All Things Oktoberfest✦Prost!

Prost!

Naturally, Oktoberfest is on all study abroad students wish-list activities. I attended the opening weekend of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany last September. With the kick-off to the festival’s 183rd year this upcoming weekend, read on for all things Oktoberfest!

What is Oktoberfest?

Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest (beer festival). Starting on October 12, 1810 for a royal wedding, Oktoberfest now sees more than 6 million people each year. Packed with amusement park rides, endless Bavarian food and of course, beer.

When and where is Oktoberefst?

Oktoberfest has multiple locations. However, the original location is in Munich, Germany. The Munich festival starts this weekend, September 17 and ends October 3.

If you are headed to Oktoberfest this upcoming weekend, the Schottenhamel tent is where you want to go to be apart of the official opening ceremonies. At 12 noon, the Mayor of Munich taps the first keg in the Schottenhamel tent.

I attended the first weekend and stayed in the Löwenbräu-Festhalle tent. Although the Mayor was not in my tent, it did not effect the joyous celebration of the start to the century-old Festival.

Also, it is recommended to arrive on the early side if you want to snag seats. If you are seat-less, you will not be served the Oktoberfest beer. My friends and I arrived around 8am to secure a table!

How many tents are at Oktoberfest?

There are fourteen tents to choose from at Oktoberfest. Each tent has a different size and vibe. Check out: http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/navitem/Beer+Tents/  for more information on the various tents.

Where do I stay?

There are many different accommodations for housing in Munich. Book early because Oktoberfest is one of the busiest times of the year for the city!

1. Hostels- Hostels are a great place to meet other festival-goers. Plus, they are one of the cheapest options!
2. Hotels- If you feel like spending a little more money for better accommodations, hotels are the place to stay.
3. Stoke Campsite- I went to Oktoberfest with the tour group, Bus2Alps. All of the students with Bus2Alps and about 2,000 more people, stayed at this campsite, right outside of Munich. If you’re ready for a wild weekend, I 100% recommend staying at Stoke Campsite. Run by a bunch of Australians, Stoke provides two-person tents with mattresses and sleeping bags. For twenty euro, you can purchase unlimited beer and sangria along with your complimentary breakfast and dinner. The showers were chilly, the tents were small but the staff was incredible and the experience was unforgettable. I definitely recommend this adventure!

For more information visit: http://stoketravel.com/trips/oktoberfest/

What do I wear?

Although it is not required to wear the traditional Oktoberfest attire, I definitely recommend purchasing a Lederhosen or a Dirndl.

Lederhosen’s, around 100 euro (or more), are worn by the men of Oktoberfest. You will see the leather breeches usually accompanied with a colorful, checkered shirt.

Dirndl’s are the outfits for women; which consist of a blouse, an apron and a dress or skirt. It took some time, but my roommates and I finally found a store where the Dirndl’s were around 40 euro.

Definitely wear comfortable shoes! I wore leather boots and knee-high socks and I was very comfortable all day. You don’t want to find yourself dancing on top of tables in high-heeled shoes!

How much money should I bring?

This really depends on your budget. If you are interested in experiencing other activities in Munich, I would bring more money. With this said, you don’t have to drain your wallet to attend Oktoberfest.

Each stein(beer) is around 11 euro, which yes, seems expensive at first, but wait until you see the size! Snacks are around 4-7 euros while larger meals are around 12-15 euros. Amusement park rides are 5-10 euros.

Remember to have cash!

Side tips:

1. Make sure to tip your server as they are more susceptible to stop by your table! Plus, I am sure you’ll be impressed about how many steins the servers can carry in one round— I was literally tired of holding my stein after two minutes. The servers carry multiple in both hands all day long!

2. Practice saying “prost” as that is the word you use to cheers!

3. If you stand up and put your foot on the table to chug your beer, be prepared to finish or expect some boos! If you do finish, the entire tent of thousands of people will be cheering for you.

4. Tying the knot- The way you tie your apron indicates your relationship status. My roommates are I were unaware of this and were asked if we were widowed because we tied out knots in the back. Knots tied on the left indicate that you are single and knots on the left are that you are in a relationship.

5. Use the buddy system! With tents ranging from 1,000 to 8,500 people; it can be easy to lose your group.

6. Not a beer fan? Order a Radler: half Oktoberfest beer and half lemonade.

7. Make sure to pace yourself! After waiting a couple of hours for the tapping of the keg the opening weekend, my friends and I were overjoyed when we finally took that first sip of beer. However, it is important to know that Oktoberfest beer may affect you more than your typical frat-house beer. It is a marathon and definitely not a sprint!

8. Research the festival. Of course, drinking beer and dancing with friends calls for a great time. However, I wish that I was more aware of the history of Oktoberfest before I attended the festival.

9. Discover Munich! If you have time, I recommend a bike-tour of Munich. Not only is it a great way to get your blood flowing before one of the longest days of your life, but taking Munich by bike really allows you to see the city for yourself and all of it’s history.

10. Most importantly, focus on safety and have the time of your life! Oktoberfest is really just thousands of people thriving on happiness and community.