September is here and you know what that means, it is Oktoberfest time.  The original Oktoberfest is held in Munch Germany in September. This year the dates are September 18- October 4. A quick check of Travelocity shows there are still some vacation packages available. Be advised that hotel prices vary widely according to which days you will be visiting Oktoberfest.

You may be wondering why the majority of Oktoberfest is held in September. There are a couple of reasons the first being the weather. The evening temperatures in September are more conducive to strolling and just generally enjoying an outing. By the middle of October, the temperatures in Munich can be a bit chilly.

The second reason is tradition. It was originally a wedding reception for the Crown Prince Ludwig and his bride. So the reception festivities have continued on fairly regularly since 1810. The date has changed just a bit during the centuries (this is actually the bicentennial). The festival always starts in September and ends around the first weekend in October usually on a Sunday, but this year on a Monday. Interestingly, the locals never call the festival Oktoberfest but rather refer to the festival as the Wiesn.

Oktoberfest activities go on for the entire event. Hotel prices are higher on the weekends of course, so why not take advantage of the lower week day prices. It is a great time to check out the surrounding area or even slip over the border into another country for the busy weekends.

Public transportation is the best way to get to Oktoberfest from Munich and the surrounding area. The crowds are huge, there are several other events happening during Oktoberfest and parking is absolutely crazy. Of course, there is the issue of drinking all that great beer while visiting Oktoberfest. Let someone else deal with the crowds, take the train, use a taxi or the MVV.

While the beer is certainly one of the main draws of the festival, there are family events too for the non-drinkers. Oktoberfest is also a harvest festival and a time to eat great food. Wonderfully decorated gingerbreads, hot pretzels straight from the oven, schnitzel, fish on sticks, and of course bratwurst are just few items on the menu.

Kids of all ages will enjoy the carnival complete with roller coasters, Ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds, slides, everything needed for a fun day at Oktoberfest for families. So there is something for everyone at Oktoberfest.

There are a few things to remember if this is your first Oktoberfest. Beer is served in 1 liter mugs and this year cost about 8.5 euros. A liter is a substantial amount of beer, pacing is everything.

Second, if you don’t have a seat in one of the beer tents, you will not be served. Make a reservation as soon as possible. The tents are huge, but they fill up very fast. Last year about 6 million liters of beer were consumed at the festival.

Finally, have a great time. Enjoy the food, drink, people and atmosphere. This is, after all, a wedding celebration. A good time should be had by all.

Share on Facebook

Related Posts