Oktoberfest: the history of the holiday. Beer festival oktoberfest in munich

Every year at the beginning of autumn, millions of people from all over Germany and from many other countries of the world take off and rush to Munich to take part in the grandiose action, the most popular folk festival in the world - Oktoberfest. This is a cycle of fun, dances, songs, round dances, and all this is washed down with a huge amount of beer, jammed with tons of fried sausages, chicken legs and pretzels. Oktoberfest is a celebration of freedom and intemperance, and attendees need to forget about calories and figure, because this is the world's greatest beer festival.

It is held in Munich in the second half of September - early October under the auspices of the city municipality. Only six breweries in Munich have the right to supply beer to Oktoberfest, supplying special "festival" beer that meets the requirements of the "Beer Purity Law" of 1516. Outside Oktoberfest, this beer is referred to as "March", its strength is about 6%.

History of Oktoberfest

The festival was first held on October 12, 1810. On this day, the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghaus took place. The prince decided to celebrate this event with a grand celebration for the Bavarians. The festivities took place outside the city limits on the field, which has since become known as Teresa's meadow. More than 40 thousand people took part in the celebration. On Teresa's Meadow (in everyday life just Meadow) Oktoberfest is still taking place. According to other sources, the first festival took place on October 17, when horse races were held in honor of the wedding.

The festivities were so successful that Ludwig decided to hold them annually. In 1811, during the festivities, an agricultural exhibition was held, which became a tradition of the festival. True, now it is carried out at 4 years. 1813 had to be skipped because Europe was at war with Napoleon, but already in 1814 the festival resumed. Beer comes to the fore more and more - the participants of the holiday report a lot of beer tents set up on the Meadow.

At first, the holiday was an event held royal family privately. In 1819, the prince transferred the organizational functions to the Munich municipality. And in 1850, Oktoberfest acquired its symbol - a statue of Bavaria, installed on the Meadow.

The holiday was celebrated almost every year; only such serious disasters as wars or epidemics could prevent it. In 1872, due to weather conditions, it was decided to postpone the festival to an earlier date, and in 1904 they finally decided on the timing of the celebration of Oktoberfest - the holiday was held from the 3rd Saturday of September to the 1st Sunday of October.

Little by little Oktoberfest took on its current form. In 1881 fried chicken appeared, in 1892 - liter glass mugs. Previously, the tents had bowling alleys, dance floors and other objects of the "entertainment industry", but at the end of the 19th century they were moved outside, as the tents became crowded.

The twentieth century began difficult for Oktoberfest. Before the First World War, the festival was at the peak of popularity - so, in 1913, a record was set for the capacity of the beer pavilion - 12,000 seats. But then on long years I had to forget about the holiday - during the war it was not held at all, and after it ended, a severe crisis did not allow organizing a truly mass celebration. The Nazis who came to power gave the festival their own symbols, banned a number of attractions, and with the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the festival again disappeared from the calendar. Only 10 years later, the Munich authorities revived the Oktoberfest in its original form.

Main events of the festival

Since 1887, the holiday has been opened with a procession of the owners of beer pavilions. The procession is led by the Munich child, the symbol of the city, accompanied by the mayor of the Bavarian capital. They sit on a decorated team, followed by elegant carts of tent owners with their families, accompanied by their orchestras. The carts are drawn by horses and buffaloes. Each owner carries a barrel of his signature beer, which he will pour at Oktoberfest. The owners of the rides are also indispensable participants in the procession.

The route of the procession passes through the central streets of the city and ends at Teresa's meadow. The procession is a very impressive sight. It lasts about an hour and usually has about 1000 participants. The streets along which the motorcade is moving are filled with many thousands of Munich residents and guests of the city, there is a live broadcast about this event on television, in which many famous personalities of Germany and Europe always take part.

After the procession arrives at Lug at noon, the culminating event of the opening day of the festival takes place - the uncorking of the first barrel. This honorable duty is performed by the mayor of the city, who must drive the tap into the barrel with a wooden mallet. Having driven in the tap, the chief burgomaster proclaims - “Uncorked!” At this moment, 12 rifle volleys are fired from the steps of the pedestal of the statue of Bavaria. This is a signal for the opening of the holiday - now the owners of the tents can start selling beer. And the first mug is traditionally offered to the Prime Minister of Bavaria.

Every year there are many bets on how many blows the mayor will take to open the barrel. It has its own records and anti-records. The record holder is Christian Ude, who in 2006 had one hit. At the end of the line of mayors is Thomas Wimmer, who in 1950 was only lucky on his 19th attempt.

The oldest Oktoberfest tradition is the costume parade, which was held for the first time in 1835, on the 25th wedding anniversary of Oktoberfest founders Ludwig and Teresa. This event became an annual event in 1950. This is perhaps the most impressive event of the festival, taking place on the first Sunday of Oktoberfest. At 10 o'clock in the morning, the procession, numbering 8-9 thousand participants, sets off from the Bavarian Landtag to Theresa Meadow. The length of the route is about 7 km.

The traditional Munich child leads the procession, accompanied by representatives of the Munich municipality and the government of Bavaria. They are followed by over forty wagons and carriages, teams of beer pavilion owners, orchestras and delegations of various historical and ethnographic communities, shooting associations, etc. They gather from all over Western Europe. All of them are dressed in their unique national and corporate clothes. When looking at this large-scale, noisy, unimaginably colorful and colorful spectacle, a comparison with the famous Brazilian carnival involuntarily suggests itself.

How is Oktoberfest

As attractive as the festive events are, they are not the main part of the Oktoberfest. The true atmosphere of the holiday can be felt only by communicating with its participants in Teresa's Meadow. It is impossible to convey in words this infectious reckless fun that reigns in and around beer tents, with indispensable drunken fraternization on different languages, choral singing, dancing on the table and abundant beer libations.

The main objects of the festival "architecture" are, of course, the famous beer tents. They belong to six Munich breweries, whose names are brands known to beer lovers around the world. These are Augustiner, Paulaner, Löwenbrau, Franciscaner, Hofbrau and Hacker-Pschorr. In total, the festival usually has 14 large (up to 10 thousand seats) and 15-20 small (less than 1000) pavilions. They are not able to accommodate everyone, so beer lawns are equipped next to the pavilions, where tables are also set.

Beer at Oktoberfest can only be drunk at tables, which are always sorely lacking, so the queues for tents are huge. The drink is served exclusively in liter mugs, so neither a Russian lover of half-liter containers, nor an Englishman who is used to pints has a chance to get their favorite volume from colorful waitresses.

The waitresses themselves are one of a kind symbols of Oktoberfest. They are always very cute and dressed in national Bavarian costumes. At the same time, they are professionals in their field. The regulars of the festival talk about a certain Anita Schwartz, who managed to carry 19 mugs for 40 meters without spilling a drop.

Served snacks are very tasty and high in calories. These are traditional sausages and sausages, fried chicken, beef and pork dishes, baked trout, salted pretzels, and for lovers - a variety of sweets.
Beer is definitely the king of the festival. During the two weeks of the holiday, up to a third of all the beer produced in Munich in a year is drunk. In addition to beer, special tents offer guests juices, young wine of various varieties, strong drinks and much more.

The festival has a whole amusement park with swings, carousels, roller coasters, bungee rides and a Ferris wheel. Many festival guests spend the whole day here without having tasted beer. Recently, "children's days" have been established, when the cafe has a children's menu, and discounts are provided on the rides. Held various competitions, performances by amateur orchestras, costume shows, etc., so even the most notorious teetotaler will not get bored at Oktoberfest.

The glory of Oktoberfest has long crossed national borders and acquired a global scale. Every third inhabitant of Germany has visited the festival at least once, and the record was set in 1985 - 7.5 million guests. None of the festivities in the world gathered more participants. So it is worth coming here at least once to see that this fame is well deserved.

Oktoberfest is the most popular and massive folk festival in the world. Every year, with the advent of autumn, millions of people visit the southeastern part of Bavaria. It is there, in the city of Munich, that the festival will be held in the next couple of weeks. whirlwind good mood and unrestrained fun, music and dancing will absorb you.

Tons of fried chicken and Bavarian sausages, fish and pretzels, washed down with an unrealistic number of liters of beer. Those who come here should forget about diets for a while and the right way life because Oktoberfest is the biggest beer festival in the world.

As soon as the celebration of the next Oktoberfest comes to an end, preparations for the new Festival of the next year immediately begin. Oktoberfest is a Munich creation, its duration is two to three weeks. The third Saturday in September is traditionally considered the start of Oktoberfest, and Oktoberfest ends on the first Sunday in October. But if Sunday falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the holiday will be extended until October 3 (Day of German Unity). In 2018, the Oktoberfest celebration will last 15 days, from September 22 to October 7.

Beer, for the celebration of Oktoberfest, can produce and supply only six Munich breweries. This beer complies with the requirements of the "Beer Purity Law" issued in 1516. This law prescribes the composition of beer, which must consist of three components: barley, hops and water. In non-holiday times, this beer is called “March” and its strength reaches 6%.

History of the Oktoberfest Beer Festival

October 12, 1810 is considered the date of the origin of Oktoberfest. This is the wedding day of the Bavarian Prince Ludwig with Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghaus. The celebration was decided to be held outside the city in the field. This place since then it has been called Teresa's Meadow, and now Oktoberfest is celebrated there. On October 17, 1810, horse races were held in this meadow, and now there are disputes about which date is considered the beginning of Oktoberfest.

The idea of ​​celebrating Oktoberfest fell in the spirit of the Bavarian population and it was decided to hold an exhibition here a year later Agriculture which has become a tradition for Oktoberfest. It is still held during Oktoberfest to this day, although now not every year, but once every four years. In 1811, the first shops selling beer were opened. In 1813, they decided not to hold Oktoberfest because of hostilities with Napoleon. Until 1819, organizational issues related to the celebration of Oktoberfest were dealt with privately, but it was in this year that the city council became responsible for holding Oktoberfest and decided to make Oktoberfest annual holiday. In August 1850, a bronze statue of "Bavaria" was erected on Teresa's meadow. In 1872, the dates for the celebration of Oktoberfest changed. It was decided to postpone most of the festival to the month of September due to the best weather conditions. And since 1904, its terms have been finally established and are not subject to change.

Gradually, various components were added to the celebration of the festival, thanks to which the familiar image of modern Oktoberfest is formed in our minds. Since 1881, during the beer festival, fried chicken appeared on sale, and since 1892, glass beer mugs have replaced clay mugs used until then. In the same years, the owners of beer tents began to get rid of the entertainment components inside the tents. Dancing scenes with attractions migrated to the street, thereby adding additional benches and tables for customers. In 1886, Oktoberfest was electrified. According to one well-known German newspaper AZ, it was Albert Einstein who screwed in the first light bulbs in Michael Schottenhamel's beer tent.

Prior to the outbreak of the First World War, the festival became increasingly popular. In 1910, the centennial anniversary was marked by the sale of more than a million liters of beer, and in 1913, the Oktoberfest was marked by the erection of a beer tent for a record 12,000 seats. Subsequently, the festival was not remembered for many years, first the war, and then the post-war crisis. When the Nazis came to power, the celebration of Oktoberfest underwent significant changes and only 1949 brought the revival of the old Oktoberfest.

Beer Festival Events

Procession of owners of beer tents

The festive procession of the owners of beer tents traditionally marks the beginning of the Oktoberfest celebration since 1887. A young girl holding a bell in a black and yellow hoodie is the symbol of Munich, called the "Munchner Kindi" and, together with the mayor, is at the head of the festive procession. They ride on a festive wagon, followed by the owners of the Oktoberfest beer tents. They are carrying barrels of beer, which will be sold. Musicians also take part in the Oktoberfest procession, who will later delight the ears of visitors to beer tents. The Oktoberfest procession originates in the center of Munich and moves to the end point - Teresa Meadow. The duration of the festive procession is about an hour. More than a thousand people are accomplices of the procession. The streets are crowded with Munich residents and tourists, there is a television broadcast.

How to open the first barrel of beer

Upon the arrival of all members of the festive procession at their destination at noon, the main event of the first day of the festival takes place - driving a tap into the first barrel of beer. This obligation was entrusted to the Bavarian mayors in 1950 and is carried out by them to this day. Every year, the people of Bavaria look forward to this moment and often make bets on the number of blows the mayor will need to open the barrel. The record in this case was set in 2006 by the then mayor Christian Ude, he needed only one hit, but the anti-record in this case belongs to the discoverer Thomas Wimmer, whose barrel took as many as 19 hits! Having driven in the tap, the mayor exclaims “Uncorked!”, followed by 12 signal shots, which serve as a signal for the owners of all beer tents to start trading. The first mug of beer is poured at Oktoberfest for the Bavarian Prime Minister.

Oktoberfest costume procession

Costume procession, another of the oldest Oktoberfest customs. For the first time this event was held in honor of the 25th anniversary of marriage union Ludwig and Teresa. Since 1950, no Oktoberfest has been complete without it. The second day of the festival was the day of the costume procession. The starting point of the procession is the building of the Bavarian Parliament, and the procession ends on the Teresa meadow. The procession usually involves 8,000 participants who dress in national and historical costumes. A Munich child is invariably at the head of the demonstration, accompanied by authorized representatives of the Bavarian government. Next comes a procession of forty ornate wagons, musical ensembles, various communities of folk costumes, shooting societies. IN Lately they are often joined by representatives from various European countries.

How is Oktoberfest

No matter how interesting the festive events are, the very juice of this whole event can be felt only in the crowd of celebrating people. During the Oktoberfest celebrations, all roads lead to Teresa Meadow. It is unlikely that it will be possible to convey in words this feeling of undivided joy, reckless fun, with indispensable attributes in the form of vocal accompaniment distributed from all sides in various languages ​​or sensual dances on the table, seasoned with inexhaustible beer libations.

Oktoberfest beer tents

The most important attributes of Oktoberfest are the world-famous Munich beer tents. Their owners are six world famous Munich breweries: Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu, Hofbräu, Paulaner, Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr and Löwenbräu. The total number of beer tents installed on the meadow during the festival reaches 32. Of these, with a capacity of up to 10,000 people - 14 tents and with a capacity of up to 1,000 people - 18 tents. Beer in Teresa Meadow is sold only in tents, which are constantly crowded and before you can quench your thirst you have to stand in line. Beer mugs there are the same size - a liter. You need to be prepared for this in advance, you will not be able to get standard half a liter there.

Oktoberfest waitress girls

A beautiful, young, buxom girl, dressed in a national Bavarian costume, she has an incredible number of mugs of beer in her hands, and a cheerful smile on her face. It is this picture that most likely pops up in the head of a person who has never been to Oktoberfest. In fact, he works as a waiter at Oktoberfest more men than women. And there is a rational explanation for this, carrying huge trays of food or a dozen liter mugs at a time requires endurance and strength. But even if a waiter in a female form approaches your table, it is not a fact that she will be young and beautiful. Working at the Oktoberfest is very lucrative and the chance to meet a waitress “well over 30” is growing every year. But of course there is always a chance that you will be served by a young and smiling waitress!

Food and drink

The key drink of Oktoberfest is beer, which is specially prepared for this holiday. This beer contains less gases in its composition (compared to regular), but it has a slightly higher alcohol content (5.8% -6.3%). But besides beer, there is an opportunity to enjoy the taste of other drinks. Walking through the meadow, you will definitely see a tent selling Munich wine. There is always the opportunity to drink stronger alcoholic drinks and those that do not contain alcohol at all.

It is not possible to visit Oktoberfest and not enjoy traditional Bavarian snacks. You should definitely try Hendl (fried chicken). It is she who is most eaten during the passage of Oktoberfest. Bratwurst (pork sausage) and Schweinshaxen (pork knuckle) will be appreciated by pork lovers. Steckerlfisch (fried fish on a stick) is a traditional beer snack. Weisswurst (white Bavarian sausages), Kartoffelsalat (potato salad), Brezel (pretzel) and many other goodies will not leave anyone indifferent.

Attractions, Oktoberfest for families

During the “Beer Festival” on the territory of Teresa Meadow, there is a huge amount of entertainment for visitors from the old carousels, which have been delighting Oktoberfest guests for 80 years, to modern attractions. Tuesday is considered the "family" day of Oktoberfest. On this day, food, drinks and attractions delight visitors with children with their prices. On the territory of the festival there is also a “family square” equipped with carousels for the youngest guests and a cafe with children's menus.

Where is Oktoberfest held besides Munich?

• The Cannstatter Volksfest, or Stuttgart October Festival, ranks second in the world in terms of scope, this type of celebration. You can visit it when you arrive in the city of Stuttgart in the month of October, and be surprised at its scope, as more than 4.5 million people visit it every year.
• In the Federal Republic of Germany, cities such as Hörn with the Kranger Kirmes holiday - Fair Week and Bremen with its own - Bremer Freimarkt gather about 4.4 million people during their festivities, Düsseldorf is slightly inferior to them with the fair - Gröste Kirmes am Rhein, which they visit 4.3 million people.
• Oktoberfest is celebrated not only in Germany. In Canada, in the city of Kitchener, Oktoberfest is also celebrated, its average attendance is about 800 thousand people.
• In the south of Brazil, in a town called Blumenau, there is also a tradition to celebrate their Oktoberfest. About 650 thousand people gather on the streets of the city.
• In the United States of America, Oktoberfests are celebrated in many cities. For example, more than 500 thousand Americans visit Cincinnati annually during the festival, and almost 200 visit the city of Tulsa.
• In the capital of the Russian Federation, a large number of institutions hold a kind of Oktoberfest.
• The fame of Oktoberfest has acquired a global scale for a very long time. Every third inhabitant of Germany at least once, but was at Oktoberfest. 1985 brought an attendance record for Oktoberfest, with over 7.5 million visitors that year. There is no other party in the world like it, which could boast the same number of people. That is why the Beer Festival – Oktoberfest 2017 should not pass you by!

Stars at Oktoberfest

Big fan of the festival

Oktoberfest is a unique beer festival, accompanied by fun folk festivals and costume processions, which has been held annually in Munich for over 200 years. Within 14-16 days, about six million guests manage to visit the holiday, which is four times the number of residents of the capital of Bavaria.

The territory of the huge Teresa Meadow, whose name in German sounds like Theresienwiese, is 42 hectares. It is located in the center of Munich, close to the main train station and underground stations. The period of the festival is chosen taking into account that the last day of festivities falls on October Sunday or on the Day of German Unification - October 3rd.

Hosting the Oktoberfest

On the opening day, the traditional procession of the festival participants starts at 10:50. Dressed in traditional Bavarian attire, tent owners sit on colorful carts loaded with barrels of beer and follow the streets of Munich towards Theresienwiese. Folklore music, songs and welcome cries of guests sound.

At 12:00, the mayor of Munich knocks the cork out of the first barrel and exclaims “O’Zapft is!”, which is perceived as “Pour it up!”. From that moment on, the festival is considered open, and beer is poured in all tents and open areas.

The next day, starting at 10:00, you can see a colorful costume procession, in which several thousand people take part. The column, accompanied by brass bands, follows through the center of Munich towards Theresa Meadow.

Both Tuesdays until 7 p.m. are reserved for family days. At this time, attractive discounts are provided for parents with children.

On the first Thursday at 10:00, a divine service is held, at which the names of Oktoberfest participants who have gone to another world are remembered. After the service, the first communion and baptism of the children of the organizers and workers of the festival takes place.

On the second Thursday of the celebrations at 11:00, guests are invited to attend a unique concert free of charge. They show their skills dressed in Bavarian folk costumes brass band musicians and drummers

On the final day of the holiday at 12:00 at the foot of the statue of Bavaria, a spectacular salute from hand mortars begins. At exactly 23:30 Oktoberfest closes until next year.

Festival visit

As with any other holiday that lasts more than one week, Oktoberfest has both noisy and relatively quiet times. On opening and closing days, as well as on weekends, it is crowded and bustling. The “quietest” period is considered to be until 15:00 on weekdays and until 18:00 on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. During these hours, there are practically no queues, and free places in tents can be found without much difficulty.

On weekdays from 10:00 to 15:00, Oktoberfest visitors are expected to a pleasant surprise— discounts up to 30%.

Oktoberfest Beer

Traditionally, the Munich brewers become the participants of the festival. Each tent sells certain brands of beer, specially brewed for folk festivals. The general name of the foamy drink sounds like Oktoberfestbier (Oktoberfestbier).

Brands

The products of six breweries are presented at the festival.

Augustiner. The oldest Munich brewery was founded in the first half of the 14th century at the monastery of the same name. The 6% festival beer is bottled in the tents of Augustiner-Festhalle and Fischer-Vroni.

Hacker Pschorr. Production has been known since the beginning of the 15th century, but the impetus for development was received only in the 18th century, under Maria Theresa Hacker and Joseph Pshorra. The beer presented at the Oktoberfest is characterized by the lowest strength - 5.8%. The product can be tasted in the tents of Hacker-Festzelt and Pschorr-Bräurosl.

Hofbrau. The plant was founded at the end of the 16th century by Duke Wilhelm of Bavaria in the 5th century. as a court brewery. Nationalized in the 19th century. The beer at the festival is the strongest - 6.3%. Served in only one large tent - Hofbräuzelt.

Lowenbräu. The history of the "lion" brand can be traced back to the end of the 14th century, but popularity came only in the 19th century, when the enterprising Georg Brey took over the company. Today, Löwenbräu is part of the transnational Belgian campaign InBev. Oktoberfestbier is 6.1% ABV and is served in the Schützen-Festzelt and Löwenbräu-Festhalle tents.

Paulaner. The brewery has been known since the first half of the 17th century. It was founded by the monks of the mendicant Order of Minims (German - Orden Paulaner) for their own needs. At the beginning of the 19th century, the company was bought by the brewer Sacherl, after which it began to develop. Festival beer has a strength of 6%. It is presented in three tents - Armbrustschützenzelt, Winzerer Fähndl and Käfer's Wies'n Schänke.

Spaten Franciscanner. The foundation period is the end of the 14th century. At the beginning of the 19th, the plant was owned by the Seldmayer family. Today the brand is part of the InBev concern. Oktoberfest beer has an ABV of 5.9%. A foamy drink is poured in the Marstall, Schottenhamel, Ochsenbraterei (Spatenbräu-Festhalle) tents.

Oktoberfestbier beer prices are slowly but surely creeping up. From 2002 to 2016, the cost of a liter mug increased from €6.30-6.80 to €10.40-10.70.

Tickets for Oktoberfest 2019

You can get to the territory of the beer festival and enter the tents for free. But keep in mind that the number of tables in tents is limited, so in the evening, especially on weekends, almost all of them are overcrowded even before 18:00. It is guaranteed to be in a particular tent will help booking a table for 10 people indicating exact date and time of visit.

Seat reservation big tents starts a few months before the opening of the festival, most often from December.

You can secure a guaranteed place on the official website of the selected tent when completing certain condition. It consists in the need to purchase a voucher min for 20-80 euros, depending on the tent, the set of dishes and the time of the visit. When calculating for a festive lunch/dinner, the amount of the prepayment is taken into account.

The only entertainment area with a paid entrance is Oide Wiesn (translated as an old meadow). A ticket costs 3 euros, and riding on historical attractions is only 1 euro. Here there are beer tents, and more free compared to the central alley, concerts are held and festival beauty queens are chosen.

Oktoberfest tents

There are 14 large tents and 21 small pavilions on the territory of Theresienwiese. Beer is released only to those who sit at the table. At peak times (evenings and weekends), the tents are overcrowded and closed, so it is unlikely that you will be able to get inside without a voucher. You can try your luck either until 15:00 on weekdays, or early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday. Another option involves visiting outdoor areas (the so-called beer gardens). It is less colorful here, but also festive and fun.

large tents

Schottenhamel and Schützenfestzelt tents are considered old-timers on Theresienwiese. They appeared in 1867 as small beer shops with several dozen seats. Festival kicks off in Schottenhamel. It is here that at 12:00 the current mayor of Munich opens the first Oktoberfest barrel and drinks the first glass of beer. The tent serves 10,000 people in total - 6,000 inside the tent and 4,000 outside.

Characteristic features of the Schützenfestzelt include a large shooting range for amateur shooters and the serving of Bavarian pig in beer sauce with cabbage. The capacity of the tent is more than 5100 people. Seats outside the pavilion - 1400.

The largest in terms of capacity is the Hofbräu-Festzelt tent, opened in 1955. It is characterized by reasonable prices, international presence and bunches of hops hanging everywhere. Under the roof of the tent, 6898 guests can simultaneously be, and outside - 3022 beer lovers.

The smallest of the 14 tents is the cozy Käfers Wiesn-Schänke. It accommodates only 1,000 people, but there are 1,900 more seats on the street. A feature of the tent is its later closing.

The “youngest” tent is Marstall. The owners managed to get a contract with Oktoberfest in 2014. Above the entrance there is a sculptural composition with horses, and inside there is a musical stage stylized as an old carousel. The capacity of the pavilion is 3,200 seats; another 1,000 people can sit outside the tent.

Features of other large tents:

• Armbrustschützenzelt - crossbow shooting competitions have been held for over 100 years;
• Augustiner Festhalle - beer is poured from authentic oak barrels;
• Pschorr-Bräurosl - the regulars of the institution are mainly residents of Munich;
• Fischer Vroni - trout baked on a stick is served as an appetizer;
• Hacker Festzelt - a colorful "heavenly" interior and an original music podium;
• Löwenbräu - a five-meter lion at the entrance attracts the attention of guests with a roar. A favorite place for fans of the Munich football club;
• Ochsenbraterei - bull meat roasted on a spit is offered as an appetizer;
• Weinzelt - in addition to beer, 15 varieties of wine and champagne are served;
• Winzerer Fähndl - Singing is allowed, the beer garden is located on the sunny side.

Payment in the tents is accepted exclusively in cash in euros or pre-purchased vouchers!

small tents

21 pavilions do not have brand names. Nevertheless, Oktoberfest is unthinkable without them. Tents can accommodate from 90 to 500 people. In addition to the festival beer, they offer traditional Bavarian dishes of veal, poultry and fish. There are sweets on the menu.

Founding history

The first, modest-scale event was initiated by an officer of the Bavarian National Guard in October 1810. The idea arose in the process of preparing for the celebration of the wedding of the heir to the Bavarian crown, Louis I, and Teresa, nee Princess of Saxe-Hildburghausen. A proposal to organize a race in a meadow that comes close to the outskirts of Munich was sent to the father of the newlywed, King Maximilian I of Bavaria. A positive response was received immediately.

October festivities have become annual. A break was made only in those periods when Bavaria had to conduct military operations or fight deadly epidemics.

Oktoberfest in the 1920s: video

attractions

Antique carousels, shooting galleries and other entertainment are located in Oide Wiesn. In a separate zone, modern attractions are presented:

• a Ferris wheel 50 m high, from which the Alps are viewed in clear weather;
• roller coasters almost a kilometer long;
• feeling tower mild dizziness from free fall from a height of 70 meters;
• chain carousel rotating at high altitude lovers thrill;
• castle of horrors, etc.

In addition, spectacular acrobatic shows and many other events are held here.

Festival with children

Family days are held every Tuesday. In addition, on the territory of Oktoberfest there is a whole children's area Familienplatzl. There is also a beer garden, where adults are offered a festival drink and snacks, and kids can enjoy a children's menu and sweets. You are allowed to bring food with you.

Daily shows for children with animators and puppet shows. The best periods to visit the festival with kids are weekdays until 17:00. For safety reasons, strollers are not allowed on Saturdays and on other days after 18:00. Children are advised to wear bright clothes so that they can be easily seen in the crowd.

Children under the age of 6 are not allowed in the beer halls after 18:00. Teenagers under 16 are not allowed to drink beer.

Opening hours

On weekdays, tents and tents open from 10 am, and on weekends they open an hour earlier. Closing of institutions - at 23:30, the last spill of beer - at 22:30. Eateries and cafes are open until 23:00.

On the first day, on Fridays and throughout last week festival souvenir shops open from 10:00 to 24:00. On other days:

• from Monday to Thursday - from 10:00 to 23:30;
• on Saturday - from 09:00 to 24:00;
• on Sunday - from 09:00 to 23:30.

Rules

Smoking is prohibited in tents and beer gardens. There are special zones, balconies, corridors for smokers.

Entrance to the territory of the festival with luggage exceeding the dimensions of 10×15×20 cm is limited. You can leave the "excess" in the storage rooms.

On the territory of the Oktoberfest it is forbidden to ride bicycles and scooters, ride boards and skates, and bring animals.

Bringing food and drinks into the tents is not allowed.

(München Hbf) - on S1-S4 and S6-S8;

Bus routes will deliver to stops:

• No. 63 - to "Heimeranplatz";
• No. 62 - to "Hans-Fischer-Straße" and "Poccistraße";
• No. 53 and 153 - to "Schwanthalerhöhe";
• No. 58 and 68 - to "Georg-Hirth-Platz";
• No. 134 - to "Alter Messeplatz", "Schwanthalerhöhe" or "Theresienhöhe".

From tram lines 18 and 19, get off at the Holzapfelstraße or Hermann-Lingg-Straße stops, and on tram lines 16 and 17, get off at the Hackerbrücke stop.

From other cities you can reach railway to Munich main railway station (München Hbf). It is located 15 minutes walk to Teresa Meadow. Intercity buses stop at the Central Bus Station of the Bavarian capital. It is 800 meters from the beer festival site.

In 2010 Oktoberfest celebrated its 200th anniversary. See photo report from the anniversary festival.

Oktoberfest is the most famous and massive beer festival. It starts in September, and generally boldly breaks stereotypes: you can come to Oktoberfest with children, rides work here, costumed parades, concerts, horse races take place. We talk about the fun traditions and history of Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest: the story of a grand celebration

• The first Oktoberfest took place on October 12, 1810. The future king Ludwig I got married. The royal couple arranged grand celebration for subjects on several grazing lands outside the city of Munich. The celebration was repeated every year on the anniversary of this lavish wedding, according to worldbeer.org.
• In 1810 horse racing was the highlight of the program. Every year new traditions are added. In addition, there were more and more beer at Oktoberfest.
• In 1880, electricity appeared at the festival, breweries began to put up large tents, and the rides and dance floors were moved outside the beer pavilions.

• At 12 o'clock the mayor of the city in the oldest beer tent Schottenhamel-Festzelt opens the first barrel of beer. This is the official start of the celebration.
• On the first Sunday of Oktoberfest, there is a grand costume parade.
• By tradition, only six old Bavarian breweries are allowed to participate in the festival:
• As part of the festival, an agricultural exhibition is held every four years.
• There are special “family days” at Oktoberfest when prices for all rides are reduced.

Oktoberfest 2018 in Munich: dates

In 2018, the Oktoberfest festival will be held from September 22 to October 7, according to oktoberfest.net. The solemn opening ceremony will take place at 12.00, and the festival will close half an hour before October 8.

What snacks are popular at Oktoberfest?

Pretzels are popular at Oktoberfest (these are huge pretzels with a diameter of 10-15 cm), pork hams, fried chicken, cabbage and potato salads, Munich sausages, baked fish.

Why go to Oktoberfest with children?

There are many rides at Oktoberfest, from traditional carousels to roller coasters, Ferris wheels and simulated free fall from great heights.

Why do Oktoberfest guests buy luminous hats?

At the festival in Munich, hats with flashing lights are all over the place. They are bought not only for children. The fact is that according to the headdresses flashing in the dark, a special service identifies those who “went through” and fell asleep on fresh air. On carts they will be taken to a special place where they can sleep. From there, people can be picked up by friends and relatives, reports

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It is unlikely that there will be a beer festival in the world more popular than Oktoberfest, which has been held in Munich on Theresienwiese for more than 200 years. Every year, about 6 million visitors come to the city to taste special festival beers from the best breweries in the city. The foamy drink is distinguished by a pronounced malt flavor due to long exposure and a strength of 5.8 to 6.3%, and it is produced only at this time of the year.

Only Munich breweries were allowed to participate in the festival, are allowed and will be allowed.

A bit of history

The festival was first celebrated when Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Teresa, after whom the meadow where the festival takes place is named. It happened in October 1810, the event became an annual event, the name Oktoberfest was assigned to it. Gradually, the dates were moved to a warmer and sunny September, but the two-week festival traditionally captures the first weekend of October.

For 200 years, the holiday was canceled only a few times and only for very good reasons: due to the cholera epidemic, the Prussian-Austrian and Franco-Prussian wars, the First and Second World Wars and hyperinflation in Germany in 1923-1924. For a long time Oktoberfest was an event for the people of Bavaria and the surrounding areas of Germany. Only since 1960, tourists from different parts of the globe began to come to it, and now it is one of the most visited festivals in the world by tourists and the largest folk festival.

Munich Oktoberfest

How is Oktoberfest

Traditionally, Oktoberfest begins on Saturday with a parade of tent owners. Headed by the mayor of Munich, the procession on festive teams with barrels of beer hoisted on them and accompanied by orchestras passes through the city center and ends in the Theresienwiese meadow. Exactly at noon, 12 shots are fired into the sky from a cannon, and in the Schottenhamel-Festzelt tent, the current Mayor of Munich drives a tap into the first barrel - Oktoberfest is open! The next day, on the first Sunday of the holiday, a costumed procession and a parade of shooters take place. About 8 thousand dressed up in historical and National costumes people, along with orchestras and decorated teams, go from the building of the Bavarian parliament to Theresa meadow. A costumed procession and a solemn knocking out of the cork from the first barrel are relatively new traditions, they appeared only in 1950.

The holiday lasts a little more than two weeks, during which time 14 large (with a capacity of 10 thousand people) and 15 small beer tents (for 1000 people) are being built on Teresa's meadow.

Inside the tents, life is seething - fragile-looking waitresses carry 12 liter mugs of beer at a time, festival guests gobble up fried chicken and pork sausages on both cheeks, beer flows like water, music rumbles, and noisy, cheerful crowd does not stop for a minute. Often, at one table, then at another, someone gets up and, to the applause of others, drinks a liter of beer in one fell swoop, while others empty their mugs at speed.

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The festival has a lot of entertainment: carousels, breathtaking roller coasters, a 50-meter Ferris wheel, a free-fall simulation tower. You can periodically be distracted from the tasting and just take a walk, choose souvenirs, make new friends, ride one of the attractions or look at the flea circus. Otherwise, there is a great chance, having drunk too much, to fall into the caring hands of doctors and volunteer nurses serving the festival. IN German there is even a special name for those who do not know the measure: Bierleichen - a beer corpse.

Every Tuesday is a family day with significant discounts on food and attractions. Special rooms are provided for children, and for the convenience of parents, parking lots for strollers and a microwave oven, where you can warm up baby food. Children under 6 years old can be taken to the holiday on other days, but before 20:00 they must leave the beer tents.

Oktoberfest 2017

Oktoberfest 2017 starts on Saturday 16th September: at the Schottenhamel tent at 12:00 will take place official ceremony tapping the first barrel. On this day, it is better to arrive early - good places occupied already at 9:00. On Sunday, September 17 at 10:00, the costume parade will begin. Other significant events are the traditional religious mass on September 21st at 10:00 am and the brass band concert on September 29th at 11:00 am. The festival will last until October 3: at midnight it will be completed by fireworks at the Bavaria monument.

In 2017, prices at Oktoberfest have risen slightly, especially for non-alcoholic drinks. A liter of beer will cost about 11 EUR, and lemonade and mineral water- even more. Prices are fixed, you can study them at the office. event website (in English).

New attractions will appear: Drifting Coaster - drifting gondolas, Voodoo Jumper - jumping from full feeling weightlessness, XXL Racer, lifting to a height of 55 m, Jules Vernes Tower - lifting even higher: 70 m at a speed of 65 km / h. For those who are not looking for thrills, Oide Wiesn is suitable - a trip in a 70-year-old trailer among picturesque lawns with goats, horses and piglets. Every 4 years, an agricultural exhibition is held in Terezin Meadow in parallel, and it will be held this year as well.

On the opening day, beer tents will be open from 12:00 to 22:30, the rest of the time: on weekdays - from 10:00 to 22:30, on Saturday and Sunday - from 9:00 to 22:30. Attractions, tents with food - from 10:00 to midnight. Admission to all tents is free, but their capacity is limited, so you need to arrive early or book in advance. detailed information- at office website. As soon as the tents are filled, they are closed, usually this happens before noon even on weekdays.

Souvenirs can be bought for memory: mugs, glasses, magnets, T-shirts with the emblem of the festival. Already now they are sold in the online store at the office. website

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How to get there and where to live

Having reached Munich, you need to get to Theresienwiese meadow, located in the very center of the city. From the airport, it is most convenient to take the S8 train to the Hackerbrucke station, from which it is a 10-minute walk to the festival site. From the railway and bus stations located in the center of Munich, Theresienwiese is a 15-minute walk away. If you are too lazy to go, you can drive one stop by metro (line U4).

Hotels are predictably full during Oktoberfest. For unpretentious guests every year, 10 km from the city center, Oktoberfest All Inclusive Camping is set up: tents, tents and sleeping bags; common amenities. Not very comfortable, but fun and cheap. There is a recreation area, a bar where beer lovers make noise around the clock and enjoy life. A tent for two will cost 2000 EUR for the entire festival period. In any hotel and even a hostel, prices for the dates of the festival will be much higher.

Of. festival website (in English).

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