Your Ultimate Guide to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany 2024

Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer festival, attracts millions of visitors to Munich, Germany, each year. Steeped in rich tradition and cultural significance, this 16- to 18-day extravaganza is a must-visit for beer enthusiasts, cultural explorers, and anyone seeking a vibrant and joyous celebration. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the history of Oktoberfest, explore the traditional outfits worn, guide you on reserving tables and navigating the beer tents, and provide a detailed overview of everything to see, do, and eat at this iconic event.

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History of Oktoberfest

The roots of Oktoberfest dates back to October 12, 1810, when Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich were invited to celebrate the royal union, and the festivities were held on the fields in front of the city gates.

These fields were later named Theresienwiese (“Theresa’s Fields”) in honor of the princess. Over time, the event evolved into an annual tradition, expanding to include agricultural fairs, horse races, and the famous beer tents.

Today, Oktoberfest is a global phenomenon, attracting visitors from all corners of the world. Munich becomes a lively hub of culture, camaraderie, and, of course, beer!

When, Where, & How to Get There

The festival begins in late September and continues into the first weekend of October, with an extra day added in some years.

The 189th Oktoberfest will take place September 21 to October 6, 2024.

Entrance onto the festival grounds are free for everyone. If you plan on visiting “Oide Wiesn,” you will need a ticket that costs €4.00.

Hours for the tents and food include 10:00 am until 11:30 pm Monday through Friday, and on weekends, the beer starts flowing at 9:00 am and stops 11:30 pm.

Personally, I think the best time to arrive is when they first open to see as much as you can without the crowds, and also get a seat in a tent or two before reservations start arriving.

Oktoberfest takes place in Munich, Germany at Theresienwiese, a bit west of the city center. The grounds are fairly easy to get to via public transportation throughout the city.

If you’re visiting from out of the country, you can fly into Munich International Airport. Public transportation will be your best friend when traveling around the city. We stayed a little south of the city center and used the metro to get around easily.

What to Wear?

Participating in the Oktoberfest experience isn’t just about the beer; it’s also an opportunity to immerse yourself in Bavarian culture by donning traditional attire. For men, this often means the iconic lederhosen, a pair of short leather pants with suspenders.

Women typically wear dirndls, which consist of a blouse, bodice, and full skirt. Both outfits often feature elaborate embroidery and come in a variety of colors and styles.

If you’re considering purchasing or renting traditional attire, Munich offers numerous shops specializing in authentic lederhosen and dirndls, some more expensive than others. I recommend trying on before purchasing because the sizes are quite different for each dirndl.

Although some people have bought their outfits from Amazon, please do not show up in tacky costumes that are not even close to dirndls or lederhosen.

For my dirndl, I paid about €220.00 from a local shop in Germany. My husband purchased his from amazon that came with the entire outfit of shirt, shorts, socks, and shoes, and we were really happy with the purchase.

Reserving Tables & Navigating Beer Tents

Oktoberfest can be overwhelming due to its sheer size and popularity. To ensure you have a memorable experience, it’s crucial to plan ahead, especially when it comes to securing a table in the bustling beer tents. Many tents operate on a first-come, first-served basis until reservations start, so arriving early is key.

For those who prefer a more structured approach, the tents allow table reservations. This option is especially recommended for larger groups. Reservations do require a fee, but the peace of mind and guaranteed seating amid the festivities are well worth it. On top of that, you usually get two beers and a half chicken with your reservation!

Reservations portal opens from February until April for the first round to put your request in. In August, any unaccepted reservations will be released again. Finally, in September, table reservations can be exchanged or sold without surcharge.

Each beer tent has its own unique atmosphere and theme, ranging from traditional Bavarian music to contemporary hits. Explore a variety of tents to fully appreciate the diverse experiences each one offers. Some popular tents include the Hofbräu-Festzelt, the Augustiner-Festhalle, and the Schottenhamel tent.

Food & Drink, and Of Course Beer!

Let’s start off this section talking about the beer, because that’s usually what people come to Oktoberfest for. Each tent will offer quite a few different options of beer.

One option is to order a Radler, which is half sparkling lemonade and half beer. In 2023, the average cost of a liter of beer was between €13.00 and €15.00. The year prior was about a euro less. The 2024 prices average about €15.00 in the big tents.

If you’re not really a beer drinker, don’t worry, as there is also a few wine tents located at Oktoberfest, which we did stop at one and I had a delicious wine schorle (wine mixed with sparkling water).

For the sober friends, they offer plenty of alcohol free beer at Oktoberfest, sparking lemonade, and of course soft drinks and water.

Beyond the beer, Oktoberfest is a food lover’s paradise. Indulge in classic Bavarian dishes like pretzels, sausages, schnitzel, and sauerkraut. Don’t miss out on the delectable sweets, including crepes, apple strudel, and gingerbread hearts adorned with festive messages.

No matter what festival I visit in Germany, you will always see me getting a cheesy brat sandwich.

If you’re seated in any of the beer tents, you can order quite a large plate of whatever they’re selling inside. They also offer salads, soups, pastries, and side dishes.

A plate in the tents will cost you anywhere from €15.00 to €50.00 depending on the tent, food choice, and any other add ons. Some tents will even offer a lunch special during the week.

If you’re looking for a quick bite in between the tents and drinking, there are plenty of food stalls as well located around the grounds.

One piece of information to note while ordering certain food and drinks at any of these food stands outside the tents is when they give you a token. Last year, they gave a token when you ordered any plastic bottled drink or any food on any glassware. If you return the bottle or glassware, with the token, you can get one euro back.

Everything That’s Offered

While beer is undoubtedly the focal point of Oktoberfest, this whole event offers a plethora of activities beyond the beer tents.

From amusement rides and games to traditional parades and cultural events, there’s something for everyone. Take a stroll through the festival grounds and immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere.

The Traditional Parades

Witness the colorful processions that wind through the streets of Munich, showcasing traditional Bavarian costumes, music, and folklore. The Oktoberfest parades, held on the first weekend of the festival, is a highlight, featuring horse-drawn beer wagons, marching bands, and dance groups.

The parade of the Oktoberfest Landlords and Breweries happens on the first Saturday at 10:45 am, where the beer tent owners take the beer to the Theresienwiese. And then on Sunday, starting at 10:00 am, is the Traditional Costume and Hunters parade.

The parade of the Oktoberfest Landlords and Breweries parade route starts in Josephspitalstraße behind Sendlinger Tor, moves on to Sonnenstraße and turns left into Schwanthaler Straße. From there, the route goes straight onto the Bavariaring, then onto Wirtsbudenstraße and into the respective marquees.

This parade can be seen from the road with specific grand stand seating available, which you can reserve your tickets here. Ticket prices start at €24.50 for adults and €12.50 for children and disabled.

The Trachten- und Schützenzug, or the Traditional Costume and Hunters parade, started in 1950 and has more than 9,000 participants each year. Like the first parade, there are grandstand seating options and views from the road.

Ticket prices start at €36.00 for adults and €17.50 for children and disabled. You can purchase tickets here for the Traditional Costume and Hunters parade. There are quite a bit more options for viewing areas for this parade.

For both parades, it is advised to arrive early for the best views and to beat the crowds. And also keep in mind you cannot drive near the parade route, as well as there will be no parking in this area.

Other Events During Oktoberfest

On the second Sunday of Oktoberfest, is the Oktoberfest Landlords’ Concert held in front the Bavaria statue. All the bands from the festival tents play together for a concert. The concert starts at 11:00 am with about 300 musicians.

For the finale, you will witness thousands of colorful balloons released into the sky, while the bands play the Bavarian anthem.

On the finale day of Oktoberfest, the festival ends with the traditional gun salutes at the Bavaria statue. Starting at noon, around 60 male and female gunners fire salute with black powder (not bullets) causing white smoke. Accompanied with this event is music playing by a brass band ending with the Bavarian anthem.

Amusement Rides & Games

The Oktoberfest fairgrounds feature a variety of exhilarating rides, from the towering Ferris wheel to heart-pounding roller coasters. The rides provide a thrilling contrast to the more relaxed atmosphere inside the beer tents. Oktoberfest offers more than 25 rides scattered throughout the festival grounds.

Rides cost anywhere from €4.00 to €20.00 depending on how wild the ride is. The large Ferris wheel is around €10.00 for an adult in 2023. I did see quite a few games to play throughout the festival grounds as well.

Family Days

There are two official family days during the season that take place on the two Tuesdays when it’s opened. Family days last until 7:00 pm with reduced prices in the tents and menu deals for the children.

Many of the rides and stalls also offer reduced prices as well for families. There will be signs throughout the Oktoberfest grounds that say either “Familientag” or “Kindertag”.

Keep in mind that on Saturdays, public holidays, and all other days after 6:00 pm that strollers and buggies are not permitted.

Tips for Visiting

After going through this whole guide, here are some tips to consider while planning your trip to make this a safe and memorable experience.

Cash or Card?

The majority of Oktoberfest is cash only, especially all food and drink. We did notice some of the stands that were selling Oktoberfest souvenirs took card though.

We took €200.00 for both my husband and I, and it was a perfect amount. Additionally, we also knew we weren’t planning on drinking much, so we had enough for food and souvenirs as well.

If you need to get more euro out, make sure to find a reputable ATM outside of the fair grounds. Usually ATMs attached to banks are the best, with a smaller fee. Never use Euronet ATMs as they can be a scam.

Bringing a Bag

This is one important tip to consider! They are extremely strict on your bag sizes and will stop you upon entering to check your bag. I honestly thought my smaller (ish?) book bag I take everywhere would be perfect and not too big. Sadly, it wasn’t, and I had to check it.

The cost to check your bag was €3.00 to €10.00 depending on the size. You receive a ticket to keep until you’re ready to pick your bag up. They were really nice and let me return back to grab a few things after I already checked it. The only people I saw that had bigger bags inside were mothers with small children.

The maximum holding capacity is three litres with maximum dimensions of 20 cm x 15 cm x 10 cm to carry your bag inside the grounds. If you’re just taking the essentials of your card/cash and phone, this crossbody bag would be perfect. If you need something a little bigger, then this slightly bigger crossbody bag fits the dimensions as well.

Fort the men, a small belt bag that can be kept underneath the lederhosen to hold all the money essentials and a phone is the perfect small bag to keep everything safe.

What to Bring & Not Bring

The essentials to bring should at least be enough cash to get a few drinks and food, your phone, and if you choose to bring a camera. I also recommend some tissues in case the bathrooms run out of toilet paper.

If you take a lot of pictures and videos on your phone, a battery pack is essential to keeping your battery charged for safety as well for later in the day and night.

I also always bring a little handheld fan whenever we go somewhere that’s still pretty warm, and this handheld fan has been to multiple countries with me. It even has a small charging port as well if you didn’t pack a battery pack separate.

Items that are forbidden include aerosol spray cans with dangerous ingredients, anything that can be used as a weapon, or any glass bottles. Bicycles, scooters, and skateboards are also not allowed on the festival grounds.

Safety

Oktoberfest has a zero tolerance policy for harassment and more. Since 2003, they have a successful campaign of “Safe Oktoberfest for girls and women.” For any female who does not feel safe, in any type of emergency, disoriented, or threatened can get help at the local Safe Space. Staff, as well as the police and district administration provide support to all victims.

If your phone battery dies and you lost your friend, they also provide a charging station to recharge your phone. Safe Space is located in the Service Center. They’re open daily 6:00 pm until 1:00 am and on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays starting at 3:00 pm.

If you ever feel unsafe in a tent or anywhere on the grounds, immediately find a security guard and those people will be removed quickly.

German Lingo

Here are some common words or phrases to help get you through visiting your first Oktoberfest!

• Zelt (plural Zelte) – tent; what the beer halls/tents are called
• Mass (Maß) – It’s a liter of beer, the typical glass at Oktoberfest
• Wiesn – How locals refer to Oktoberfest
• Biergarten – Beer Garden/Outdoor seating area of the Zelte

Oktoberfest in Munich is more than just a beer festival; it’s a celebration of tradition, culture, and camaraderie. Whether you’re sipping on a stein of beer in a lively tent, donning traditional Bavarian attire, or savoring the diverse culinary delights, the experience is sure to leave an indelible mark.

By understanding the history of Oktoberfest, embracing the festive fashion, securing your spot in the beer tents, and exploring everything the festival has to offer, you’ll create memories that will last a lifetime. So, don your lederhosen or dirndl, raise your stein high, and immerse yourself in the unparalleled joy of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. Prost!