Munich Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest（Wiesn） · Munich (Theresienwiese), Germany
The world's largest folk festival: giant beer tents on the Theresienwiese, Bavarian brass bands and a cry of 'O'zapft is!'
Antes de ir · Know before you go
- Don't bring large bags: only bags up to 3 litres and no bigger than 20×15×10 cm are allowed
- don't walk off with the beer mugs
- don't force your way into full tents in the evening — entrances may close temporarily
Stories & people
Historias y personajes
Historia
A festival that grew out of a royal wedding
On 12 October 1810 Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (later King Ludwig I) married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Celebrations were held on a meadow outside Munich, with a parade in regional costume — the first Oktoberfest; the venue was later named the 'Theresienwiese' after the princess.
Culture
Cultura y costumbres
Contexto cultural
Oktoberfest began with the celebrations of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese in 1810; its venue, the Theresienwiese, is named after the princess and nicknamed the 'Wiesn' by locals.
Costumbres locales
- At noon on opening day the Mayor of Munich taps the first keg in the Schottenhamel tent and cries 'O'zapft is!' ('It's tapped!')
- only then do the tents start serving beer
- many locals wear traditional dress: Lederhosen for men, the Dirndl for women
Etiquette
Normas y tabúes
Normas que se aplican aquí
Germany: most shops close on Sundays
- Shop for food and essentials on Saturday
- If you need to shop on Sunday, go to shops at railway stations, airports or petrol stations
- Planning a shopping trip for Sunday
There is no penalty — you will just find everything closed. Sunday is protected as a day of rest by the constitution, and each state allows only a few 'open Sundays' a year.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: Library of Congress law blog: Germany's shop opening laws
No lo haga DON'T
- Don't bring large bags: only bags up to 3 litres and no bigger than 20×15×10 cm are allowed
- don't walk off with the beer mugs
- don't force your way into full tents in the evening — entrances may close temporarily
Lo que aprecian los locales DO
- Locals appreciate visitors who sing along with the band and look each other in the eye when clinking glasses
- traditional dress earns you points but isn't required.
Plan your visit
Información práctica
| Fechas de 2027 | 18 de septiembre – 3 de octubre de 2027 |
|---|
Consejos de viaje
- In 2027 it runs from 18 September to 3 October
- the grounds and tents are free to enter, while the 'Oide Wiesn' area charges admission (EUR 4 for adults in 2026, free for under-14s)
- table reservations are handled by each tent and aren't required
- the big tents stop serving at 22:30 and close at 23:30
Programa de 2027
- The keg is tapped in the Schottenhamel tent at noon on Saturday 18 September 2027
- the festival closes on 3 October.
Photos
Fotos
kallerna · CC BY-SA 4.0
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User:Mattes · CC BY 3.0 de
Fuentes y notas de verificación
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