Can you believe it? The wait is almost over!!! Just less than two weeks to go before the Mayor of Munich will officially declare the start of the world’s largest Volksfest with the cry “O’zapft is!” (literally from Bavarian “it is tapped”) tapping the first of many many beers that will flood the Wiesn (the meadow, the area where Oktoberfest - and also other big events - is held) during the three-week long celebrations.
It’s sometimes said that people generally, and Munichers especially, either love or hate the Oktoberfest. Its excesses are regarded to be either the best way to let go and enjoy the Gemütlichkeit (coziness) so famous in Bavaria, or a way for the city to be invaded by drunken people from all over the world, giving the city no time to rest for three weeks.
As we wrote the article, and you are reading it, we know where we both stand: Oktoberfest is for those who love it!
Now if you are thinking about joining the Fest, don’t miss out on our MVT (Most Valuable Tips) list Oktoberfest for beginners before it’s too late!
1. Dress Code
Put simply there are no right or wrong clothes at Oktoberfest. Anybody is welcome with its own style. Buuuuuuuuut can you imagine how much more fun the experience is if you dress with traditional Bavarian clothes, generally Lederhosen for boys and Dirndl for girls? It gives the whole experience a whole different taste, making you look and feel part of the event. Trust me, you will thank me later. If you’re on a budget, you can find cheap options online on Amazon, or on other big online stores, otherwise if you have time for shopping in Munich, Trachten shop, as they are called, come up during Oktoberfest at any corner of the city.
2. Tips for handling the alcohol
Oktoberfest is generally a marathon: you enter the tents and have little idea of when you are getting out. You will spend lots of hours at or on the table drinking and refilling the Maß, the one liter mug you will familiarize with. Two more things increase the difficulty level: waiters continuously coming and dropping beers on your table, pushing you to drink; and the alcohol content of the Oktoberfest beer which is a bit higher than a standard Helles…just because why not!
So remember to stay hydrated: you can take the break between one tent and the next to visit one of the 5 fountains with free drinkable water. If you are “stuck” in the tent, get no shame and order a bottle of water, any soft drink (ever heard of the German special Spezi?) and to dissimulate, why not try the non-alcoholic beer, now produced by all breweries from Munich and served in almost all tents.
If you are in need of food, Oktoberfest will feed you nice and sweet. The pork roast and the roasted half chicken are among Oktoberfest’s favorites. On top there are plenty of options also for vegetarians and vegans.
3. How to secure a table at the Oktoberfest for beginners
The reservations for Oktoberfest are to be made weeeell in advance. Although the tents are quite large (the big ones have around 9,000 people capacity), the Oktoberfest weekends are “only” three and lots of people waited a year long for their share of fun at the Wiesn. If you plan on securing your spot, aim at April/May at the latest to do so.
While the reservation itself is free of charge, you buy together with it vouchers for food and drinks that you can then spend in the tents.
If you were not as forward-looking, here’s the good news: you can always hope for free tables in the tents! Up to 50% of tables on the weekends are reservation-free and 35% stay so the whole day.
Extra tip: while you are likely to get a spot on a table throughout the day if you are in a small group, you might have to “fight” for it, and in the evening it's almost impossible to get one. Another option is getting up early and getting to the tents at opening time (9 a.m. on the weekend, 10 a.m. otherwise) and sprint your way to the tents. I can guarantee it’s pretty satisfying to get a table this way and just jump on top of it to claim the new land for you and your friends ;)
4. Which tents to choose?
This might be the hardest question to answer! With 17 big tents and 21 small tents the choice is wide!
Focusing on the big tents, some are more local-oriented, which can be a plus or a minus depending on what you look for on the specific day. Among these are Armbrustschützen, Augustiner, Oide Wiesn and Schützen. Hacker-Festzelt accommodates different audiences from regulars to party people, from young to old. Also the Hofbräu tent has an international and party flavor, and the mix is also appreciated by the locals. Speaking about international, the Löwenbräu tent is definitely a must if you want to figure out why Munich becomes the center of the world during Oktoberfest. An incredibly high number of Italians awaits you: ready for a Vespa ride?
5. Behavior best to avoid
It is as easy to prepare a list on what to avoid, as it is hard to behave well when the beer starts flowing fast. Nonetheless best is to keep in mind these short list:
You might see people jumping on the tables and getting everyone’s attention while they drink up from their Maß. Amazing to stare at someone drinking so fast, but also watch out what happens next: the guys are immediately shown the door, so if you do it, you know what’s next ;)
Security is everywhere, and for a reason. Alcohol and Oktoberfest go hand in hand, but their job is to prevent things going in the wrong direction. And they will do intervene, so if you can don’t stand too much on the way and kindly follow their instructions if needed
Everyone is jumping to dance on the benches at some points during the night… but do not stand on the table! The table is for the food and for the beers, not for dancing, I know it might sound weird but they will show you your way out if you do so ;)
6. Safety
There is a high amount of police officers - around 600 - and over 2,000 security staff in the whole area to ensure safety at all times. On top lots of cameras are spread across the Wiesn. In case of emergency call 110.
Also for girls and women there is a dedicated space called Safe Space, where any girl or woman in danger can find support.
In case it happens to you to lose anything, you may try your luck and check out the Lost and found office.
7. Beyond the beer tents: what’s out there?
Obviously much more than only the big and small tents, the Oktoberfest has lots of amenities for people of all ages. You will notice there are two main alleys in the Wiesn one in between the tents and the other in between the attractions, with many carousels and roller coasters, but also food. Did you know there is also a huge observation wheel?
8. The Music
The music varies from tent to tent and definitely changes throughout the day. One which will be everywhere and played continuously is Ein Prosit at the end of which people cheer and drink. Hulapalu is a contagious hit played at Oktoberfest for decades now. Cordula Grün is another super hit (I personally love it), even if it has been around only since 2018. Atemlos dutch die Nacht is another pop classic that Germans love to sing aloud. On top of the local music, many international successes made their way to the Oktoberfest such as Sweet Caroline, Bella Ciao, Whatever will be, will be, and even the Icelandic Skol Clap Chant.
Most importantly try to get to some playlist on Spotify to tune in on the Oktoberfest vibe.
9. General
The official website oktoberfest.de offers tons of practical information you may wonder about, so always worth a visit.
Plan your visit (including the how to get there) in advance to make sure the chaos at the Wiesn doesn’t take you by surprise.
Note also that animals are not allowed in the Oktoberfest area.
Opening time is 10:00 a.m. everyday but on Sat and Sun when it’s at 09:00. The closing time of the area is at 23:30 (midnight on Fri and Sat) although bear in mind that the big tents close earlier than that.
10. Should I tip?
In Germany is customary to leave a tip when going to restaurants of around 5-10%. In Oktoberfest however the tip can play even an important role. If you think you will be staying at your table for long, it might be worth to tip the waiter/waitress to make sure to have his/her favor when it comes to ordering quick - or even ordering slow as the case may be - get food fast and so on.
Do you wanna know more about Oktoberfest? Check out our Fun Facts about Oktoberfest with the most interesting stories and curiosity about this display of pure madness.
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