Your Guide to Munich Oktoberfest 2018

Don your Lederhosen and raise your stein! This fall, thousands of visitors from around the world will travel to Oktoberfest 2018 for a dose of good times, cultural experiences and plenty of beer. Will you be one of them?

Check out our ultimate guide to Oktoberfest 2018 for all the important stuff like dates, festival highlights and the awesome tours that can take you there.

When and where is Oktoberfest 2018?

Oktoberfest 2018 takes place in Munich, Germany from Saturday 22 September to Sunday 7 October. Yes, you read that right – the event actually starts in September to take advantage of a few more weeks of warmer weather. The enormous folk festival is free to enter and is held in Theresienwiese meadow near Munich’s centre.

The venue is so synonymous with the festival itself that you’ll hear locals refer to Oktoberfest as ‘Wiesn’, a nickname for the fairground in which it takes place. This year’s festival will be the 185th, and, as always, will start with the symbolic tapping of the first barrel by Munich’s mayor. When the mayor shouts ‘O’zapft is!’ (‘It’s tapped!’) the celebration begins!

What to expect at Oktoberfest 2018

Oktoberfest’s main drawcard is – not surprisingly – its beer tents. There are 14 major tents, plus 20 smaller tents, and they all have their own claims to fame. There’s no cost to enter a beer tent, but you’ll find plenty of tasty food and drink to buy once you’re in there!

Each tent is managed individually, and has its own speciality: a particular tent might be known for its excellent potato salad, or be particularly popular with backpackers.  Breweries and corporate sponsors take pride in making their tents unique, but they all share welcoming atmospheres, tables full of drinkers, traditional entertainment and hearty food.

During busy times, there can be a wait for seating in the larger tents, so once you’ve found a spot, you might want to settle in! If you’ve got your heart set on a certain tent, you may be able to reserve a table there ahead of time, but be aware that each tent has its own policies and procedures, waiting lists can be long and many tables can’t be reserved at all.

We recommend visiting on weekdays or earlier in the afternoon when the festival isn’t quite as crowded. With so many tents, you’ll be sure to find a great spot.

Once you’ve made it to a table, you can order a Maß (a huge one-litre stein of beer) from the wait staff – you’re sure to be impressed at how many steins they can carry! Each tent has its own beer on tap, and only the very best brews make it to Oktoberfest – they have to meet strict purity requirements.

A Maß will cost you around €10, and a tip is appreciated. The beers here are strong, with an alcohol content of around 6%. Try ordering a Radler (a beer and lemonade shandy) when you need to pace yourself.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Oktoberfest without the food. Order a half chicken or classic pork knuckle to have at your table, try your tent’s speciality or grab something from the huge range of food vendors outside. You can’t go wrong with a delicious, salty pretzel or a filling wurst.

With your belly full of beer and Bavarian grub, you’ll want some entertainment! Sing along to the band playing in the tent, venture outside to the rides and stalls or buy a heart-shaped gingerbread cookie for your sweetie. Really want to get into the spirit of the festival? Dress up in traditional Bavarian costume – most attendees will be similarly dressed.

There are plenty of Dirndl (for women) and Lederhosen (for men) for sale in Munich ahead of Oktoberfest, so you can really feel like a local!

Where to stay at Oktoberfest 2018?

With travellers visiting from all over the world, there’s a huge demand for accommodation in and around Munich during the festival. If you’re travelling solo, book as far in advance as you can, as hotels, hostels and campsites often fill up quickly. Joining a tour can be a great way to experience Oktoberfest, as you won’t need to worry about finding a place to stay, and you’ll have transport to and from your accommodation sorted ahead of time – always a bonus if you’re planning a drink or two!

There are plenty of tours to choose from, but make sure you pick one that’s right for you. If fun, comfortable camping with like-minded party animals sounds like you, try something like Stoke Travel’s Ultimate Oktoberfest Adventure. Prefer a hotel after a busy day (and night) of making merry? Thirsty Swagman’s Oktoberfest Package just might be the tour for you. No matter which tour you choose, you’ll have a blast exploring this world-famous festival with new friends. That’s something worth raising a glass to!

Have you been to Oktoberfest? Give us your best travel tips in the comments.