Where, how and when is the Oktoberfest beer festival held? Oktoberfest: what it is and what people drink it with Beer festival in Munich Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest 2018: dates, history of the holiday and interesting facts. Read our article about how everything is organized and what you should definitely try!

Oktoberfest is one of the most famous holidays in Germany, as well as the largest folk festival in the world. It attracts about 6 million visitors annually from different parts of not only Bavaria, but throughout Germany, as well as guests from other countries.

About 70% of visitors are residents of Bavaria, the remaining 30% are visitors from other German states and tourists from all over the world.

FACT: Oktoberfest is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most big celebration in the world!

Oktoberfest takes place in 2018 from September 22 to October 7. Beer tents will open at 10.00 and close at 22.30. The festival is held on Theresienwiese (“Theresa’s meadow”), in the center of Munich, near the Main Station. The area of the Meadow is about 26 hectares!

The Oktoberfest is organized by the Munich administration. It allows only Munich brewing companies to participate in the festival, which brew a special drink for the holiday. Oktoberfestbier(Oktoberfest beer) with an alcohol content of 5.8-6.3%.

A liter glass of beer (Mass) at this year's Oktoberfest will cost a little more than 10 euros (which is very expensive by German standards).

history of the holiday

Oktoberfest first took place 205 years ago October 12, 1810 in honor of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig (future King Ludwig I) and Princess Theresa of Saxony-Hildburghaus. They were invited to the celebration in honor of their marriage all residents of Munich. In honor of the wedding, horse racing was also held on October 17. For this reason, different sources give different dates for the first Oktoberfest (October 12 and October 17). The celebration took place in the meadows, which at that time were located outside the city (and now it is almost in the very center of the city), and in honor of the bride these meadows were called Theresienwiese.

On the next one, 1811, a farmer's fair was added to the holiday with a showing and awarding of the most beautiful horses and bulls. In 1813, the holiday did not take place, since at that time Bavaria was drawn into the Napoleonic Wars.

A in 1818 At the next holiday, the first carousel and swing were installed. And of course, what is typical for Bavaria - the first beer stalls. But even this was not enough for people to have fun.

Initially, the holiday was organized and held privately. In 1819 The organization and management of the holiday were placed in the hands of the Munich city council. It was decided that Oktoberfest would be held every year without exception.

In 1896 owners of Munich taverns and taverns built real beer tents and “fortresses” together with breweries, and installed even more diverse attractions.

In 1872 Oktoberfest was extended and moved to the end of September - beginning of October, since at this time the weather in Munich in most cases is consistently good and daytime temperatures rise to +30 ° C, which increases the thirst of visitors and increases the income of the event organizers. However last sunday the holiday was supposed to remain in October. This tradition has survived to this day.

Oktoberfest in 1908

In 1910 Oktoberfest celebrated its centenary. On this occasion, 1.2 million liters of beer were sold. In 1913, the largest tent in the history of the festival was erected with 12,000 seats - Bräurosl, now has about 6,000 seats, the largest tent to date, Hofbräu-Festhalle, has about 10,000 seats.

The First and Second World Wars brought a forced break in the celebration of the “most national holiday" Only in 1950 Munich Mayor Thomas Wimmer resumed the holiday tradition, which is still maintained today.

On the first day of the holiday at exactly 12 o'clock with 12 shots into the sky and the opening of the first barrel of festive beer by the mayor of Munich with the characteristic exclamation “Ozapft is!” (translated from Bavarian something like “Uncorked!”) the head of the city solemnly begins the holiday.

Some numbers:

30% of the entire annual production of Munich breweries is drunk during the holiday;
12,000 people work at Oktoberfest, of which about 1,600 are waitresses;
about 1,500 toilets are available to visitors;
In total, about 100,000 seats will be provided for festival visitors.

The first day of the holiday is traditionally Saturday, which is why the duration may vary slightly (on average 15 days). The holiday ends on the first Sunday in October. If it falls on October 1 or 2, then the holiday is extended until October 3 (the day of German unification).

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Oktoberfest is considered one of the largest folk festivals in the world. It is visited annually by about six million people who come to Munich from all German states and from other countries. The official time of Oktoberfest is considered to be from mid-September to early October. In 2020, Oktoberfest will be held from September 19 to October 4, the traditional place is the city center, on Theresa's Meadow - next to the Main Station. The duration of the event is approximately 16 days. Tickets for Oktoberfest sell out almost instantly. The festival is famous for its variety of attractions and a large number of beer tents. The Oktoberfest is organized by the Munich city administration.

History of Oktoberfest

This beer festival was first organized in Germany on October 12, 1810. The initiator was a non-commissioned officer who proposed organizing horse races in a meadow in the vicinity of Munich. This event was celebrated in honor of the wedding of Princess Theresa of Saxony-Hildburghaus and Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria. Since then, the Oktoberfest festival has been held annually, with the exception of war years. In 1872, the holiday was moved from October to the end of September, since the weather in the city at that time was milder and warmer. Over the years, the Oktoberfest beer festival has been constantly modernized. For example, in 1881, the first chicken roaster began operating, and in 1892, beer began to be served in glass mugs. The official dates for Oktoberfest 2020 are September 19 - October 4.

Holiday program

Procession of beer tent owners. In 1887 Theresa's meadow was located outside of Munich. For the first time, the owners of attractions and tents left the city to open Oktoberfest together. Since then, such a procession has become the traditional official opening of the festival. In recent years, the procession began to be led by the mayor on a festive team and a Munich child, a symbol of the city. The procession is accompanied by beer tent orchestras. Barrels of beer are placed on the carts, from which the drink of one or another tent is served. The procession starts in the city center and ends at Theresa's Meadow, where the Oktoberfest takes place.

Opening of the first barrel. Exactly at 12 noon, immediately after the procession of the owners of the festive tents, the ceremony of driving the tap into the first barrel takes place. The current mayor in the Schottenhamel-Festzelt tent uses a special hammer to install a tap into a barrel of Oktoberfest beer. This process occurs under the characteristic exclamation “O’zapft is!” (which translated into Russian means “Uncorked!”), after this the Oktoberfest holiday in Germany can be considered open. The moment the first barrel is opened means that the owners of the tents receive official permission to bottle beer and sell it to visitors. According to tradition, the Minister-President of Bavaria gets the right to be the first to try the drink.

Costume procession. This ceremony first appeared in 1835 at the celebration silver wedding Princess Theresa and the Bavarian King Ludwig I. Since 1950, this event has been held every year and is one of the most important events during Oktoberfest. On the first Sunday of the festival, about 8,000 people dress up in national and historical costumes and move along a 7-kilometer route from the Bavarian parliament building (Maximilianeum) to Theresa's Meadow. At the head of this procession is a Munich child, followed by representatives of the city administration and the Bavarian government, usually the minister-president and his wife. National costume societies, orchestras and rifle squads, and approximately 40 festive teams take part in the procession. Mostly there are many visitors from Bavaria and its regions, but there are also representatives from Switzerland, Austria, northern Italy and other European countries who will take the opportunity to go on a tour to Oktoberfest 2020 this year.

Food and drink

Oktoberfest in Germany - what is it?

One of the most popular European holidays was and remains the Oktoberfest beer festival - a meeting of beer lovers, held annually in Bavarian Munich.
An event that brings together up to 7,000,000 people in two weeks in one place and pours up to 7,000,000 liters of Munich beer into this human mass!

The Bavarians remain true to tradition, and to this day it is held at Theresienwiese (Teresa's meadow), which has long ceased to be a suburb and is now located within the city limits and is connected to the center by several city metro lines.

Official address of Oktoberfest in Munich: Theresienwiese, 80339 München, Germany. There are three city metro stations directly next to Teresa's Meadow. The closest metro stop to the northeast entrance (two minutes walk) Theresienwiese.

The remaining metro stations are located a little further, on average a ten-minute walk from the entrances to the meadow. These are the stops Goetheplatz,Poccistrasse(next to the southeast entrances), and the train station Hackerbrucke, which is located near the northern entrance.

When it passes Oktoberfest in Germany (Munich)?

The festival always starts on the third Saturday in September and lasts 16 days, that is, until the first Sunday in October. And here exact dates Its implementation varies every year, as can be seen by looking at the Oktoberfest calendar:

In 2016 = = = from 17.09 to 03.10
In 2017 = = = from 16.09 to 03.10
In 2018 = = = from 22.09 to 07.10

How is Oktoberfest celebrated?

The first association for those who are going to Oktoberfest in Munich– these are mugs overflowing with foaming beer in the hands of Bavarian Frau, bursting with health and appetizing forms. Meanwhile, this holiday is not only a show, it is also a tribute to traditions, which the Bavarians sacredly honor. That is why the holiday has a scenario that repeats itself every year.

=> The first day of Oktoberfest begins with a parade of brewers - a solemn procession of the hosts of the holiday. Here you can see the owners of beer tents and snack bars, organizers of attractions and competitions. The parade is led personally by the Mayor of Munich, and the procession itself consists of carts with beer barrels, which will later be installed in the pavilions. The procession begins in the city center, from where it proceeds to Teresa’s meadow and marks full readiness for the start of the holiday.

The ceremony of opening the first beer barrel serves as the official signal for the opening of Oktoberfest. It begins exactly at noon after the procession of beer tent owners arrives at Teresa's Meadow. The procedure is carried out by the mayor of Munich, driving a copper tap into a wooden barrel of beer in the Schottenhammer tent with a wooden mallet.

After he pumps the tap into the first barrel, and the audience cheers him loudly « O'zapft is!» — « Open!"And, in fact, one of the most popular beer festivals not only in Europe, but throughout the world will begin.

=> Costume party – is held on the first Sunday after the opening of the festival. About 8,000 thousand Bavarians in national costumes, to the accompaniment of folk musicians, a solemn procession begins from the Bavarian Parliament building through the city center to Theresa’s Meadow. Not only ordinary citizens, but also government officials, including the minister-president and his family, take part in the parade.

Oktoberfest: festival food and drink

There is no doubt that the main character of Oktoberfest is beer. Festival beer is brewed according to a special recipe: it is aged a little longer, and its strength is slightly higher - from 5.8% to 6.3%. They drink it in tents, raising the mugs up with the exclamation “Prost!”, that is, “We will!”, “To your health”...

What kind of beer do they drink at Oktoberfest?

° Augustiner– traditionally, two pavilions of this manufacturer are installed at the festival, the drink is stored in oak barrels, its strength remains about 6%.
° Paulaner presents two varieties: 6% light and wheat beer.
°Hacker-Pschorr– this variety is produced in the family brewery of Teresa Hacker and Josef Pschorr. At Oktoberfest you can try light beer with an alcohol content of 5.8%.
° Spaten– offers its guests light lager beer with a strength of 5.2%.
°Hofbrau– the strongest Oktoberfest beer – 6.3%.
° Lowenbrau present two tents at the festival: Schützen-Festzelt and Löwenbräu-Festhalle.

Would you like a quality snack? Traditional Oktoberfest food will delight lovers of hearty cuisine. A variety of sausages, fried chicken, spit-roasted ox and pork butts. Side dishes for this meat splendor include potato and cabbage salads, pickles and seasonal vegetables.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

The approximate cost of the menu for 1 person, which will include: a liter of beer = 10.5 € + fried chicken or half of it = (15 € / 7.5 €) + Bretzen (Bavarian pretzel) = 4.5 €. Total: 25-35€ / person

And this is all despite the fact that you came on Monday at 10:00 at Theresienwiese and accidentally got places in the tent... In general, as we showed above, at Oktoberfest no one counts expenses, because to get into the tent you need buy a ticket to the tent very in advance (2-3-4 months, or even earlier) (especially on weekends - from Friday to Sunday), which includes food and a glass of beer too. So here is the cost of this entrance ticket, which includes for each person: 1 place at a table in a certain tent + 1 or 2 liters of beer + 1/2 grilled chicken or a 3-course menu, maybe up to 4,000 €!!! Well, the very average price of a ticket is approximately 150€-250€ per person.

Are you planning your expenses? Focusing on your individual needs and capabilities, you are unlikely to be able to limit yourself to just one mug of beer!

Important:You can generally pay at the festival only in cash. In many cases, bank cards are not accepted for payment! If you plan to spend the whole day in Teresa's meadow, stock up on cash in the amount of 50-60 € per person. Stocked up? Now add another 100-200-300 € to them - after all, the soul has already gone to celebrate!

Come to Oktoberfest with the whole family!

It may seem like a beer festival Oktoberfest– an event exclusively for adults. However, it is not. Bavarians come here with the whole family, with children and even dogs!

Traditional Oktoberfest entertainment includes games and competitions, mirror rooms and labyrinths, all kinds of attractions and carousels with animal figures for the little ones, as well as the famous roller coaster, and of course, the Ferris wheel!

!!! Children under 15 years old can only stay in beer tents if accompanied by adults and only until 20-00!
!!! Try not to let the younger generation out of sight - cases when children get lost in the hustle and bustle of the festival are not uncommon! This fact forced the Bavarian branch of the Red Cross to open a special point in Teresa's Glade to look after lost children.

Oktoberfest in Munich dates 2017

Oktoberfest will begin this year 2017 16 of September and it will end October 3 . A distinctive detail of this year will be that the last day of the holiday, 10/03/17, coincides with another important event in the life of Germany - the celebration of German Unity Day. Therefore, the show program associated with the closing of Oktoberfest will be held on a wide scale - fireworks and other bells and whistles.

For the attention of numerous guests and beer lovers! The festival does not operate around the clock, but according to the following schedule:

10:00 – 22:30 (weekdays)
9:00–22:30 (weekends and holidays);

There are tents open until 1 am, for example, Kuffler’s Weinzelt tent .

5 life hacks for those going to Oktoberfest

LH#1— It is better to plan a visit to Oktoberfest for the 2nd week of the holiday. This is due to the fact that the main influx of guests is already beginning to subside and finding a place in the tent will not be as difficult as during the opening week. True, the Bavarians call the 2nd week “Italian week”, because... Noisy Italians traditionally flock to Munich at this time :)

LH#3— The optimal time to visit Oktoberfest is no later than 14:00. In this case, from Monday to Thursday, you have a chance to find a place without prior reservation. You can see how busy the festival site is right now online (real picture only during the holiday) on the Oktoberfest webcam.

LH#4— How to find a free place in a tent if it seems to you that everything is already occupied? Go to the tent (if you can, especially on weekends :-)), and after ordering a beer, take a free place next to the platform where the orchestra is playing. Dance, have fun, and when the mug is empty, place it on the nearest table, asking the visitors sitting at it if this can be done. The answer in 99% of cases will be positive! After one or two such requests, you will most likely be invited to the table.

LH#5— Do you want to try something unusual? Then look into the tent Ochsenbraterei, where they prepare the meat of a bull roasted on a spit. Unlike traditional chicken and sausages, this dish is not served at other stalls. By the way, filming of one of the stories of the program “” with the participation of a Munich guide and the creator of the tour. company " Your guide in Bavaria» Alexey Usik, took place just in the Ochsenbraterei tent.

Oktoberfest in Germany is the world's largest beer festival!

Every year Oktoberfest is visited by 6-7,000,000 people, who, according to statistics, drink 6-7 million liters of beer. The canonical “dose” is a liter glass mug (popular name “maas”). This is the mug most often brought as a souvenir by those who managed to attend the festival :)

! Many people strive to get a “souvenir” directly on the spot - simply put, to take out the mug in which the waiter brought the ordered beer. However, be prepared for the fact that a security guard may stop you on the way out and confiscate your “souvenir” and even fine you.

What else can you bring from Oktoberfest?

If you weren’t able to take out the coveted beer container for free, don’t despair! On Therese Meadow itself, as well as in Munich, during the Oktoberfest days there are many souvenir shops and benches where you can pick up souvenirs for every taste:

✔ dishes with symbols of famous breweries;
✔ national Bavarian clothing or its individual elements: leather pants with suspenders, a hat with a feather for men, bright aprons, blouses for women, scarves with the Bavarian flag for everyone.
✔ colorful gingerbread cookies in the shape of hearts of large and small sizes, with the traditional inscription: Gruss vom Oktoberfest,
✔ and, of course, beer!

! Don't forget to send your package (or just a postcard) from the post office specially opened for each Oktoberfest! At the post office you can buy not only postcards and souvenirs, but also special stamps issued once a year, only on the occasion of the festival.

Hotels near Oktoberfest in Munich

The most expensive hotels in Munich during the period of the largest beer festival in the world - Oktoberfest, during this period, of course, are those that are located nearby, in the immediate vicinity of the festival site - Theresienwiese. And since the meadow is located almost in the center of the city, accordingly, ALL Munich hotels increase in price several times from mid-September to early October.

The most popular Munich hotels near Oktoberfest on the streets:
Landwehrstrasse, Schwanthallerstrasse, Goethestrasse, Pettenkoferstrasse, Schillerstrasse, Sonnenstrasse and others.

The most popular three-star hotels are especially popular among Russians:
"Atlas City", "TRYP München City Center", "Best Western Atrium", "Courtyard by Marriot", "Adagio", "Mercure Hotel", "Germania" and others.

In the Premium segment, this is, of course: “Königshof”, “Bayerischer Hof”, “Mandarin”, “Kempinski”, “Rocco Forte”, “Platzl”, “Sofitel”.

Private guides in Munich

Do you want your visit to Oktoberfest to be as comfortable as possible? Don’t want to stand in lines for a long time to get into the tents and are afraid of the language barrier?

Then use the services Russian speaking company in Munich, which was created specifically to work in the capital of Bavaria with clients from Russian-speaking countries. Its staff will help you overcome any difficulties associated with traveling to Oktoberfest - from reserving a place in the right tent to transferring anywhere in Munich and Bavaria. Just remember - you need to reserve places in tents, especially if you are traveling in a group, very well in advance!

Contact the head of the company Alexey Usik You can use the website www.vash-gid-v-bavarii.ru.

Oktoberfest Munich - photos and videos

In the photo selection of Oktoberfest photographs we took, you can see the emotions and everyday life of this largest beer festival in the world, taking place in Munich!

Oktoberfest is a mirror of Bavarian flavor.

There are several names for the holiday, which is the main event of the Munich calendar. You and I know the name, which reflects its end on the first Sunday of October - (German). Munich residents call it affectionately and briefly after its location on the city meadow Wiesn (“Wiesn” is translated from the Bavarian dialect as “meadow”). Germans from the northern lands, based on the classification of holidays, call it Folk and designate it as the largest Volksfest (German: Volksfest - folk holiday). And not just a folk festival, but a national beer festival, delights the world for 15 days with an abundance of food and drinks in beer tents and restaurants and the fun of numerous attractions.

Oktoberfest 2019 timings:

"Charter" of Oktoberfest:

Only Munich breweries take part in the festival:
Spaten-Franziskaner (German Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu), Augustiner (German, Augustiner-Bräu) Paulaner (German Paulaner), Hacker-Pschorr (German Hacker-Pschorr), Hofbräu (German Hofbräu) and Löwenbrau (German L owenbräu).
For the holiday, a special beer is brewed, called Oktoberfest beer (German: Oktoberfestbier) with an alcohol content of 5.8-6.3% and complying with the Bavarian law on beer purity.

History of Oktoberfest:

It began with the celebration of the marriage of the son of the first Bavarian king, Crown Prince Ludwig Wittelsbach, with Princess Theresa of Saxony-Hildburghaus. The wedding took place for a week starting on October 12, 1810. The people welcomed the newlyweds with horse races organized using the money raised. The meadow where this event took place (and still takes place!) was named after the bride - Teresia Meadow. After 9 years, the holiday had already established itself as a beer hall and was transferred from a private initiative to the Munich city leadership as an annual city holiday.

Oktoberfest traditions:

Ceremonial departure of the owners of beer tents and attractions
The opening ceremony of the first barrel of beer and the sale of beer and other drinks only in liter mugs, called "Mass"
Costume procession

The parade exit (German: Einzug der Wiesnwirte) became the official opening of the holiday and delights Munich residents, who on the long-awaited September Saturday greet the procession on the central streets of Munich. The head of the city, the mayor of Munich, who is also the mayor of Munich, waves his hand at the townspeople, riding in one of the forest of elegant teams. Someone from the crowd of people staring will be showered with candy, and someone will be given a sip from their mug by colorful waitresses. The mood is there - the holiday has begun!
The first barrel of festive beer of the Spaten brand is opened at 12.00 by the mayor of Munich, driving the tap into it with a wooden hammer with the nth blow and the first mugs of the “mass” of Oktoberfest beer are poured. The best indicator is 1 blow (Chief Mayor Christian Uhde in 2006), the worst is 19 blows (Chief Mayor Thomas Wimmer in 1950). The phrase is pronounced sacramentally"O'zapft is!" " Oh zapft-is” - from Bavarian into Russian in a free translation it sounds like “uncorked”, the intonation of joy is untranslatable!

The costume procession was held for the first time in 1835 on the silver anniversary of the same famous wedding. The Crown Prince became the loving Bavarian philanthropist King Ludwig I, and the meadow continued to bear the name of his wife Theresa. Years passed, a century changed, the Second World War ended and Germany was demilitarized, and from that moment, from 1950, the festive parade in national and historical costumes (German: Trachtenumzug), 7 km long and numbering up to 8 thousand participants, became an integral part of the part of Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest in numbers:

14 large and 15 small beer tents and restaurants are open to visitors.
The largest tent-restaurant Hofbräuhaus has 10 thousand seats
Every year Oktoberfest is visited by 6 to 7 million visitors who drink according to statistics recent years 6.9-7.2 million liters of beer and eat 0.5 million fried chicken Oktoberfest serves 12 thousand people and has thousand seats.

The price of a liter of beer increases every year. The price of a liter of beer in 2019 is from 10.70 Euro to 11.50 Euro in different tents. The price of a liter of mineral water is 8.70 Euro, lemonade from 9.20 to 9.80 Euro. The liter in Bavaria is called "Mass", and this is the measure used to sell all the drinks in the tents at Oktoberfest.
The number of toilets is 830, and 17 of them are specially equipped for disabled people.
National Women's bavarian costume called "Dirndl" and men's leather pants "Lederhosen"

Oktoberfest cuisine:

The main drink of Oktoberfest is specially brewed long-aged beer, which can only be purchased at this time. The strength of this beer with a strong malt taste is from 5.8 to 6.3%. Visitors to Oktoberfest try a variety of wines, including young ones, as well as strong alcoholic drinks, cocktails and, of course, soft drinks. The most popular, for women, drinks made from beer and lemonade are Radler and Roussin, which contain approximately 2.5% alcohol.
Fried chicken (in Bavarian “Hendl”, “handle”) is very popular as a snack for beer. Usually servedhalf a chicken (German: halbes Hendl, “halbes Handl”), huge pretzel bagels “Brezn” (German: Brezn), white Munich sausages “Weisswurst” (German: Weisswurst), potato salad “kartoffelsalat” (German: Kartoffelsalat) and cabbage too, as well as grilled pork knee “Schweinshaxe” (German: Schweinshaxe), pieces of castrated bull roasted on a spit and fish “Steckrlfisch” baked on a wooden stake. Bon appetit!

Sad chronicle of Oktoberfest:

In 1980, a terrorist attack at the main entrance to Oktoberfest killed 13 and injured more than 200 visitors. The terrorist, right-wing extremist Gundolf Köhler, also died in the explosion. This terrorist attack did not lead to the cancellation of the holiday. [ According to the official investigation, it is believed that he acted alone, but doubts still exist.
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 did not lead to the cancellation of Oktoberfest, but festivities were canceled as a sign of solidarity.

This is interesting to know about Oktoberfest:

The festival is known to the world for its gigantic beer tents from 1 thousand to 10 thousand seats, which are managed by the owners (German: Festwirt) according to family tradition, sometimes these are descendants of the first owners of beer tents, who stood at the origins of the holiday in the 19th century. Tents, or rather restaurants made of lightweight wooden building materials, are built in a couple of months, and dismantled, as well as attractions, in a couple of weeks, and the empty Theresian Meadow again serves the people of Munich as a city park.
Since 1950, there has been a tradition to start the holiday with twelve shots into the sky from a cannon and the opening of the first barrel of beer by the mayor of Munich in the Schottenhamel tent (German: Schottenhamel is the owner's surname). The first mug is poured to the Prime Minister of Bavaria, then to the politicians and their wives.
An indispensable and obligatory participant in all festive events Oktoberfest is the Munich Child (German: Münchner Kindl) - alive, in the flesh, a symbol of the city. As a rule, this role is played by a teenage girl, a blonde, the daughter of a family of brewers, dressed in the clothes of a Munich monk, sitting on a horse with a mug of beer in her hands. She is very vaguely reminiscent of her “double” depicted on the gates of the mayor’s office and the city’s coat of arms.

Visit Oktoberfest for the first time with a guide as the final phase of your acquaintance with the Old Town. This will give you a chance to immediately see and feel the real folk color of Oktoberfest, and learn the history of the holiday, and learn how to navigate its crowded and cheerful streets. The knowledge you gain will give you confidence and open up opportunities to relax and have fun at Oktoberfest.
Be sure to try Augustiner brand beer (German, Augustiner-Bräu) , the oldest of Munich, traditional, bottled from oak barrels.
Ride on an ancient 19th-century carousel to the nostalgic melodies of a live orchestra.
Carefully read the program of the entire holiday: there are days for families with children, a performance by a joint orchestra, fireworks and other interesting events. Take a look at the ancient folk theater.
Try not only beer and chicken, but also the Bavarian delicacy - fish (usually trout) baked on a wooden stake (German: Steckerlfisch), as well as traditional sugar nuts and chocolate-covered fruit. Bon appetit and happy holiday!

And if you would like to come to us during Oktoberfest, then I, Julia Noder, a tour guide and guide to Munich and Bavaria, would like to say:

Welcome to Munich and Bavaria for the world's largest beer festival, Oktoberfest!
See you again on our hospitable German Bavarian soil!

Oktoberfest (October festivities, German Oktoberfest is a folk festival held annually in Munich (Germany), the world's largest beer festival.

Oktoberfest is organized and conducted by the Munich administration. Only Munich brewing companies are allowed to participate in this festival, which brew for it a special Oktoberfest beer (German Oktoberfestbier) with an alcohol content of 5.8-6.3%, which at other times of the year is usually called March or Vienna.

history of the holiday

The holiday has a long history. Since 1872 it begins in September. The first day is traditionally Saturday, which is why the duration can vary greatly (on average 16 days). The holiday ends on the first Sunday in October. If it falls on October 1 or 2, then the holiday is extended until October 3.

Oktoberfest first took place on October 12, 1810 in honor of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig (future King Ludwig I) and Princess Theresa of Saxony-Hildburghaus (the meadow where the festival takes place is named after her). In honor of the wedding, horse racing was also held on October 17. For this reason, different sources give different dates for the first Oktoberfest (October 12 and October 17).

Initially, the holiday was organized and held privately. In 1819, the organization and management of the holiday was placed in the hands of the Munich city council. It was decided that Oktoberfest would be held every year without exception.

In 1872, Oktoberfest was first moved to the end of September - beginning of October, since at this time the weather in Munich was more comfortable than in mid-October. In 1904, the final decision was made to move the holiday to the end of September, but the last Sunday of the holiday was supposed to be in October. This tradition has survived to this day.

In 1881, the first chicken roaster opened, and in 1892, beer was first served in the now familiar glass mugs. Around the same time, the tents in which beer was sold took on the appearance that they have now.

In 1910, Oktoberfest celebrated its centenary. On this occasion, 1.2 million liters of beer were sold. In 1913, the largest tent in the history of the holiday was erected with 12,000 seats.

From 1914 to 1918, Oktoberfest was not held due to the First World War. In 1919 and 1920, Oktoberfest was renamed " Autumn holiday"(German: Herbstfest).

In 1936-1938, the Bavarian blue and white flags that decorated the holiday were replaced by Nazi flags with a swastika.

From 1946 to 1948, only the “Autumn Festival” was celebrated again. The bottling of real “Oktoberfest beer” was prohibited - visitors had to be content with the permitted low-alcohol (< 2 %) пивом.

Since 1950, there has been a tradition to begin the holiday with twelve shots into the sky from a cannon, as well as the opening of the first barrel of festive beer by the mayor of Munich with the characteristic exclamation “O’zapft is!”

Since 1960, there has been an influx of foreign tourists to Oktoberfest.

In 1980, a terrorist attack at the main entrance to Oktoberfest killed 13 and injured more than 200 visitors. However, this terrorist attack did not lead to the cancellation of the holiday.

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 did not lead to the cancellation of Oktoberfest, although this possibility was seriously discussed by the organizers. As a sign of solidarity with the victims of terrorist attacks, the organizers abandoned the ceremonies for the departure of the owners of beer tents and the uncorking of the first barrel. The festive fireworks display was also cancelled.

Photo: xexe.club

Every year, Oktoberfest attracts about 6 million visitors, who drink about 6 million liters of beer and eat 500,000 fried chicken.
Oktoberfest employs 12,000 people.
The festival offers 100,000 seats for visitors.
Six breweries have the right to take part in the festival - Spaten, Augustiner, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräuhaus, Löwenbräu, which sold 5 in 2004. 5 million liters of beer (6.1 in 2003).
The holiday's turnover in 2006 amounted to 449 million euros.
For hotel accommodation and travel to public transport Holiday guests spent more than 500 million euros in 2006.
The price of a liter of beer, as a rule, increases every year. So, in 2007 it ranged from 7.30 to 7.90 euros, and in 2008 from 7.80 to 8.30 euros.
In 2007, 351 pickpockets were recorded, 99 fewer than in 2006.
The volume of music in tents before 18:00 should not exceed 85 decibels.
To supply the holiday with electricity, 18 transformers and 43 kilometers of electric cable are used.
Energy consumption is approximately 3 million kilowatt-hours, which corresponds to approximately 13% of Munich's daily electricity consumption.
A beer tent consumes about 400 kilowatt-hours, large attractions about 300.
To supply the tents with gas, a four-kilometer network of gas pipes was laid.
200 thousand cubic meters of gas are consumed by kitchens and another 20 thousand are spent on heating beer gardens located in the open air.
The volume of beer sold in a mug should not differ from 1 liter by more than a tenth. Compliance with this rule is monitored by a special society “Verein gegen betrügerisches Einschenken”.
830 toilets equipped with regular toilets and urinals with a total length of 750 meters are open to visitors. 17 specially equipped toilets are available for disabled people.