Oktoberfest
Encyclopedia
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival
held annually in Munich
, Bavaria
, Germany
, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair
, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavaria
n culture, having been held since 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations
, modeled after the Munich event.
The Munich Oktoberfest originally took place during the sixteen days up to and including the first Sunday in October. In 1994, the schedule was modified in response to German reunification
so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the festival would go on until October 3 (German Unity Day
). Thus, the festival is now 17 days when the first Sunday is October 2 and 18 days when it is October 1. In 2010, the festival lasted until the first Monday in October, to mark the 200-year anniversary of the event. The festival is held in an area named the Theresienwiese
(field, or meadow, of Therese), often called Wiesn for short, located near Munich's center.
Only beer which is brewed within the city limits of Munich is allowed to be served in this festival. Upon passing this criterion, a beer is designated Oktoberfest Beer.
Oktoberfest Beer is a registered Trademark by the Club of Munich Brewers. Large quantities of German beer are consumed, with almost 7 million liters served during the 16 day festival in 2007. Visitors may also enjoy a wide variety of traditional food such as Hendl
(chicken
), Schweinebraten (roast pork
), Schweinshaxe
(grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Würstl (sausages) along with Brezn (Pretzel
), Knödel
(potato or bread dumplings), Kasspatzn (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes
), Sauerkraut
or Rotkohl/Blaukraut (red cabbage
) along with such Bavarian delicacies as Obatzda
(a spiced cheese-butter spread) and Weisswurst (a white sausage).
, was married to Princess Therese of Bavaria on October 12,1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. The fields have been named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's meadow") in honor of the Crown Princess ever since, although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the "Wies'n".
Horse races in the presence of the Royal Family marked the close of the event that was celebrated as a festival for the whole of Bavaria. The decision to repeat the horse races in the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest.
"The festival was eventually prolonged and moved ahead to September to allow for better weather conditions. Today, the last day of the festival is the first Sunday in October. In 2006, the Oktoberfest extended two extra days because the first Tuesday, October 3, was a national holiday. Over the past 200 years, Oktoberfest was canceled 24 times due to cholera
epidemics and war."
. The horse race persisted until 1960, the agricultural show still exists and is held every four years on the southern part of the festival grounds. In 1816, carnival booths appeared; the main prizes were silver
, porcelain
, and jewelry. The founding citizens of Munich assumed responsibility for festival management in 1819, and it was decided to make the Oktoberfest an annual event. Later, it was lengthened and the date pushed forward, because days are longer and warmer at the end of September.
To honour the marriage of Prince Ludwig
and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen
, a parade took place for the first time in 1810. Since 1850, this has become an annual event and an important component of the Oktoberfest. Eight thousand people—mostly from Bavaria—in traditional costumes walk from Maximilian Street through the centre of Munich to the Oktoberfest grounds. The march is led by the Münchner Kindl
.
Since 1850, the statue of Bavaria
has watched the Oktoberfest. This worldly Bavarian patron
was first sketched by Leo von Klenze
in a classic style and Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler
romanticised and "Germanised
" the draft. The statue was constructed by Johann Baptist Stiglmaier and Ferdinand von Miller
.
In 1853, the Bavarian Ruhmeshalle was completed. In 1854, the festival was cancelled after 3,000 residents of Munich died during a cholera
epidemic. There was no Oktoberfest in 1866 because Bavaria was involved in the Austro-Prussian War
. In 1870, the Franco-Prussian War
forced the cancellation of the festival. In 1873, the festival was cancelled due to another cholera epidemic. In 1880, the electric light illuminated more than 400 booths and tents. In 1881, booths selling bratwurst
opened. Beer was first served in glass mugs in 1892.
At the end of the 19th century, a re-organization took place. Until then, there were games of skittles
, large dance floors, and trees for climbing in the beer booths. Organizers wanted more room for guests and musicians. The booths became beer halls.
In 1887, the Entry of the Oktoberfest Staff and Breweries took place for the first time. This event showcases the splendidly decorated horse teams of the breweries and the bands that play in the festival tents. This event always takes place on the first Saturday of the Oktoberfest and serves as the official prelude to the Oktoberfest celebration
In 1910, Oktoberfest celebrated its 100th anniversary. Some 120,000 litres of beer were poured. In 1913, the Bräurosl was founded, which was the largest Oktoberfest beer tent ever, with room for about 12,000 people.
prevented the celebration of Oktoberfest. In 1919 and 1920, the two years after the war, Munich celebrated only an "Autumn Fest." In 1923 and 1924, the Oktoberfest was not held due to inflation.
In 1933, the Bavarian white and blue flag was replaced with the swastika flag. During World War II
,, from 1939 to 1945, no Oktoberfest took place. Following the war, from 1946 to 1948, Munich celebrated only the "Autumn Fest." The sale of proper Oktoberfest beer—2% stronger in alcohol than normal beer—was not permitted; guests could only drink normal beer.
Since its beginnings the Oktoberfest has been canceled 24 times due to war, disease and other crises.
Since 1950, there has been a traditional festival opening: A twelve gun salute and the tapping of the first keg of Oktoberfest beer at 12:00 by the incumbent Mayor of Munich with the cry "O' zapft is!" ("It's tapped!" in the Austro-Bavarian language) opens the Oktoberfest. The Mayor then gives the first beer to the Minister-President of the State of Bavaria. The first mayor to tap the keg was Thomas Wimmer.
Horse races ended in 1960.
By 1960, the Oktoberfest had turned into an enormous world-famous festival. Since then, foreigners began to picture Germans as wearing the Sennerhut, Lederhosen
, and the girls in Dirndl
.
Traditional visitors wear during the Oktoberfest Bavarian hats (Tirolerhüte), which contain a tuft of goat hair. In Germany, goat hair is highly valued and prized, making it one of the most expensive objects for sale. The more tufts of goat hair on your hat, the wealthier you are considered to be. Technology helping, this tradition ended with the appearance of cheap goat hair imitations on the market.
There are many problems every year with young people who overestimate their ability to handle large amounts of alcohol. Many forget that Oktoberfest beer has 5.8 to 6.3% alcohol and high sugar content (compared to an average of 5.2% of alcohol and low sugar content in German beer), and they pass out due to drunkenness
. These drunk patrons are often called "Bierleichen" (German for "beer corpses").
For them as well as for the general medical treatment of visitors the Bavarian branch of German Red Cross
operates an aid facility and provides emergency medical care on the festival grounds, staffed with around 100 volunteer medics and doctors per day. They serve together with special detachments of Munich police
, fire department and other municipal authorities in the service centre at the Behördenhof (authorities' court), a large building specially built for the Oktoberfest at the east side of the Theresienwiese, just behind the tents. There is also a place for lost & found children, a lost property office, a security point for women and other public services.
To keep the Oktoberfest, and especially the beer tents, friendly for older people and families, the concept of the "quiet Oktoberfest" was developed in 2005. Until 6:00 pm, the tents only play quiet music, for example traditional wind music. Only after that will Schlager
and pop music be played, which had led to more violence in earlier years. The music played in the afternoon is limited to 85 decibels. With these rules, the organisers of the Oktoberfest were able to curb the over-the-top party mentality and preserve the traditional beer tent atmosphere.
Since 2005 the last travelling Enterprise ride of Germany, called Mondlift, is back on the Oktoberfest.
Starting in 2008, a new Bavarian law intended to ban smoking in all enclosed spaces that are open to the public, even at the Oktoberfest. Because of problems enforcing the anti-smoking law in the big tents there was an exception for the Oktoberfest 2008, although the sale of tobacco was not allowed. After heavy losses in the 2008 local elections with the smoke ban being a big issue in debates, the state's ruling party meanwhile implemented special exemptions to beer tents and small pubs. The change in regulation is aimed in particular at large tents at the Oktoberfest: So, smoking in the tents is still legal, but the tents usually have non-smoking areas. The sale of tobacco in the tents is now legal, but it is abandoned by agreement. However, in early 2010 a referendum held in Bavaria as a result of a popular initiative re-instituted the original, strict, smoking ban of 2008; thus, no beer will be sold to people caught smoking in the tents. The blanket smoking ban will not take effect until 2011, but all tents will institute the smoking ban this year as to do the "dry run" to identify any unforeseeable issues. The common issue when the smoking ban is in effect is the nauseating stench of stale beer spilled on the floor, which the smoking masked.
2010 marks the 200 year anniversary of Oktoberfest. For the anniversary, there was a horse race in historical costumes on opening day. A so-called "Historische Wiesn" (historical Oktoberfest) took place, starting one day earlier than usual on the southern part of the festival grounds. A specially brewed beer (solely available at the tents of the historical Oktoberfest), horse races, and a museum tent gave visitors an impression of how the event felt a century ago.
was set off in a dustbin at the restrooms at the main entrance on September 26, 1980 at 22:19. The bomb consisted of an empty fire extinguisher
filled with 1.39 kilograms of TNT and mortar shells. Thirteen people were killed, over 201 were injured, 68 seriously. This was the second deadliest terrorist attack in the history of Germany after the Munich Massacre
. Governmental authorities propounded a summary of official inquires, purporting that a right-wing extremist
Gundolf Köhler
from Donaueschingen
, a social outcast who was killed in the explosion, was the lone perpetrator. However, this account is strongly disputed by various groups.
Theresienwiese
. 72% of the people are from Bavaria. 15% of visitors come from foreign countries like the surrounding EU-countries and other non-European countries including the United States, Canada, Australia and East Asia.
Besides the Oktoberfest, there are other public festivals that take place at the same location. In April/May it's the Munich Frühlingsfest (Spring Festival) and Tollwood-Festival in December with 650,000 visitors.
After the Oktoberfest the next largest people fairs in Germany are the Cranger Kirmes
in Herne (Wanne-Eickel) (the largest fair in Northrhine-Westphalia) with 4.7 million visitors, the Rheinkirmes
in Düsseldorf
(called Largest Fair on the Rhine) and the Freimarkt
in Bremen
(the oldest fair in Germany, held since 1035, and the biggest fair in northern Germany) with about 4 million visitors per year each, followed by the Cannstatter Volksfest
in Stuttgart
with about 3 million visitors each year and the "Schützenfest Hannover", the world's largest marksmen's Fun Fair in Hanover
with about 2 million visitors per year.
* Bayerisches Zentral-Landwirtschaftsfest (Bavarian Central Agriculture Festival)
During the last years the prices per Maß (1 liter stein) steadily increased (prices given in Euros):
In 2004 the queues outside the toilets became so long that the police had to regulate the entrance. To keep traffic moving through the restrooms, men headed for the toilets were directed to the urinals (giant enclosed grate) if they only needed to urinate. Consequently, the number of toilets was increased by 20 % in 2005. Approximately 1,800 toilets and urinals are available at this time.
Many Oktoberfest guests visit the quiet stalls in order to use their cell phones. For this reason there were plans in 2005 to install a Faraday cage
around the toilets or to use Mobile phone jammers to prevent telephoning with a mobile telephone. Jamming devices are, however, illegal in Germany, and Faraday cages made of copper
would have been too expensive, so these ambitious plans were dropped, and signs were placed instead, warning toilet users not to use cell phones in the stalls.
) served in each is in the accompanying table.
Large Tents
Small Tents
Beer festival
A Beer Festival is an organised event during which a variety of beers are available for tasting and purchase. Beer festivals are held in a number of countries...
held annually in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n culture, having been held since 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations
Oktoberfest celebrations
The Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Germany during late September and early October. It is attended by six million people each year and has inspired numerous similar events using the name Oktoberfest in Germany and around the world, many of which were founded by German...
, modeled after the Munich event.
The Munich Oktoberfest originally took place during the sixteen days up to and including the first Sunday in October. In 1994, the schedule was modified in response to German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the festival would go on until October 3 (German Unity Day
German Unity Day
The Day of German Unity is the national day of Germany, celebrated on 3 October as a public holiday. It commemorates the anniversary of German reunification in 1990, when the goal of a unity of Germany that originated in the middle of the 19th century, was fulfilled. Therefore, the name addresses...
). Thus, the festival is now 17 days when the first Sunday is October 2 and 18 days when it is October 1. In 2010, the festival lasted until the first Monday in October, to mark the 200-year anniversary of the event. The festival is held in an area named the Theresienwiese
Theresienwiese
Theresienwiese is an open space in the Munich borough of Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt. It serves as the official ground of the Munich Oktoberfest. A space of , it is bordered in the west by the Bavaria statue, symbolizing the State of Bavaria, and in the east by Esperantoplatz, a square named for...
(field, or meadow, of Therese), often called Wiesn for short, located near Munich's center.
Only beer which is brewed within the city limits of Munich is allowed to be served in this festival. Upon passing this criterion, a beer is designated Oktoberfest Beer.
Oktoberfest Beer is a registered Trademark by the Club of Munich Brewers. Large quantities of German beer are consumed, with almost 7 million liters served during the 16 day festival in 2007. Visitors may also enjoy a wide variety of traditional food such as Hendl
Hendl
Hendl is the Austro-Bavarian word for "chicken", most commonly in its roasted form.Hendln are traditionally served in Bavarian beer gardens or at festivals such as Oktoberfest, and are generally eaten with a Brezen and/or a Maß of beer...
(chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
), Schweinebraten (roast pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
), Schweinshaxe
Schweinshaxe
Schweinshaxe , in German cuisine, is a roasted ham hock , especially popular in Bavaria.The Austrian version of this dish, called Stelze , is usually marinated or pre-boiled in a caraway seed and garlic brine, roasted until the skin is crisp, and served with mustard, horseradish, and...
(grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Würstl (sausages) along with Brezn (Pretzel
Pretzel
A pretzel is a type of baked food made from dough in soft and hard varieties and savory or sweet flavors in a unique knot-like shape, originating in Europe...
), Knödel
Klose
Klose is a surname, and may refer to*Adolf Klose , German railroad engineer and inventor* Anastasia Klose, , Australian artist* Bob Klose, , British musician and photographer* Dennie Klose, , German Comedian...
(potato or bread dumplings), Kasspatzn (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes
Potato pancakes
Potato pancakes are shallow-fried pancakes of grated or ground potato, flour and egg, often flavored with grated onion or garlic and seasoning. Potato pancakes may be topped with a variety of condiments, ranging from the savory to the sweet , or they may be served ungarnished...
), Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...
or Rotkohl/Blaukraut (red cabbage
Red Cabbage
The red cabbage is a sort of cabbage, also known as Red Kraut or Blue Kraut after preparation....
) along with such Bavarian delicacies as Obatzda
Obatzda
Obatzda is a Bavarian cheese delicacy. It is prepared by mixing two thirds aged soft cheese, usually Camembert and one third butter....
(a spiced cheese-butter spread) and Weisswurst (a white sausage).
History
Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig ILudwig I of Bavaria
Ludwig I was a German king of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states.-Crown prince:...
, was married to Princess Therese of Bavaria on October 12,1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. The fields have been named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's meadow") in honor of the Crown Princess ever since, although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the "Wies'n".
Horse races in the presence of the Royal Family marked the close of the event that was celebrated as a festival for the whole of Bavaria. The decision to repeat the horse races in the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest.
"The festival was eventually prolonged and moved ahead to September to allow for better weather conditions. Today, the last day of the festival is the first Sunday in October. In 2006, the Oktoberfest extended two extra days because the first Tuesday, October 3, was a national holiday. Over the past 200 years, Oktoberfest was canceled 24 times due to cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemics and war."
First hundred years
In 1811, an agricultural show was added to promote Bavarian agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. The horse race persisted until 1960, the agricultural show still exists and is held every four years on the southern part of the festival grounds. In 1816, carnival booths appeared; the main prizes were silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
, and jewelry. The founding citizens of Munich assumed responsibility for festival management in 1819, and it was decided to make the Oktoberfest an annual event. Later, it was lengthened and the date pushed forward, because days are longer and warmer at the end of September.
To honour the marriage of Prince Ludwig
Ludwig I of Bavaria
Ludwig I was a German king of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states.-Crown prince:...
and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Therese Charlotte Luise of Saxony-Hildburghausen was a queen of Bavaria.She was a daughter of Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, and Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, eldest daughter of Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.-Biography:In 1809, she was on the list of...
, a parade took place for the first time in 1810. Since 1850, this has become an annual event and an important component of the Oktoberfest. Eight thousand people—mostly from Bavaria—in traditional costumes walk from Maximilian Street through the centre of Munich to the Oktoberfest grounds. The march is led by the Münchner Kindl
Münchner Kindl
Münchner Kindl is German for "Munich child", the symbol on the coat of arms of the city Munich.-History:This symbol has been the coat-of-arms of Munich since the 13th century...
.
Bavaria statue
Bavaria is the name given to a monumental, bronze sand-cast 19th-century statue in Munich, southern Germany. It is a female personification of the Bavarian homeland, and by extension its strength and glory....
has watched the Oktoberfest. This worldly Bavarian patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
was first sketched by Leo von Klenze
Leo von Klenze
Leo von Klenze was a German neoclassicist architect, painter and writer...
in a classic style and Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler
Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler
Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler, later ennobled as Ritter von Schwanthaler was a German sculptor.-Biography:Schwanthaler was born in Munich....
romanticised and "Germanised
Germanisation
Germanisation is both the spread of the German language, people and culture either by force or assimilation, and the adaptation of a foreign word to the German language in linguistics, much like the Romanisation of many languages which do not use the Latin alphabet...
" the draft. The statue was constructed by Johann Baptist Stiglmaier and Ferdinand von Miller
Ferdinand Von Miller
Ferdinand von Miller was a German artisan who is noted for his furtherance of bronze founding.-Biography:Von Miller was born in Fürstenfeldbruck....
.
In 1853, the Bavarian Ruhmeshalle was completed. In 1854, the festival was cancelled after 3,000 residents of Munich died during a cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemic. There was no Oktoberfest in 1866 because Bavaria was involved in the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
. In 1870, the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
forced the cancellation of the festival. In 1873, the festival was cancelled due to another cholera epidemic. In 1880, the electric light illuminated more than 400 booths and tents. In 1881, booths selling bratwurst
Bratwurst
A bratwurst is a sausage usually composed of veal, pork or beef. The plural in German is Bratwürste....
opened. Beer was first served in glass mugs in 1892.
Skittles (sport)
Skittles is an old European lawn game, a variety of bowling, from which ten-pin bowling, duckpin bowling, and candlepin bowling in the United States, and five-pin bowling in Canada are descended. In the United Kingdom, the game remains a popular pub game in England and Wales, though it tends to be...
, large dance floors, and trees for climbing in the beer booths. Organizers wanted more room for guests and musicians. The booths became beer halls.
In 1887, the Entry of the Oktoberfest Staff and Breweries took place for the first time. This event showcases the splendidly decorated horse teams of the breweries and the bands that play in the festival tents. This event always takes place on the first Saturday of the Oktoberfest and serves as the official prelude to the Oktoberfest celebration
In 1910, Oktoberfest celebrated its 100th anniversary. Some 120,000 litres of beer were poured. In 1913, the Bräurosl was founded, which was the largest Oktoberfest beer tent ever, with room for about 12,000 people.
War years
From 1914 to 1918, World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
prevented the celebration of Oktoberfest. In 1919 and 1920, the two years after the war, Munich celebrated only an "Autumn Fest." In 1923 and 1924, the Oktoberfest was not held due to inflation.
In 1933, the Bavarian white and blue flag was replaced with the swastika flag. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
,, from 1939 to 1945, no Oktoberfest took place. Following the war, from 1946 to 1948, Munich celebrated only the "Autumn Fest." The sale of proper Oktoberfest beer—2% stronger in alcohol than normal beer—was not permitted; guests could only drink normal beer.
Since its beginnings the Oktoberfest has been canceled 24 times due to war, disease and other crises.
Modern festival
Horse races ended in 1960.
By 1960, the Oktoberfest had turned into an enormous world-famous festival. Since then, foreigners began to picture Germans as wearing the Sennerhut, Lederhosen
Lederhosen
Lederhosen are breeches made of leather; they may be either short or knee-length. The longer ones are generally called Bundhosen....
, and the girls in Dirndl
Dirndl
A dirndl [ˈdɪʁndl̩] is a type of traditional dress worn in Bavaria, Liechtenstein, Austria, and South Tyrol, based on the historical costume of Alpine peasants. Dresses that are loosely based on the dirndl are known as Landhausmode.-Description:...
.
Traditional visitors wear during the Oktoberfest Bavarian hats (Tirolerhüte), which contain a tuft of goat hair. In Germany, goat hair is highly valued and prized, making it one of the most expensive objects for sale. The more tufts of goat hair on your hat, the wealthier you are considered to be. Technology helping, this tradition ended with the appearance of cheap goat hair imitations on the market.
There are many problems every year with young people who overestimate their ability to handle large amounts of alcohol. Many forget that Oktoberfest beer has 5.8 to 6.3% alcohol and high sugar content (compared to an average of 5.2% of alcohol and low sugar content in German beer), and they pass out due to drunkenness
Drunkenness
Alcohol intoxication is a physiological state that occurs when a person has a high level of ethanol in his or her blood....
. These drunk patrons are often called "Bierleichen" (German for "beer corpses").
For them as well as for the general medical treatment of visitors the Bavarian branch of German Red Cross
German Red Cross
The German Red Cross , or the DRK, is the national Red Cross Society in Germany.With over 4.5 million members, it is the third largest Red Cross society in the world. The German Red Cross offers a wide range of services within and outside Germany...
operates an aid facility and provides emergency medical care on the festival grounds, staffed with around 100 volunteer medics and doctors per day. They serve together with special detachments of Munich police
Law enforcement in Germany
Law enforcement in Germany is constitutionally vested solely with the states, which is one of the main features of the German political system. Therefore, unlike France, Italy, the United States, Canada or many other countries, Germany has no federal police force comparable to the Italian...
, fire department and other municipal authorities in the service centre at the Behördenhof (authorities' court), a large building specially built for the Oktoberfest at the east side of the Theresienwiese, just behind the tents. There is also a place for lost & found children, a lost property office, a security point for women and other public services.
To keep the Oktoberfest, and especially the beer tents, friendly for older people and families, the concept of the "quiet Oktoberfest" was developed in 2005. Until 6:00 pm, the tents only play quiet music, for example traditional wind music. Only after that will Schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
and pop music be played, which had led to more violence in earlier years. The music played in the afternoon is limited to 85 decibels. With these rules, the organisers of the Oktoberfest were able to curb the over-the-top party mentality and preserve the traditional beer tent atmosphere.
Since 2005 the last travelling Enterprise ride of Germany, called Mondlift, is back on the Oktoberfest.
Starting in 2008, a new Bavarian law intended to ban smoking in all enclosed spaces that are open to the public, even at the Oktoberfest. Because of problems enforcing the anti-smoking law in the big tents there was an exception for the Oktoberfest 2008, although the sale of tobacco was not allowed. After heavy losses in the 2008 local elections with the smoke ban being a big issue in debates, the state's ruling party meanwhile implemented special exemptions to beer tents and small pubs. The change in regulation is aimed in particular at large tents at the Oktoberfest: So, smoking in the tents is still legal, but the tents usually have non-smoking areas. The sale of tobacco in the tents is now legal, but it is abandoned by agreement. However, in early 2010 a referendum held in Bavaria as a result of a popular initiative re-instituted the original, strict, smoking ban of 2008; thus, no beer will be sold to people caught smoking in the tents. The blanket smoking ban will not take effect until 2011, but all tents will institute the smoking ban this year as to do the "dry run" to identify any unforeseeable issues. The common issue when the smoking ban is in effect is the nauseating stench of stale beer spilled on the floor, which the smoking masked.
2010 marks the 200 year anniversary of Oktoberfest. For the anniversary, there was a horse race in historical costumes on opening day. A so-called "Historische Wiesn" (historical Oktoberfest) took place, starting one day earlier than usual on the southern part of the festival grounds. A specially brewed beer (solely available at the tents of the historical Oktoberfest), horse races, and a museum tent gave visitors an impression of how the event felt a century ago.
Incidents
A pipe bombPipe bomb
A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device, a tightly sealed section of pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple low explosives can be used to produce a relatively large explosion, and the fragmentation of the pipe itself creates potentially...
was set off in a dustbin at the restrooms at the main entrance on September 26, 1980 at 22:19. The bomb consisted of an empty fire extinguisher
Fire extinguisher
A fire extinguisher or extinguisher, flame entinguisher is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations...
filled with 1.39 kilograms of TNT and mortar shells. Thirteen people were killed, over 201 were injured, 68 seriously. This was the second deadliest terrorist attack in the history of Germany after the Munich Massacre
Munich massacre
The Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
. Governmental authorities propounded a summary of official inquires, purporting that a right-wing extremist
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
Gundolf Köhler
Gundolf Köhler
Gundolf Köhler was a German right-wing extremist who planted a bomb at the 1980 Oktoberfest in Munich.Köhler was born in Schwenningen, and studied geology in Tübingen. While at Tübingen, he was a member of Hochschulring Tübinger Studenten, a right-wing student group, and was described as a loner...
from Donaueschingen
Donaueschingen
Donaueschingen is a German town in the Black Forest in the southwest of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the Schwarzwald-Baar Kreis. It stands near the confluence of the two sources of the river Danube ....
, a social outcast who was killed in the explosion, was the lone perpetrator. However, this account is strongly disputed by various groups.
Size
The Oktoberfest is known as the Largest Volksfest (People's Fair) in the World. In 1999 there were six and a half million visitors to the 42 hectareHectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
Theresienwiese
Theresienwiese
Theresienwiese is an open space in the Munich borough of Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt. It serves as the official ground of the Munich Oktoberfest. A space of , it is bordered in the west by the Bavaria statue, symbolizing the State of Bavaria, and in the east by Esperantoplatz, a square named for...
. 72% of the people are from Bavaria. 15% of visitors come from foreign countries like the surrounding EU-countries and other non-European countries including the United States, Canada, Australia and East Asia.
Besides the Oktoberfest, there are other public festivals that take place at the same location. In April/May it's the Munich Frühlingsfest (Spring Festival) and Tollwood-Festival in December with 650,000 visitors.
After the Oktoberfest the next largest people fairs in Germany are the Cranger Kirmes
Cranger Kirmes
The Cranger Kirmes is a fair in Germany, located in Wanne-Eickel in the city of Herne. It is the biggest fair in the whole state of Northrhine-Westphalia and the second biggest fair in Germany, only behind the Oktoberfest. In 2008 there were 4.7 million visitors...
in Herne (Wanne-Eickel) (the largest fair in Northrhine-Westphalia) with 4.7 million visitors, the Rheinkirmes
Largest Fair on the Rhine
The Largest Fair on the Rhine is a fun fair in Düsseldorf, drawing more than 4 million visitors annually, is one of Germany’s biggest fun fairs. It takes place every third week in July on the left bank of the Rhine River, in the district Düsseldorf-Oberkassel, and features beer and food tents,...
in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
(called Largest Fair on the Rhine) and the Freimarkt
Freimarkt
Freimarkt in Bremen, Germany, first held in 1035, is the oldest fair in Germany. With more than four million visitors each year, it is also considered to be the biggest festival in Northern Germany....
in Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
(the oldest fair in Germany, held since 1035, and the biggest fair in northern Germany) with about 4 million visitors per year each, followed by the Cannstatter Volksfest
Cannstatter Volksfest
The Cannstatter Volksfest is an annual three-week festival in Stuttgart, Germany. It is sometimes also referred to by foreign visitors as the Stuttgart Beer Festival although it is actually more of an autumnal fair...
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
with about 3 million visitors each year and the "Schützenfest Hannover", the world's largest marksmen's Fun Fair in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
with about 2 million visitors per year.
Dates
| Year | Dates | Special Features |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Sep 16 – Oct 3 | |
| 2001 | Sep 22 – Oct 7 | |
| 2002 | Sep 21 – Oct 6 | |
| 2003 | Sep 20 – Oct 5 | |
| 2004 | Sep 18 – Oct 3 | with ZLF* |
| 2005 | Sep 17 – Oct 3 | 17 days |
| 2006 | Sep 16 – Oct 3 | 18 days |
| 2007 | Sep 22 – Oct 7 | |
| 2008 | Sep 20 – Oct 5 | 175th Oktoberfest (with ZLF*) |
| 2009 | Sep 19 – Oct 4 | |
| 2010 | Sep 18 – Oct 4 | 200 year Anniversary (with BLF) |
| 2011 | Sep 17 – Oct 3 | 17 days |
| 2012 | Sep 22 – Oct 7 | |
| 2013 | Sep 21 – Oct 6 | |
| 2014 | Sep 20 – Oct 5 | |
| 2015 | Sep 19 – Oct 4 |
* Bayerisches Zentral-Landwirtschaftsfest (Bavarian Central Agriculture Festival)
Price of beer
| Location | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammer | 6,54 | 6,80 | 6,80 | 8,10 | 8,30 | 8,40 |
| Armbrustschützen | 6,49 | 6,75 | 6,75 | 8,20 | 8,55 | 8,75 |
| Augustiner Festhalle | 6,39 | 6,65 | 6,65 | 8,20 | 8,50 | 8,70 |
| Bräurosl-Festhalle | 6,39 | 6,70 | 6,70 | 8,25 | 8,55 | 8,80 |
| Bullinger Wurst | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Feisinger's Kas- und Weinstub'n | – | – | – | – | ||
| Fischer-Vroni | 6,49 | 6,80 | 6,80 | 8,25 | 8,60 | 8,90 |
| Glöckle Wirt | 6,29 | 6,70 | 6,70 | 8,10 | 8,40 | 8,70 |
| Hacker Festhalle | 6,54 | 6,80 | 6,80 | 8,30 | 8,60 | 8,80 |
| Heilmaier (Heinz) | 6,29 | 6,60 | 6,60 | 7,90 | 8,10 | 8,40 |
| Heimer Entenbraterei | 6,29 | 6,45 | 6,65 | 8,00 | 8,30 | 8,60 |
| Hippodrom | 6,54 | 6,70 | 6,70 | 8,30 | 8,60 | 8,80 |
| Hochreiter Haxnbraterei | 6,39 | 6,55 | 6,60 | 7,90 | 8,40 | 8,40 |
| Hochreiter, Zur Bratwurst | – | – | – | 8,10 | 8,60 | 8,60 |
| Hofbräu | 6,47 | 6,75 | 6,75 | 8,25 | 8,55 | 8,80 |
| Käfer Wiesn Schänke | 6,54 | 6,80 | 6,80 | 8,30 | 8,60 | 8,80 |
| Kalbskuchl | – | – | – | 7,90 | 8,30 | 8,40 |
| Knödelei | – | – | – | – | 8,50 | 8,60 |
| Löwenbräu Festhalle | 6,49 | 6,80 | 6,80 | 8,30 | 8,60 | 8,85 |
| Nürnberger Bratwurst Glöckl | 6,34 | 6,60 | 6,60 | – | – | – |
| Münchner Knödelei | – | 6,50 (new) | 6,60 | |||
| Ochsenbraterei/Spatenbräu Festhalle | 6,47 | 6,75 | 6,75 | 8,25 | 8,60 | 8,75 |
| Paulaner Festhalle (Winzerer Fähndl) | 6,44 | 6,70 | 6,70 | 8,25 | 8,60 | 8,80 |
| Poschner | 6,24 | 6,50 | 6,50 | 8,10 | 8,20 | 8,40 |
| Schauer | – | – | – | 7,95 | 8,20 | – |
| Schottenhamel | 6,49 | 6,80 | 6,80 | 8,30 | 8,60 | 8,80 |
| Schützen-Festhalle | 6,49 | 6,75 | 6,75 | 8,30 | 8,30 | 8,80 |
| Sieber | 5,98 | 6,30 | 6,40 | |||
| Vinzenz Murr | – | – | – | – | – | 8,80 |
| Wienerwald | 6,08 | 6,30 | 6,30 | |||
| Wildmoser Hühner- und Entenbraterei | 5,98 | 6,50 | 6,50 | 7,95 | 8,30 | 8,50 |
| Zum Stiftl | – | – | – | 7,80 | 8,25 | 8,70 |
| Zum Wein-Wirt/Weinzelt | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Oktoberfest figures (2010)
- Area: 0.42 km² (103.78 acre)
- Seats in the festival halls: approx. 100,000
- Visitors: 6.4 million
- Beer: appr. 7,100,000 liters (151,200 liters non-alcoholic)
- Wine: 89,259 liters
- Sparkling wine: 37,733 liters
- Coffee and tea: 245,335 liters
- Water and lemonade: 1,028,522 ½ liters
- Chicken: 505,901 units
- Pork sausages: 119,302 pairs
- Fish: 40,850 kg
- Pork knuckles (haxen): 69,293 units
- Oxen: 119 units
- Expenditure of electricity: (as much as 14% of Munich's daily requirements or as much as a four person family will need in 52 years and 4 months)
- Expenditure of gas: about 198,489 m3
- Expenditure of water: about 107,489 m3 (as much as 27% of Munich's daily requirements )
- Waste: 678 tTonneThe tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
(2004) - Toilets: about 980 seats, more than 878 meters of urinals and 17 for disabled persons
- Phone booths: 83, also for international credit cards
- Lost property: about 4000 items, among them 260 pairs of glasses, 200 mobile phones, wedding rings, and even 500 crutches.
Garbage and toilets
Nearly 1,000 tons of garbage result annually from the Oktoberfest. The mountains of garbage created are hauled away and the ways cleanly washed down each morning. The cleaning is paid for in part by the city of Munich and in part by the sponsors.In 2004 the queues outside the toilets became so long that the police had to regulate the entrance. To keep traffic moving through the restrooms, men headed for the toilets were directed to the urinals (giant enclosed grate) if they only needed to urinate. Consequently, the number of toilets was increased by 20 % in 2005. Approximately 1,800 toilets and urinals are available at this time.
Many Oktoberfest guests visit the quiet stalls in order to use their cell phones. For this reason there were plans in 2005 to install a Faraday cage
Faraday cage
A Faraday cage or Faraday shield is an enclosure formed by conducting material or by a mesh of such material. Such an enclosure blocks out external static and non-static electric fields...
around the toilets or to use Mobile phone jammers to prevent telephoning with a mobile telephone. Jamming devices are, however, illegal in Germany, and Faraday cages made of copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
would have been too expensive, so these ambitious plans were dropped, and signs were placed instead, warning toilet users not to use cell phones in the stalls.
Tents
There are currently fourteen large tents and twenty small tents at the Oktoberfest. The tents themselves are non-permanent structures which are constructed for and only used during the festival. The beer (or wineWine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
) served in each is in the accompanying table.
| Name | | Brewery | | Seating | |
|---|---|---|---|
| inside | outside | ||
| Large Tents | |||
| Hippodrom | Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu | 3,200 | 1,000 |
| Armbrustschützenzelt | Paulaner Paulaner Paulaner is a German brewery, established in the early 17th century in Munich by the Minim friars of the Neudeck ob der Au cloister. The mendicant order and the brewery are named after Francis of Paola, the founder of the order.... |
5,839 | 1,600 |
| Hofbräu-Festzelt Hofbräu-Festzelt The Hofbräu-Festzelt is the largest beer tent of the Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.The tent has an area of 5,084 m² and 4,460 seats and 1,000 non-seating tables only inside. The outside area measures 2,000 m² with 3,022 seats.... |
Hofbräu München | 6,896 | 3,622 |
| Hacker-Festzelt | Hacker-Pschorr | 6,900 | 2,400 |
| Schottenhamel | Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu | 6,000 | 4,000 |
| Winzerer Fähndl | Paulaner | 8,450 | 2,450 |
| Schützen-Festhalle | Löwenbräu Löwenbräu Löwenbräu is a German brewery in Munich, Bavaria, Germany that produces a traditional Munich-style beer. It is currently owned by the American-Brazilian-Belgian company Anheuser-Busch InBev. Like other premium German beers, it is brewed according to the German "Reinheitsgebot" dating back to 1516... |
4,442 | 0 |
| Käfers Wiesen Schänke | Paulaner | 1,000 | 1,900 |
| Weinzelt | Nymphenburger Sekt | 1,300 | 600 |
| Paulaner Weißbier | |||
| Löwenbräu-Festhalle | Löwenbräu | 5,700 | 2,800 |
| Bräurosl | Hacker-Pschorr | 6,000 | 2,200 |
| Augustiner-Festhalle | Augustiner Bräu Augustiner Bräu Augustiner Bräu is a brewery located in Munich, Germany. Established in 1328, it is Munich's oldest still independent brewery and produces some of Munich's most popular brands of beer.- Distribution and marketing :... |
6,000 | 2,500 |
| Ochsenbraterei | Spaten | 5,900 | 1,500 |
| Fischer Vroni | Augustiner | 2,695 | 700 |
| Small Tents | |||
| Able's Kalbs-Kuchl | Spaten | 300 | 0 |
| Ammer Hühner & Entenbraterei | Augustiner | 450 | 450 |
| Bodo's Cafezelt | Exotic Cocktails | 450 | 0 |
| Burtscher's Bratwursthütt´n | Spaten | 80 | 0 |
| Café Kaiserschmarrn | Cocktail bar | 400 | 0 |
| Café Mohrenkopf | XXL- Cocktails | 420 | 0 |
| Feisingers Ka's und Weinstubn | Wine & Wheat Beer | 92 | 90 |
| Glöckle Wirt | Spaten | 140 | 0 |
| Heimer Hendl- und Entenbratere | Paulaner | 400 | 0 |
| Heinz Wurst- Und Hühnerbraterei | Paulaner | 360 | 0 |
| Hochreiters Haxnbraterei | Löwenbräu | 250 | 0 |
| Münchner Knödelei | Paulaner | 300 | 90 |
| Poschners Hühner- Und Entenbraterei | Hacker-Pschorr | 350 | 0 |
| Schiebl's Kaffeehaferl | Irish Coffee | 100 | 0 |
| Wiesn Guglhupf Café-Dreh-Bar | Mix Bar | 60 | 0 |
| Wildmoser Hühnerbraterei | Hacker-Pschorr | 320 | 0 |
| Wildstuben | Augustiner | 271 | 0 |
| Wirtshaus im Schichtl | 120 | 0 | |
| Zum Stiftl | Paulaner | 360 | 0 |
| Zur Bratwurst | Augustiner | 160 | 0 |
- Hippodrom – One of the larger tents, it's the first tent that many visitors see at the fest. As well as serving normal Wiesn beer, it has a Sekt (sparkling wine) bar and MaßMaßThe is a term used in German-speaking countries for a unit of volume, now typically used only for measuring beer sold for immediate on-site consumption. In modern times, a is defined as exactly 1 litre....
of Weißbier. Considered one of the trendiest tents, and attracts the occasional celebrity. Traditionally in the evening the Oktoberfest band the Münchner Zwietracht plays all the Oktoberfest classics. - Armbrustschützenzelt – Translates as the "Crossbowman's Tent", a competition that has been a part of the Oktoberfest since 1895.
- Hofbräu-FestzeltHofbräu-FestzeltThe Hofbräu-Festzelt is the largest beer tent of the Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.The tent has an area of 5,084 m² and 4,460 seats and 1,000 non-seating tables only inside. The outside area measures 2,000 m² with 3,022 seats....
– The counterpart to the famous Hofbräuhaus, this tent is especially popular with Americans, Australians and New Zealanders. - Hacker-Festzelt – One of the largest tents on the Wiesn, they have a rock band that plays from 5:30 each evening (as opposed to the traditional brass band). This tent is also known as "Himmel der Bayern" (Heaven of the Bavarians).
- Schottenhamel – Reckoned to be the most important tent at the Oktoberfest, mainly because it is where it starts. On the first Saturday of the event, no beer is allowed to be served until the mayor of Munich (currently Christian UdeChristian UdeChristian Ude is the current mayor of Munich. He is a member of the German Social Democratic Party.Additionally, until 2009 he was a member of the board of directors of the football club TSV 1860 München....
) taps the first keg, at 12 pm. Only then can the other tents begin to serve beer. Very popular amongst younger people. A substantial part of the tent is guaranteed to traditional StudentenverbindungStudentenverbindungA Studentenverbindung is a student corporation in a German-speaking country somewhat comparable to fraternities in the US or Canada, but mostly older and going back to other kinds of...
en (a particular form of student fraternities) and outfitted with their distinctive colors and coats of arms. - Winzerer Fähndl – This tent is noted for its huge tower, with a Maß of Paulaner beer sitting atop it.
- Schützen-Festhalle – This is a mid-sized tent. Situated under the Bavaria statueBavaria statueBavaria is the name given to a monumental, bronze sand-cast 19th-century statue in Munich, southern Germany. It is a female personification of the Bavarian homeland, and by extension its strength and glory....
, the current tent was newly built in 2004. - Käfers Wiesen Schänke – The smallest of the large tents at the Oktoberfest, it is frequented by celebrities, and is known for its especially good food. In contrast to the other tents (which must close by 11 pm), it is open until 12:30 am, but it can be very difficult to get in.
- Weinzelt – This tent offers a selection of more than 15 wines, as well as Weißbier.
- Löwenbräu-Festhalle – Above the entrance is a 4.50 meter (15 foot) lionLionThe lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
who occasionally drinks from his beer. This is overshadowed by another tower where another drinking lion sits. - Bräurosl (Hacker-Pschorr) – Named after the daughter of the original brewery owner (Pschorr), this tent has the usual brass band and a yodeler.
- Augustiner-Festhalle – Considered by many locals to be the best tent, due to the fact it sells the favourite local brew, Augustiner, from individually tapped wooden kegs rather than stainless steel vats used by the other tents.
- Ochsenbraterei – True to its name, this tent offers a great variety of oxOxAn ox , also known as a bullock in Australia, New Zealand and India, is a bovine trained as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castrated adult male cattle; castration makes the animals more tractable...
dishes. - Fischer Vroni – Another of the smaller tents. Fisch is the German word for fishFishFish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and this tent carries a huge selection in its menu.
Small Tents
- Able's Kalbs-Kuchl – Resembling a large Bavarian hut, the “calf kitchen” is traditional and inviting yet still has a lively party atmosphere Oktoberfest fans crave.
- Ammer Hühner & Entenbraterei – In 1885, poultry dealer Joseph Ammer was allowed to construct his small booth at the Oktoberfest, creating the world’s first chicken roastery.
- Bodo's Cafezelt – Don’t come to Bodo’s looking for beer. Instead you’ll find, exotic cocktails, Prosecco, champagne, coffee, donuts, ice cream, pastry, and strudel variations of all kinds.
- Burtscher's Bratwursthütt´n – The smallest tent of the Oktoberfest, its unique atmosphere makes for a relaxing change from the larger tents.
- Café Kaiserschmarrn – Beautifully created by Rischart, the Café holds a daily commemoration of the occasion of the first Oktoberfest – the wedding of Ludwig I and Therese of Saxony.
- Café Mohrenkopf – Since 1950 Café Mohrenkopf has been baking cakes and pies fresh daily in the Oktoberfest tent.
- Feisingers Ka's und Weinstubn – Cheese and everything that complements the cheese is the specialty of the house in this unique tent.
- Glöckle Wirt – A visual treat, decorated with oil paintings, antique instruments and cooking utensils, the Glöckle Wirt offers its visitors an authentic Oktoberfest experience in a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
- Heimer Hendl- und Entenbraterei – Very popular among the locals, Heimer’s is a family-friendly tent where authentic Oktoberfest tradition is timeless.
- Heinz Wurst- Und Hühnerbraterei – Since 1906, the Heinz Sausage and Chicken Grill has been a fixture on the Wiesn, specializing in authentic Oktoberfest tradition.
- Hochreiters Haxnbraterei – Quality is paramount in Hochreiter’s tent, where their BBQ experts prepare mouth-watering pork knuckles in the only haxenbraterei on the Wiesn.
- Münchner Knödelei – The dumpling is an icon of Bavarian cuisine, and “preserving and spreading the dumpling culture” is the motto of this smaller tent.
- Poschners Hühner- Und Entenbraterei – Poschner’s famous roasted chicken and duck has been a tradition on the Wiesn for four generations.
- Schiebl's Kaffeehaferl – With seating for about 100, Schiebl’s comfy coffeehouse tent is a friendly meeting place for the whole family.
- Wiesn Guglhupf Café-Dreh-Bar – A Guglhupf is a German cake, like an English bundt cake, and this slowly moving carousel bar is easy to spot because it’s shaped like one.
- Wildmoser Hühnerbraterei – Owned by family Wildmoser since 1981, this small tent has been adopted and popularized by the Munich locals.
- Wildstuben – The newest tent at Oktoberfest, you’ll appreciate the intricate details of the woodwork and the homey hunting lodge ambiance.
- Wirtshaus im Schichtl – The mayor Christian Ude once wrote: "An Oktoberfest without Schichtl is inconceivable. The Schichtl is as essential as the beer, the radical and the chicken."
- Zum Stiftl – Zum Stiftl is famous for its traditional duck and roasted chicken dishes, cozy atmosphere, and daily entertainment.
- Zur Bratwurst – Debuting in 2007, the Hochreiter family have brought back the former Bratwurstglöckl in the spirit of good old Munich Oktoberfest.
See also
- BeerBeerBeer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
- BeerfestBeerfestBeerfest is a 2006 beer-themed comedy film by the comedy group Broken Lizard. Along with the regular members of Broken Lizard, other actors who appear in the movie include Will Forte, M. C. Gainey, Cloris Leachman, Kendra C...
- Beer festivalBeer festivalA Beer Festival is an organised event during which a variety of beers are available for tasting and purchase. Beer festivals are held in a number of countries...
- BergkirchweihBergkirchweihThe Bergkirchweih is an annual fair and beer festival in Erlangen, Germany.Locals nickname it Berch, which is the Franconian pronunciation of the German word Berg, meaning mountain or hill....
- CarnivalCarnivalCarnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
- German beerGerman beerBeer is a major part of German culture. For many years German beer was brewed in adherence to the Reinheitsgebot order or law which only permitted water, hops and malt as beer ingredients until its repeal in 1988. The order also required that beers not exclusively using barley-malts such as wheat...
- HeinerfestHeinerfestHeinerfest is an annual festival in Darmstadt, Germany. Believed to be the second largest city festival in Germany, it is held annually in the first weekend of July. During the festival hundreds of food and beer vendors along with amusement rides and games surround the old city center and occupy...
- International Beer DayInternational Beer DayInternational Beer Day is an August 5 celebration founded in 2007 in Santa Cruz, California. Since its inception, International Beer Day has grown from a small localized event in the western United States into a worldwide celebration spanning 139 cities, 23 countries and 6 continents...
- Kitchener-Waterloo OktoberfestKitchener-Waterloo OktoberfestKitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is an annual nine-day festival in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Based on the original German Oktoberfest, it is billed as Canada's Greatest Bavarian Festival...
- Oktoberfest celebrationsOktoberfest celebrationsThe Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Germany during late September and early October. It is attended by six million people each year and has inspired numerous similar events using the name Oktoberfest in Germany and around the world, many of which were founded by German...
- Stuttgart Spring and Autumn FestivalCannstatter WasenThe Cannstatter Wasen is a 35 hectare festival area on the banks of the Neckar river in the part of Stuttgart known as Bad Cannstatt.The Cannstatter Wasen form part of the Neckar Park Fairground....
- VolksfestVolksfestA Volksfest is a large event in Germany which combines a festival and a carnival. Admission to a Volksfest is free however you have to pay for each ride separately....
External links
- Oktoberfest I Oide Wiesn Google Translation all languages
- original Oktoberfest 2011 in Munich, Germany - Webcams Live
- The Oktoberfest Tents Big & Small
- Celebrate Oktoberfest!
- EU Oktoberfest website
- EU Oktoberfest website
- Oktoberfest 2010: The Women
- German Oktoberfest website
- German Oktoberfest website
- German-English Oktoberfest lexicon
- Oktoberfest 2010 Information
- Oktoberfest-TV.de – Live videos, webcams, pictures and a lot of useful information from the world famous Oktoberfest in Munich
- Oktoberfest Countdown
- Information about Munich Beer and the Purity Law from 1516 from the Club of Munich Brewers