Every year, millions of people gather in Munich for a few weeks to celebrate the Oktoberfest. In the following article, we propose you to discover all there is to know about this celebration, what it corresponds to and why it is so special to the Bavarians.
What is Oktoberfest?
Oktoberfest is a festival that takes place in Munich every year. It usually lasts two weeks and starts in mid-September and ends on the first Sunday in October. The first edition took place on October 12, 1810. The festival ended five days later at the Theresienwiese with a hair race.
A few years later, during the 20th century, the festival turned into an agricultural fair before breweries and small restaurants were established.
Today, the mayor of Munich opens the festival by tapping the first keg. The Oktoberfest attracts more than six million people each year, many of them tourists.
Today, men and women wear traditional Bavarian clothing. The women wear the Dirndl. It is a colored dress on a white background. The men wear the Lederhosen. It is a kind of pants / shorts with suspenders, with a white shirt.
When is the Oktoberfest in Munich?
In 2021, the Oktoberfest was supposed to take place from September 18 to October 3. It was finally cancelled due to health reasons. In 2022, it took place between September 17 and October 3.
In 2023, if all goes well, the Oktoberfest will again take place between September 17 and October 3. Usually, the celebrations end on the first Sunday of October but can last a few hours longer (until the first Monday) before everything is over.
What is the budget for the Oktoberfest?
The budget for your stay at the Oktoberfest depends mostly on what you are willing to eat and especially, drink. The good news is that admission to the Oktoberfest is and always has been 100% free. Regarding the price of drinks, a liter of beer is about 12 euros. Non-alcoholic drinks cost a little less.
What do you eat at the Oktoberfest?
In one of your tents in Munich, you will have the opportunity to drink good beer, of course, but also to eat very well. You can order many different types of food, such as
- Grilled chicken
- Schweinbraten (grilled pork)
- Schweinshaxe
- Steckerlfisch (fish grilled on a spit)
- Würstl (sausages)
- Pretzels
- Knödel (dumplings, potatoes)
- Käsespätzle (cheese pasta)
In other words, you will certainly drink well but also eat well.
Where to sleep in Munich?
Are you planning to attend the Oktoberfest? We recommend that you book a hotel room to make sure that you sleep in a healthy place after a long evening. For this, we invite you to discover our selection of the 10 best hotels in Munich. The ideal way to prepare your stay in Bavaria.