Oktoberfest is a beer festival that takes place in Bavaria from September to October. It is one of the biggest festivals in the world, attracting an estimated 6 million people every year, and it’s origins are equally grandiose. It is said to have been founded following a large celebration held by a German prince (who would later become king) back in 1810.
All of the citizens of Munich were invited to celebrate his matrimony, with horse races, dancing, and no doubt plenty of drinking. A year later this fair was repeated as a way of promoting local agriculture, and from there it grew into one of the biggest festivals of its type.
In 1960 the horse races stopped but the celebrations continued. The Oktoberfest has lived through the Napoleonic Wars and both World Wars; it has survived fascism, an outbreak of cholera, and terrorist attacks. It has endured and thrived much like the German people have, and the fact that it keeps on getting bigger and better is testament to their strength and passion for life.
When Is Oktoberfest?
The dates of Oktoberfest are not set. It typically runs from late September to early October, but it can also begin in mid-September and the festivities can last anywhere from 16 to 18 days. In 2018, Oktoberfest is due to begin on September 22nd and will end on October 7th.
You don’t need to stay for every day of the festival and can drop-in when you feel like it. Just get yourself some comfortable accommodation near to where it is taking place, plan your visit, and then enjoy yourself.
Beer is served from noon to 10:30pm on the opening day, from 10am to 10:30pm on weekdays, and from 9am to 10:30pm on weekends. The last tents close for business at 1am every day, with most revellers using the final couple hours to enjoy a cup of strong coffee or a spot of supper.
Where and How is Oktoberfest Celebrated?
Oktoberfest is one big celebration, typically centred around the bounty of food and beverages that Bavaria provides. This means that there is an abundance of great food and great drink, as well as lots of fun-loving people to share it with.
Oktoberfest also attracts lots of concurrent celebrations, promotions and events around the world. These can include other beer festivals, as well as food festivals and even special offers from drinks companies.
Oktoberfest 2018 will see the launch of its own lottery, one that is provided by the internet’s leading lottery platform, MultiLotto. Europeans love their lotteries after all, and Germans are some of the biggest players, so this will no doubt prove a popular addition to the Oktoberfest festivities.
The Oktoberfest Lottery offers a regular jackpot of €1 million and a boosted jackpot of €675 million, money that will definitely help to make it an Oktoberfest to remember for some lucky players. You don’t need to visit the festival to play the lottery. You just need to login to the MultiLotto website and buy lotto tickets through there.
The format is taken from the BonoLoto Spanish lottery, which offers great odds and is drawn 6 days a week (every day except Sunday).
When is the Best Time to Visit Oktoberfest?
It’s worth noting that Oktoberfest is not like a music festival where you take your own tent, set it up in the middle of a field and then spend a week or two there. The festival actually closes each night and the revellers go off to their respective hotels and hostels. So, if you are planning on visiting Bavaria for this festival you will need to book accommodation well in advance.
As you can imagine, a lot of people flock to the town for the festival and there are very few rooms left come October. If you are with your family and want a little more peace and quiet, then visit through the day during the week. If you want the maximum amount of noise, dancing, and entertainment, then drop-in during a Friday or Saturday night.
Do You Need To Book a Place at Oktoberfest?
You do not need to purchase tickets to visit Oktoberfest itself, but you will need to reserve seats in one of the beer tents. This is often done months in advance, as the booking process opens in December. It doesn’t cost anything, but many of the tents require you to pay for coupons, which can then be used to purchase beer and food when you are at the festival.
Is Oktoberfest Only About Drinking?
Alcohol plays a major part in the festivities. Vast quantities of the stuff are consumed every single year, over 6 million litres in fact, but there are more limitations on this than you might think. Firstly, it’s mostly beer. Secondly, all of that beer has to come from Bavaria. Oktoberfest is a celebration of local produce after all.
But don’t worry if you like your beer with a little more variety, as there are many different types of Bavarian beer to consume and it is also considered to be some of the best beer in the world. It’s pure—the regulators insist on it—and contains nothing but several basic ingredients.
As beer-centric as this festival is, you don’t need to like beer or drink a lot of it in order to enjoy yourself here. There are lots of fun things to do and watch, and there is also a lot of local delicacies to sample. If you still want to drink but aren't a big fan of beer, there is a wine tent containing lots of different local wines.
And if you do enjoy a beer or two, make sure you take it easy. The beer at Oktoberfest is brewed especially for the occasion and is very strong. Estimates suggest that over 600 people suffer from alcohol poisoning every year as a result of overindulgence and not quite understanding just how strong the beer is.
There are Red Cross tents there to provide assistance, but they often have their hands full, so be careful!
