Oktoberfest times and calendar

OKTOBERFEST TIMES AND CALENDAR: When am I allowed into the Oktoberfest tents? Is there anything special afoot on the days I’m going?

On what days can I see people in funny costumes and cannon shooting?
Patience, young grasshopper, here you’ll find what you seek. It's the temporal guide to the 2011 Oktoberfest.

What time does Oktoberfest open and close?

DRINKY, DRINKY: An
Austrian girl I met one
year at the fest.

During the week the beer tents open at 10am and on weekends and public holidays at 9am.

The tents close at 11.30pm, with the last drinks served at 10.30pm. Käfer's Wiesnschänke und das Weinzelt are the exceptions, they stay open until 1am with last drinks called at 12.15am.







Oktoberfest day by day guide

Opening parade

The traditional prelude to the fest is the parade of carneys and beer-wenches officially called the Grand entry of the Oktoberfest Landlords and Breweries (Einzug der Festwirte).
This is when the festival’s workers, tent host families and the lord mayor rock up to kick things off.
Date: 17 September, Saturday
Time: 10.45am to 11.45am

Let there be beer!

Following the parade comes the Anstich, when Munich's lord mayor beats a tap into the first wooden keg of Oktoberfest beer. It's done in the Schottenhamel tent.
When the tap is in position (usually after two or three good wacks) the mayor shouts out "O'zapft is!" (It’s tapped!). There's no beer served anywhere on the Wiesn until this happens. Then there’s a 12-gun salute and the party's on for young and old.
Date: 17 September, Saturday
Time: 12pm

All dressed up...

The Costume und Riflemen's Procession (Trachten- und Schützenumzug) winds its way through the streets of Munich’s Old Town to the Wiesn. Over 7,000 people march in costumes that span Central Europe and go back to the Middle Ages.
Worth a look, but watch out for the big piles of poo-poo the horses leave all over the road.
Date: 18 September, Sunday
Time: 10am to 12.30pm

A gay old time

Munich gay group the Münchner Löwen Club (Munich Lions’ Club) reserves the back of the Bräurosl Festzelt tent for their Gay Sunday event.
Date: 18 September, Sunday
Time: 12pm

GAY OKTOBERFEST: Two guys kissing in Munich at Oktoberfest time. ©DDP

Familientag (Family Day)

This is the first of two supposedly more family friendly days at the Wiesn, with reduced prices on rides and food from 12pm to 6pm.
Date: 20 September, Tuesday

Let us praise this mug of beer

The Oktoberfest service (Oktoberfest- und Gedenksgottesdienst). The Oktoberfest has hosted a token religious service for its travelling showfolk and workers for the past 50 years. It takes place in the Hippodrom, ironically one of the more sinful tents on the Wiesn. The general public is, of course, welcome.
Date: 22 September, Thursday
Time: 10am

They come, they see, they conquer

DALL'ITALIA: A couple of Italian
lads I met one year at
the Oktoberfest. I drew
them very fundamental map
of Munich's highlights.

This marks the beginning of the unofficial "Italian Weekend", three days of rampant south-of-the-border shenanigans when the Latin hoards stream north to the city they call "Monaco di Baviera".

Despite a rowdy/grabby reputation, they’re mostly harmless, friendly and make great drinking buddies. Viva Italia!
Date: 23 September, Friday

Musicians do it outside

About 400 musicians blow out their spit-valves and symphonize their strings in preparation for an outdoor concert on the steps of the big, bronze Bavaria Statue. If the weather is declared Sheiße, it’ll be put off until October 4.
Date: 25 September, Sunday
Time: 11am

Gay Day

A gay and lesbian gathering takes place in the Fischer-Vroni tent in the name of "Rosa Montag".
Date: 26 September, Monday
Time: 6pm

Familientag (Family Day)

The second of two supposedly more family friendly days at the Wiesn, with reduced prices on rides and food from 12pm to 6pm.
Date: 27 September , Tuesday

Final day!

Oktoberfest will run a day longer this year, finishing on Monday instead of the usual Sunday. It's thanks to the (Tag der deutschen Einheit) Day of German Unity, which is a public holiday.
Organisers promise it’ll be easier than normal to get seated in the beer tents as most of them aren’t taking reservations for this day.

THAT SAYS IT ALL: "Aus is!" - the traditional Oktoberfest closing
proclamation, written on a lady’s cleavage on the final day of the festival. ©DPA

The last day of Oktoberfest is marked by the Böllerschießen event around the steps of Bavaria Statue at 12pm.

It invloves dozens of old lederhosen lads shooting hand cannons and ancient rifles, an address by the lord mayor and more gussied up brass musicians than you can poke a stick at.

In the dying moments of the festival the tents go dark and everyone lights up sparklers, magic! Then the fest winds up for another year at 11.30pm. Aus is!
Date: 3 October, Monday

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