OKTOBERFEST

P R ES EN TE D BY C A RO L PA R RY
 WHAT IS
OKTOBERFEST?

Oktoberfest, locally called “Wiesn”, is an annual

festival in Munich, Germany, held over a two-week
period and ending on the first Sunday of October.

It is the world’s largest volkfest (beer and travelling

festival). Thousands of people from Germany and
all around the world are seen celebrating every year.
The royal wedding that inspired Oktoberfest
• THE FIRST OKTOBERFEST WAS
IN MUNICH, BAVARIA AND
WAS HELD ON OCTOBER 18TH
1810.
• IT WAS HELD AS A
COMMERATION OF THE
MARRAGE OF PRINCE LUDWIG
AND PRINCESS THERESES
• THE CITIZENS OF MUNICH
WERE INVITED TO ATTEND
THE FESTIVITIES HELD ON
THE FIELDS IN FRONT OF THE
CITY GATES, TO CELEBRATE
 WHERE IS IT
HELD?
The fairground for
Oktoberfest has always
been Therese’s
Meadow
(theresienwiese),
named after Princess
Therese, and is still
held there to this day.
 WHAT’S IT LIKE

• Up until 6 P.M the beer tents play music under 85 decibels, After 6
they will start playing louder.

• There are many traditional dishes available at the fest, these include
Pretzels, Sauerkraut, Roast pork, Grilled fish on a stick, cheese
noodles and Weisswurst.

• There is 14 main tents at the fair, Each of these tents represent a

different brewery and serve different beer.

• The biggest of these tents is the Hofbrau Feztzelf,It can seat almost
11,000 people.
Beer Tents
• The festival has 14 main tents, each able to fit between 5,000 and 11,000 people, and each
rocking a wholly different vibe.

• They are operated by different Wiesn-hosts and in which some come from a long tradition.
Some tents belong to the local breweries.

• The setup work for the tents often begins three months before the start of the festival.

• Some tents are more family oriented, others more focused on the food, others again known
for their high concentration of tourists.

• Most serve tons of beer, meats, and other Bavarian delicacies, and one only serves fish.
Large festival tents

The17 big tents accommodate between 3,000-11,000

seated people. Big tents have a ground floor area as
well as balconies. They are the epicenter of the party.
Popular both for locals and tourists, you will see
people dancing on the benches pretty much from
10AM in the morning when the tents open.
Augustiner
Festhalle
• The popular Augustiner
beer comes from the
“hirsche,” traditional
wooden barrels with a
capacity of 200 liters.
• The beer tastes better from
a wooden barrel than from
a steel container: milder
and more palatable, as it
has less carbon dioxide.
Armbrustschützenzel
t
• The German Crossbow
Championships have been held in
the Armbrustschützen tent since
1935.

• However, this won’t be evident to

normal guests, as the championships
take place in a tent extension that
accommodates the 30-meter-long
shooting ranges.

• The Armbrustschützen tent also

emphasizes Bavarian tradition:
Traditional costume groups like
Schuhplattlers or whipcrackers
perform every Wednesday at noon.
Festzelt Tradition
• It is one of the biggest tent at the
festival

• The Tradition festival tent is a little less

colorful than the rest of the Wiesn, but
all the more cozy, family-friendly, and –
as the name would suggest – traditional

• Here, talented folkdance groups aren’t

the only ones to dance to hearty brass
music; the children of the festival tent
guests join them, as well.

• Also impressive are the performances of

the Schuhplattler and whipcrackers
when they perform their dancing and
whipping art

• But the visual highlights are the light

gray stone jugs with the different blue
decorations, from which both
Augustiner beer and apple spritzer taste
delicious.
Fischer-Vroni
• The traditional
Steckerlfisch “fish on a
stick” is the Oktoberfest
highlight of the famous
Fischer-Vroni.
• The specialties are
prepared in front of the
Wiesn guests on an open
grill with a total length of
around 15 meters along
side augustiner beer from
wooden barrels.
Hacker-Festzelt
• The massive wooden beams of the roof
construction in the Hacker Festzelt are
ingeniously clad with light blue fabric. In
contrast to other tents, where the fabric
panels swallow a lot of light

• Here you actually get the feeling you’re

sitting under an open blue sky with white,
fleecy clouds. This special atmosphere is
one of a kind

• The audience is mixed; from young to old,

everyone who’s a welcoming Bavarian,
even if only for two weeks a year, feels at
home in this rustic, traditional tent.

• Special highlight: The “grand finale” on

the last Wiesn Sunday, where the beautiful
interior scenery is illuminated by
thousands of sparklers to musical
accompaniment.
Smaller festival tents:

In addition to the 17 large tents found at the Oktoberfest,

there are also 21 smaller tents
Small beer tents have the capacity between 100-700
seated people. Some of them do offer a small beer garden
outside as well. If not a beer garden, they always have a
kiosk sight where they sell food. As small tents are
popular for their fine cuisine, you will see a lot of locals
actually grabbing food there, rather than sitting inside the
tents.
Ammer Hühner-
und Entenbraterei
(since 1885)
• The Ammer Hühner- und
Entenbraterei is the
second oldest tent at the
Oktoberfest serving
organic duck and chicken
and is said to be the most
experienced in poultry
Bodo's Cafézelt
• Home to the legendary kirshwasser
donuts

• In 1993, master confectioner Bodo E.

Müller opened “Bodo’s Cafézelt”.
• Its homemade confectionery is now
renowned in Munich and beyond.
• During the day, it provides a welcome
break for families from the hustle and
bustle of the Wiesn.
• In the evening, Bodo's Café is
transformed into a cocktail bar – when
the festive mood takes over and a live
band gets the party started.
Café
Kaiserschmarrn
• As the name suggests, this is the
place to enjoy freshly prepared
kaiserschmarrn (a traditional pancake
dish).

• Thanks to its unmissable, kitschy

appearance, the sugar castle near
Bavaria is a popular meeting point.

• There you can enjoy a coffee and

baked specialties outdoors, or have
breakfast inside – perfect for kids
and the whole family.

• From noon, the music starts to play

and the mood gets gradually livelier
until evening, when guests can enjoy
the Wiesn’s only catwalk with
drinks.
Café Mohrenkopf
• oldest coffee tent at the Wiesn

• Café Mohrenkopf is the only tent

at the Wiesn with its own bakery
on the festival site.

• Arrive at the Oktoberfest for an

early morning pint, and you will
be greeted by the smell of fresh
apple strudel and freshly baked
pretzels

• it serves the famous

“mohrenköpfe”: a sweet made of
fresh whipped cream covered in
chocolate and has been enjoyed
by visitors ever since 1950, when
Café first appeared at the Wiesn
OTHER ATTRACTIONS:
The entrance to the fairgrounds
is surrounded by carnival rides.
There's a gigantic roller coaster
in the shape of a figure eight,
shooting ranges, giant swings,
and a big wheel.

Also, they have attractions like

human eating fish and a hall of
mirrors.

There are also, musicians who

walk through the fairgrounds
playing traditional Bavarian
music.
Fun facts
 1.World champion in beer brands
Even if the Germans aren’t world champions in
beer drinking, they do still hold a title: they’re
first place in production. Over 1,300 breweries
and more than 5,000 beer brands are located in
Germany, most of them in Bavaria.
  2.Oktoberfest is called October but starts in
September.

The name “Oktober” is misleading because most of the festival

happens in September:
The event started in 1810 and at that time it took place during
the first of October.
Along the years, it was extended and the starting date was
changed to September because the weather is warmer and more
pleasing.
Therefore, it’s easier to attract more visitors to stay even longer
and enjoy the beer (and festival) throughout the night.
 3.  Munich beer only
Oktoberfest is, above all, a celebration of Bavarian
traditions, so the only beer you’ll find during the festival
is brewed within the city limits of Munich.
Only beers that fit this criteria are considered Oktoberfest
Beers.
It’s considered one of the best beers in the world and
according to the Bavarian Purity Requirements there are
only 3 ingredients used in the brewing process: water,
barley and hops.
 4.They’ve cancelled it 24
times
You can’t stop beer pouring! In 200 years,
Oktoberfest has only been cancelled 24 times.
The causes were mostly due to the war and
cholera epidemics.
In 2020 the celebration was cancelled due to the
corona virus pandemic and is likely to remain
cancelled in 2021.
 5. Vomit-proof sneakers for Oktoberfest.

With so much beer being consumed it’s obvious that

some people might feel sick and end up puking…
And that’s why Adidas recently released a limited
edition of vomit-proof sneakers inspired by the
Oktoberfest.
 6. Nobody raises their mug until the
Mayor says so.

Since 1950, the festival

has only started after the
official gun salute and the
mayor shouting O’ zapft
is! (“It’s tapped!”) and
offering the first mug to
the Minister-President of
the State of Bavaria. Only
after that, the festival can
start.
TRIVIA
#1:How long do the festivities of Oktoberfest
typically last in Germany?
Ans: 16-18 days (about 2 weeks)
#2:which is the largest tent at the fest? How
many people can it accommodate?
Ans: Hofbrau Feztzelf; 11,000 people.
#3:which is the only tent that serves fish at
the Oktoberfest?
Ans: Fischer vroni
#4:what is the name of the huge statue that
looms above the theresienwiese field?
Ans: Statue of Bavaria