Oktoberfest, a universal celebration

People singing and playing music during the Oktoberfest

[6] Germany

By Yoon Jie-min

Oktoberfest was not part of my initially planned itinerary during my trip because I thought the name Oktoberfest means it always takes place in October.

As it turns out, Oktoberfest actually starts on Sept. 20 and runs until Oct. 5, so I hurriedly departed from Zurich, Switzerland, to spend a weekend in Munich.

Because my decision was last minute, the first thing I had to do was find accommodation. Most of the hotels in the city were fully booked and even a dormitory bed in a hostel cost over 100 euros. Luckily, I was able to find a room right outside the city.

Oktoberfest is one of the world's largest festivals, attracting more than 6 million visitors every year. The festival is held at Theresienwiese, which means “Theresa's fields,” but locals call it by its shortened form, “Weisn.”

The city was in a really festive mood, even in the subway station. Most people heading to the festival were wearing traditional Bavarian clothing - men were wearing Lederhosen, or leather pants, while women were wearing Drindl dresses. From young to old, regardless of nationality, everyone was dressed up in costumes and enjoying the fair.

Gingerbread cookie necklaces add color to costumes

Hats are an important item to wear for both men and women, and are sold with feather decorations on the city streets. Another important part of the festival costume was the gingerbread cookie necklace, which were easy to find in the many stores decorated with a variety of gingerbread cookies. Looking at people's costumes made the festival a lot of fun even without the beer.

Still, Oktoberfest is all about beer. Beer tents of the local breweries are the major attractions for visitors and there they can sit down and drink from large one-liter glasses.

There were 14 tents this year and the most popular tents were fully booked. Locals or long-time regulars often reserve tables more than a year in advance.

People enjoying beer at one of the most popular beer tents

However, there was a way to get into the tents without a reservation. Most tents have a first-come, first-served section. Popular tents, such as Augustiner and Hofbräu, are hard to get in because people line up for non-reserved tables before the tent even opens at 10 a.m. To avoid large crowds, we went around a few tents and easily found one that only had reservations from the afternoon.

Wandering around different tents to find a table is quite entertaining because you get to see the different decorations and performances each tent has. Making their tents fabulous and enjoyable is very important for participating breweries. Breweries that are regular participants in the festival even produce their own souvenirs, such as limited edition beer glasses.

As much as drinking beer in one-liter glasses from early in the morning is an extraordinary experience, the food is also worth a try. Traditional pretzels and sausages blend really well with the beer.

Participants clinking glasses of beer at the festival

As people sat down to enjoy their drinks and food, bands started playing Bavarian music inside the tents - the music definitely elevated the festive mood. People wearing lederhosen or dirndl, with a glass of beer in one hand of course, started to sing along with the songs.

After enjoying the beer, there are many thrilling rides that await you. Rides actually take up a large part of the event, allowing under-aged youngsters to enjoy the festival without drinking. The rides are temporarily set up for Oktoberfest, but are as frightening as any you experience at an amusement park. The cost of each ride is affordable too, varying from 2 to 15 euros.

A girl selling hats with feather decorations

Oktoberfest is when Germans proudly display their culture by engaging people from all around the world through their food, drink and entertainment. It is a festival where you can become friends with anyone who shares a beer table with you, from young to old.

I was a little jealous that Munich had such a great festival for everyone. No matter who you are, how old you are, or where you come from, anyone can be part of the celebration.

If you plan a visit next year, keep in mind that Oktoberfest starts earlier than October. You might also want to book a table now!

A gentleman with a horse leading Hofbrau's wagon

A family wearing Drindle and Lederhosen

Article and photos by Yoon Jie-min

Yoon Jie-min is a former civil servant at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, where she worked in entertainment and cultural tourism. She currently travels around the world as a professional tourist visiting popular destinations and interviewing tourism professionals to figure how tourism works in the real world. She can be contacted at jieminism@gmail.com.