute travel intelligence and it can be yours as an eBook for less than the price of an Oktoberfest beer. (read on)

Pass it onshare-me

Share this page:

Or follow us on Facebook:

Oktoberfest information, photos and stories

Note: This is an index of all the Munich Oktoberfest stories on the site, for an overview of the fest, scroll to the top of this page or click here.

New stories

oktoberfest-shoe-smallAdidas has made an Oktoberfest shoe and it repels beer and spew

Oktoberfest trivia 12 things you probably didn't know about the beer fest.

▪ He can hold his drink! You won't believe how many beers this Oktoberfest waiter carried when he set the new record

Oktoberfest quiz Test your knowledge of the world's biggest party with these 10 questions.

oktoberfest-tent-empty▪ This is what the Oktoberfest tents look like when they're empty and waiting for you

Oktoberfest picture galleries

oktoberfest-munich Preview Page 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Oktoberfest pictures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Oktoberfest tips and tales

Oktoberfest beds - Find your bed before they're all sold out - again!

The Old Oktoberfest (Oide Wiesn) - This is a special area at the southern end of the Oktoberfest grounds.

Oktoberfest deals and tours - Book a tour of the Oktoberfest and a table in one of the tents. But be quick! These deals always sells out!

Oktoberfest mistakes - Don't do these eight things!

oktoberfest-tent-guide-thumb Oktoberfest tent guide - Destination Munich's two-page guide to Oktoberfest beer tents.
You'll also find out how to reserve a table at the world's biggest party.
See the first page here or go to Oktoberfest tent guide page 2.

What to wear to Oktoberfest

dirndl German Dirndl - All about that most wonderful traditional dress, the Dirndl.
(extra photo page at Oktoberfest Dirndl photos).

Traditional German lederhosen - An exploration of leather pants.
(More photos at Bavarian lederhosen photos).

The Münchner Kindl - What's this girl got to do with the beer fest?

Munich Oktoberfest A - Z - A tip for every letter of the alphabet.

Your Oktoberfest stories - Got a story about a visit to the Munich Oktoberfest? Or have you been to a similar festival elsewhere in the world? Tell us about it!
Go here to contribute and check out other readers' tipsy tales.

Oktoberfest history - Get the backstory on the world's biggest bash.

What's on and when to go

oktoberfest-barometer-mini Oktoberfest barometer - When's it gonna be busy at the Munich Oktoberfest in 2024? Find out here and you'll inmprove your chances of getting a table in the beer tents.

Oktoberfest parades - Take a walk on the wild side. Lots of info about all the parades at the party.

Oktoberfest dates - A temporal guide to the Oktoberfest with info about special events and what's going on when at the fest.

Slur along

Oktoberfest songs - My new site focussing on the music of Oktoberfest! With videos, background info, lyrics in German and English translations. There's also an extensive collection of Oktoberfest songs in English.

Good to know - essential festival info

Oktoberfest Map - Don't get lost! - A map of the Munich grounds for you to download as a PDF.

Oktoberfest lost and found - Angel wings, wedding rings and other strange things.

Oktoberfest numbers - Who ya gonna call? Important numbers for the Oktoberfest.

Beyond the Munich Oktoberfest

oktoberfest-recipies-mini Oktoberfest recipes - Recreate the taste of Oktoberfest food with these great recipes.

Oktoberfest clipart Need Oktoberfest clip art? Here's the best place to look.

Oktoberfest parties around the world - It's not just in Munich, ya'know! A guide to Oktoberfest celebrations around the world.
Included so far are: Oktoberfest Kitchener - Waterloo, Tempe Oktoberfest, Minster Oktoberfest, Big Bear Oktoberfest, Hickory Oktoberfest.

Horse on the menu at the Munich Oktoberfest

Smoking at Oktoberfest

Swine flu at Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest archives Where the older stories are shelved.