Oktoberfest, held in Munich, Germany, is the world’s largest ‘Volksfest’ (which means beer festival and travelling funfair) and runs mid September to the beginning of October. So it’s just finished – seems like the wrong time to be blogging, right? Wrong – you need to start planning Oktoberfest 2017 now!
Dating back to an 1810 party to celebrate the marriage of King Ludwing, Oktoberfest today attracts over 6 million people, from all over the world, to the 16-18 day beer festival.
The Beer
Only special Oktoberfest beer can be served at the festival. This must be brewed within the city limits of Munich and conform to the brewing traditions of Reinheitsgebot. Served only in 1L glass steins, the cold beer is a delicious golden brew, perfect for raising to the sky and joining in with the music. Only six brewers serve beer at Oktoberfest – be sure to try them all! Oktoberfest drinkers will consume over 6 million litres of beer during the festival!
The Tents
The most amazing thing about Oktoberfest is the beer tents. Temporary ‘beer halls’ which take over a month to construct are a work of art. The larger tents can accommodate over 10,000 people, whilst the smaller tents may seat only a couple of hundred. There are currently 14 large and 20 small tents, each with their own atmosphere.
You can pre-book tables in the tents, but will have to do so soon. Most tables are all booked by March, hence the need to start planning now! There is ‘walk-in’ availability in the tents, but you’ll need to arrive on the day by very early afternoon to get a table.
There’s normally a quiet brass-band playing sporadically throughout the day, but the real party starts at 6pm when the tents are allowed to turn the volume up. Each tent is different, but expect to find plenty of the sing-along classics.
The Dress
Oktoberfest dress is very important. At the very least, make some effort and wear a checked shirt. But with just that you’ll probably feel underdressed. Most mean wear a traditional leather Lederhosen, available for about £50 on eBay.
Woman wear traditional dresses called ‘Dirndl’. But beware ladies, where you wear the bow on the dress tells everyone your current relationship status. On your left hip means single, right means taken and in the middle – virgin. So choose wisely. Kinda like an older version of Tinder?
Transport and Accommodation
Getting to Oktoberfest is extremely simple. Flights to Munich are very reasonable and lots of airlines operate nationwide. There is an excellent direct train into Munich city centre from the airport, which costs approximately €12. An Uber taxi will be about €50.
We’d recommend booking accommodation early, but try and book one with free cancellation. That way, if you have a look nearer the time and find somewhere better then you can change your mind for free! Have a look at our recent blog on booking hotel rooms here.
Oktoberfest 2017 Checklist (Dates Sep 16th – Oct 3rd)
So, have we sold it to you? If so, here’s your Oktoberfest 2017 checklist:
- Find some friends and book some dates. We’d say you need 72 hours in Munich ideally.
- Book flights and accommodation. Get as close to Oktoberfest as possible – ideally within walking distance.
- Do your research on which tents sound the most appealing. They all offer a different atmosphere.
- BOOK TABLES IN YOUR CHOSEN TENTS BY FEBRUARY 2017!
- Get on eBay and buy the right attire. You will feel out of place in jeans and a t-shirt!
- Finally, get started working out the muscles in your drinking hand. Holding 1L of beer all day in a glass stein can be exhausting!
