Octoberfest

German beer

German beer is highly diverse and an important part of Germany's culture. There are around 1300
breweries in Germany, more than in any other country. The German beer market is a bit sheltered from
the rest of the world beer market by the German brewers' adherence to the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot
(purity requirement) dating from 1516, according to which the only allowed ingredients of beer are water,
hops and barley-malt. Many breweries worldwide adopted the Reinheitsgebot for their own beers. After
its discovery, yeast became the fourth legal ingredient, though for top-fermenting beers the use of sugar
is also permitted. Through this law (which since 1988 has not applied to imported beer, but is still
compulsory for German brewers), beers from Germany have a good reputation for their quality. The
Germans are behind only the Czechs and the Irish in their per capita consumption of beer.

Varieties

There are a variety of different styles of German beer, such as:



Ales



Alt — a dark amber beer brewed around Düsseldorf and Lower Rhine.



Kölsch — pale, light-bodied, top-fermented beer which can only legally be brewed in the
Cologne region.



Weizen — top-fermented wheat beer.



Weizenbock — strong, dark, top-fermented wheat beer.



Berliner Weisse — a pale, very sour, top-fermented wheat beer brewed in Berlin. Usually
drunk with the addition of fruit syrup.



Leipziger Gose — an amber, very sour, top-fermented wheat beer brewed around
Leipzig. It disappeared between 1966 and 1985, when it was revived by Lothar Goldhahn.



Lagers



Helles — a pale, malty lager from Bavaria.



Schwarzbier — a bottom-fermented, dark lager beer with a full, roasty, chocolatey flavor.



Pilsner — a pale lager with a light body and a more prominent hop character. By far the
most popular style, with around two thirds of the market.



Export — a pale lager that is fuller, maltier than Pilsner. Germany’s most popular style in
the 1950´s and 1960´s, it’s becoming increasingly rare.



Spezial — a pale, full, bitter-sweet and delicately hopped lager.



Dunkel — dark lager which comes in two main varieties: the sweetish, malty Munich style
and the drier, Franconian style



Rauchbier — usually dark in color and smoky in taste from the use of smoked malt. A
speciality of the Bamberg region.



Bock — an amber, heavy-bodied, bitter-sweet lager.



Dunkles Bock — a dark, heavy bodied lager darkened by high-coloured malts.



MaiBock — a pale, strong lager darkened brewed in the Spring.



Doppelbock — a powerful, very full-bodied lager darkened by high-coloured malts.



Eisbock — a freeze distilled variation of Doppelbock.



Märzen — medium body, malty lagers that come in pale, amber and dark varieties. The
type of beer traditionally served at the Munich Oktoberfest.

Many of the kinds of beer are also available with the alcohol content reduced or added.

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Brands and breweries

While the beer market is weaker but more centralized in northern Germany (the biggest brands being
Krombacher, Veltins, Warsteiner, and Bitburger), the south has lots of very small, local breweries. The
highest density of breweries in the world is found near the city of Bamberg, in the Franconia region of
Bavaria. In total, there are approximately 1350 breweries in Germany producing over 5000 brands of
beer. One of these breweries, the Benedictine abbey Weihenstephan (established in 725) is reputedly
the oldest existing brewery in the world (brewing since 1040).

Alcohol content

The alcohol content is usually between 4.7% and 5.4% for most traditional brews. Bockbier or
Doppelbock (double Bockbier) however can have an alcohol content of up to 12%, making it stronger
than many wines.

Something that is inseparable connected with beer in Germany are Volksfests

Volksfest

A Volksfest is a large event in Germany (and other European countries), which combines a beer festival
and a carnival. The access to the area of a Volksfest cost no entrance. You have to pay for each ride
separately. In opposite to carnival in USA each ride on a Volksfest has as a rule a separate owner, so
tickets for several rides are uncommon. There is at least one Volksfest in nearly each larger town in
Germany once a year. In some towns, there are two or more such events per year. Sindelfingen was the
only town, which gave up its Volksfest. A Volksfest takes place nearly at the same date every year.
Some of these events have a long tradition. The oldest Volksfest in Germany is the Lullusfest in Bad
Herfeld. A Volksfest takes place in most cases on a special site. Some of these sites are well known, as
the Wasen in Stuttgart or Theresienwiese in Munich. However there are some Volksfests, which take
place partly in places and in streets of towns.

But the best known Volksfest in the world takes place in Germany every year in October
and it is ……… the Octoberfest.

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Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany during late September
and early October. It is one of the most famous events in the city and the world's largest fair, with some
six million people attending every year.

The event traditionally takes place during the 16 days up to and including the first Sunday in October.
The schedule was changed following German reunification in 1990 so that if the first October Sunday is
the 1st or 2nd then the festival will go on until the October 3rd (German Unity Day). Thus, the festival is
now 17 days when the 1st Sunday is October 2nd and 18 days when it is October 1st. The festival is
held on an area named the Theresienwiese (Field [or meadow] of Therese), often called “d’ Wiesn” for
short. The locals in Munich fondly refer to Oktoberfest as „die Wiesn“ because of its location,
Theresienwiese, which was named after Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. Beer plays a central
role in the fair, with every festival beginning with a keg of beer tapped by the Mayor of Munich who
declares “O'zapft is!” (Bavarian: “It’s tapped!”). A special Oktoberfest beer is brewed for the occasion,
which is slightly darker and stronger, in both taste and alcohol. It is served in a one-liter-tankard called
Maß. The first mass is served to the Bavarian Minister-President. Only local Munich breweries are
allowed to serve this beer in a Bierzelt, a beer tent which is large enough for thousands.

Visitors also consume large quantities of food, most of it traditional hearty fare such as sausage, hendl
(chicken), käsespätzle (cheese noodles), and sauerkraut, along with such Bavarian delicacies as roast
ox tails.

History

The first "Oktoberfest" took place on October 12, 1810: For the commemoration of their marriage, Crown
Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen (namesake of the
Theresienwiese festival grounds) organized a great horse race (the marriage took place on October
12th, the horse race on October 17th, therefore there are different dates named as being the first
Oktoberfest).

The first 100 years

In the year 1813, the Oktoberfest was called off as Bavaria was involved in the Napoleonic war. In 1816,
carnival booths appeared. The main prizes were silver, porcelain, and jewelry. In 1819, The town fathers
of Munich took over festival management. They decided that the Oktoberfest should be celebrated every
year without exception. Later, it was lengthened and the date pushed forward. The reason being that that
the end of September in Bavaria often has very good weather. The high temperature in the first week of
Oktoberfest nears 30 °C which stimulates the thirst of the visitors. However, today the last week of
Oktoberfest is still in October.

To honor the marriage of King Ludwig I and Therese of Bavaria, a parade took place for the first time in
1835. Since 1950 this has been a yearly event and an important component of the Oktoberfest. 8,000
people, mostly from Bavaria, in traditional costumes walk from Maximilian Street, through the center of
Munich, to the Oktoberfest. The march is led by the Münchner Kindl.

Since 1850 the statue of Bavaria has watched the Oktoberfest. This worldly Bavarian patron was first
sketched by Leo von Klenze in a classic style and Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler romanticised and
"germanised" the draft; it was constructed by Johann Baptist Stiglmaier and Ferdinand von Miller.

In 1853, the Bavarian Ruhmeshalle was finished.

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In 1854, 3,000 residents of Munich succumbed to an epidemic of cholera, so the festival was canceled.
Also, in the year 1866, there was no Oktoberfest as Bavaria fought in the Austro-Prussian War. In 1870,
the Franco-German war was the reason for cancellation of the festival. In 1873, the festival was once
more canceled due to a Cholera epidemic. In the year 1880, the city government approved the sale of
beer. The electric light illuminated over 400 booths and tents. In 1881, booths selling bratwursts opened.
In 1892, beer was first served in glass mugs. At the end of the 1900's, a re-organization took place. Until
then, there were games of skittles, large dance floors, and trees for climbing in the beer booths. They
wanted more room for guests and musicians. The booths became beer halls.

In 1887, the Entry of the Oktoberfest Staff and Breweries took place for the first time. This event
showcases the splendidly decorated horse teams of the breweries and the bands that play in the festival
tents. This event always takes place on the first Saturday of the Oktoberfest and symbolizes the official
prelude to the Oktoberfest celebration

In the year 1910, Oktoberfest celebrated its 100th birthday. 120,000 liters of beer were poured. In 1913,
the Bräurosl was founded, which was the largest Oktoberfest beer tent of all time, with room for about
12,000 guests (today, the biggest tent is the Hofbräu-Festhalle which holds 10,000).

The war years

From 1914 through 1918, World War I prevented the celebration of Oktoberfest. In 1919 and 1920, the
two years after the war, Munich celebrated only an "Autumn Fest." In 1923 and 1924, the Oktoberfest
was not held due to inflation.

In 1933, the Bavarian white and blue flag was replaced with the standard swastika flag. From 1939 to
1945, due to World War II, no Oktoberfest took place. From 1946 to 1948, after the war, Munich once
again celebrated only the "Autumn Fest." The sale of proper Oktoberfest beer was not permitted; the
guests had to make do with beer that had an alcohol content under 2%.

Since its beginnings the Oktoberfest has thus been canceled 24 times due to war, disease and other
emergencies.

The modern festival

Since 1950, there has been a traditional festival opening: A twelve gun salute and the tapping of the first
keg of Oktoberfest beer at 12:00 by the current Mayor of Munich with the cry "O'zapft is!" ("It's tapped!" in
the Austro-Bavarian dialect) opens the Oktoberfest. The first mayor to tap the keg was Thomas Wimmer.

By 1960, the Oktoberfest had turned into an enormous world-famous festival. The first Japanese,
Americans, and New Zealanders discovered the festival and stumbled with beer mugs alongside
Bavarians. They spread the word of Munich worldwide. After this foreigners began to picture Germans
as wearing the Sennerhut, Lederhosen, and the girls in Dirndl. Horse races ended in 1960.

There are many problems every year with young people, who overestimate their ability to handle large
amounts of alcohol. Many pass out due to drunkenness. These especially drunk patrons are often called
"Bierleichen" (German for "beercorpses"). They are brought by staff to a medical tent where drunks as
well as sick people are treated.

To make the Oktoberfest, and especially the beer tents, once again friendly to older people and families,
the concept of the "quiet Oktoberfest" was developed in 2005. Until 6:00 PM, the tents only play quiet
music, for example traditional wind music. Only after that will Schlager and pop music be played, which
has led to more violence in earlier years. The music played in the afternoon is limited to 85 decibels.
With these measures, the organizers of the Oktoberfest hope to curb the over-the-top party mentality
and preserve the traditional beer tent atmosphere.

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Facts and data

Size

The Oktoberfest is known as the Largest People's Fair in the World. Year after year, about six million
people visit the 42 Hectare large Theresienwiese. 72% of the people are from Bavaria. 15% of visitors
come from foreign countries like the surrounding EU-countries and other non-European countries like the
United States, Japan, and Australia.

Besides the Oktoberfest, there is a second public festival which takes place at the same place in
April/May: The Munich Frühlingsfest (Spring Festival), which is also known as "Little Oktoberfest."

After the Oktoberfest the next people fairs in size in Germany are the Rheinkirmes in Düsseldorf (called
Largest Fair on the Rhine) with about 4 million visitors, followed by the Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart
with about 3 million visitors each year.

Duration

On account of the duration of the festival and the nice weather, the Oktoberfest has begun in September
since 1872. It always opens on the third weekend in September, a Saturday and its duration varies
depending on the days of the week each year (Approximately 16 days). The festival has traditionally
ended on the first Sunday of October, but if this day is the 1st or 2nd day of October, the festival will go on
until the October 3rd (German Unity Day).

Oktoberfest numbers 2006



Area: 103,79 acres



30% of the year's production of beer by Munich breweries will be consumed in the two weeks of
Oktoberfest.



12,000 People are employed at the Oktoberfest. Of these, 1600 are waitresses.



There is available seating for 100,000 people.



Waste: 680 t in 2006



Toilets: about 1000 seats, more than 890 meters stands and 17 for disabled persons



The six Oktoberfest breweries (Spaten, Augustiner, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu,
Löwenbräu) sold 6.6 million mugs of beer (2005: 6.0 - 2004: 5.5 million).



Roasted oxen: 102



Sausages: 219,443 pairs



Roast chickens: 459,279



60% of visitors arrive by public transport.



Lost property: about 4000 items, among them 260 pairs of glasses, 200 mobile phones a
wedding rind and two crutches



Children under the age of six must leave the tents at 8pm even if they are in the company of their
parents. Baby strollers are allowed from Monday to Friday until 5pm, on weekends it is not
allowed to go to the Wiesn with a baby buggy

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Oktoberfest statistics 1950-200

4

Year

Beer/hectorliter)

Chicken

(units)

Pork sausage

(pairs)

1950

15.012

88.294

648.338

1960

28.751

235.896

696.630

1970

39.985

487.570

795.358

1980

38.438

552.198

287.693

1990

54.300

750.947

303.352

1995

50.162

628.890

183.504

1996

52.622

595.580

254.788

1997

55.891

699.562

210.268

1998

56.165

603.746

176.590

1999

61.463

609.661

152.025

2000

66.295

681.242

235.474

2001

49.720

351.705

145.506

2002

57.614

459.259

219.405

2003

62.294

487.487

190.635

2004

61.163

481.649

179.889

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Beer Tents are a Must

Munich's largest and most traditional breweries cordially invite you to join the festivities. Drink beer by
the litre (teetotallers don't need to worry: sodas and water are also available), eat traditional Bavarian
food such as pretzels with a diameter of 15 inches. Listen to live brass bands playing traditional Bavarian
music as well as more up-to-date music, and enjoy yourself with hundreds of other people from all over
the world, dancing and singing the hours away.

There are currently 14 main tents at the Oktoberfest. The tents themselves are semi-permanent
structures which are only occupied during the festival. The beer (or wine) served in each is in the
accompanying table:



Hippodrom - One of the smaller tents, it's the first tent that many visitors see at the fest. As well
as serving normal Wiesn beer, it has a Sekt (sparkling wine) bar and Maß of Weißbier.
Considered one of the trendiest tents, and attracts the occasional celebrity.



Armbrustschützenzelt - Translates as the "Crossbow Shooters Tent", a competition that has been
a part of the Oktoberfest since 1895.



Hofbräu Festzelt - The counterpart to the famous Hofbräuhaus, this tent is especially popular with
Americans, Australians and New Zealanders.



Hacker-Festzelt - One of the largest tents on the Wiesn, they have a rock band that plays from
5:30 each evening (as opposed to the traditional brass band). This tent is also known as "Himmel
der Bayern" (Heaven of Bavarians)



Schottenhamel - Reckoned to be the most important tent at the Oktoberfest, mainly because it is
where it starts. On the first Saturday of the event, no beer is allowed to be served until the mayor
of Munich (currently Christian Ude) taps the first keg, at 12pm. Only then can the other tents
begin to serve beer. Very popular amongst younger people.



Winzerer Fähndl - This tent is noted for its huge tower, with a Maß of Paulaner beer sitting atop it.

Name

Brewery

Seating

inside outside

Hippodrom

Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu 3,200 1,000

Armbrustschützenzelt

Paulaner

5,839 1,600

Hofbräu Festzelt

Hofbräu München

6,896 3,622

Hacker-Festzelt

Hacker-Pschorr

9,300 0

Schottenhamel

Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu 6,000 4,000

Winzerer Fähndl

Paulaner

8,450 2,450

Schützen-Festhalle

Löwenbräu

4,442 0

Käfers Wiesen Schänke Paulaner

1,000 1,900

Weinzelt

Nymphenburger Sekt

1,300 600

Paulaner Weißbier

Löwenbräu-Festhalle

5,700 2,800

Bräurosl

Hacker-Pschorr

6,000 2,200

Augustiner-Festhalle

Augustiner Bräu

6,000 2,500

Ochsenbraterei

Spaten

5,900 1,500

Fischer Vroni

Augustiner

2,695 700

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

Schützen-Festhalle - This is a mid-sized tent. Situated under the Bavaria statue, the current tent
was newly built in 2004.



Käfers Wiesen Schänke - The smallest tent at the Oktoberfest, it is frequented by celebrities, and
is known for its especially good food. In contrast to the other tents (which must close by 11pm), it
is open until 0:30am, but it can be very difficult to get in.



Weinzelt - This tent offers a selection of more than 15 wines, as well as Weißbier.



Löwenbräu-Festhalle - Above the entrance is a 4.50 meter (15 foot) lion who occasionally drinks
from his beer. This is overshadowed by another tower where another drinking lion sits.



Bräurosl (Hacker-Pschorr) - Named after the daughter of the original brewery owner (Pschorr),
this tent has the usual brass band and a yodeler.



Augustiner-Festhalle - Considered by many elderly locals to be the best tent, due to the fact it
sells the favourite local brew, Augustiner.



Ochsenbraterei - True to its name, this tent offers a great variety of ox dishes.



Fischer Vroni - Another of the smaller tents. Fisch is the German word for fish and this tent
carries a huge selection in its menu.

Certainly, you can visit the beer tents without a reservation; nevertheless, you should arrive as early as
possible, especially, if there is a large group with you. For instance, during the week, arrive no later than
2:30pm and on the weekends, it’s best to go in the morning. Otherwise, you run the risk of not being able
to enter the tents at all because they’re already full. Larger groups should expect to wait in line like
others – those without seats won’t be served any beer!

Price of a Maß

One of the biggest talking points among citizens of Munich in the lead up to the Oktoberfest each year is
how much a litre of beer will cost. In 2006 the official price range was between €6.95 and €7.50, as
opposed to €6.65 and €7.10 the year before. The average prices for alcohol-free drinks were as
following: One litre of table water - 5.84 Euros, one litre of Spezi - 6.90 Euros and one litre of soft drink –
6.43 Euros. In the past price hikes have been a contentious issue.

Souvenir mugs

Oktoberfest beer mugs are made from heavy glass and typically have a decorative brewery logo on the
side, thus making them very popular souvenirs among visitors. Although it is strictly forbidden to steal the
mugs, they can be purchased in the tents at a reasonable price. Buyers are strongly advised to keep the
receipts because police are known to search them for stolen mugs even away from the fest area. When
police catch someone stealing a mug, the thieves may be fined up to €50. In 2006 220,000 mugs were
retrieved by security forces.

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Oktoberfest Festive Program

Every year 6 million visitors make their way to the largest folk festival in the world. And this is because
the Oktoberfest has much more to offer than exciting roller coasters and huge beer tents.

The main highlight of the Wiesn events and an important must-see is the Oktoberfest Costume and
Riflemen’s Parade. The parade happens every year on the first Wiesn Sunday which will fall on
September 19th this year.

Other important events are the Parade of Oktoberfest Landlords and Breweries, the Official Tapping of
the Keg, the Oktoberfest Mass , „Böllerschießen“ (handheld canon salute) in front of the Bavaria statue
and – this year- an agricultural festival.

Grand entry of the Oktoberfest landlords and breweries

This is the official prelude to the opening of the Oktoberfest and involves about 1,000 participants,
including the landlords' families in decorated carriages, the magnificent horse-drawn drays of the Munich
breweries, waitresses on decorated floats and all the beer tent bands.
Route: Sonnenstraße-Schwanthalerstraße to the Oktoberfest grounds.

Oktoberfest Costume and Riflemen's Parade

World-famous procession on the first Sunday of the Oktoberfest, the Costume und Riflemen's
Procession, gives an impressive insight into the fascinating diversity of customs rooted in the heart of
Bavaria, in Franconia, Swabia, the states of Germany and in neighbouring European countries. A varied
succession of regional costume groups, "troops" in historical uniforms, marching bands, riflemen,
thoroughbred horses, oxen, cows, goats, the decorated drays of the Munich breweries, floats displaying
typical local traditions and historic carriages all pass by in a 7-kilometer-long procession through the
streets of the city centre. Ribboned trees, harvest garlands, craftsmen's tools from bygone days, harvest
produce, dancers decorated with flowers, stars and crowns, trumpeters on horseback, flag-throwers and
a host of other performers transform this traditional Munich procession into a brilliant highlight on the first
Sunday of the Oktoberfest.

Route of the parade:
Max II. Denkmal, Maximilianstraße, Residenzstraße, Odeonsplatz, Platz der Opfer des
Nationalsozialismus, Lenbachplatz, Karlsplatz-Stachus, Sonnenstraße, Schwanthalerstraße, Paul-
Heyse-Straße, Georg-Hirth-Platz, Kaiser-Ludwig-Platz, Festwiese

Open-Air Oktoberfest Music

A bigband open-air concert of all Oktoberfest bands with some 400 musicians takes place on the second
Sunday of the festival on the steps of the Bavaria statue.

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The big tents

The agony of choice

It is true that the Oktoberfest-visitor doesn’t have it easy:

with 14 tents to choose from, and each one more awesome than the other!

Hofbräu Festhalle - World famous
The counterpart to the Hofbraeuhaus located in the city of Munich is also a huge
tourist attraction at the Wiesn.

Hofbräu-Festzelt

The proprietors Margot and Günter Steinberg
know how to treat their guests well. It is not
uncommon to already find Maß glasses being
raised to toasts and guests rocking back and
forth to the music at midday. This is not least
because Hofbräu guests come from all over the
world. Americans and Austrians feel especially
happy here.

True Bavarian delicacies and other specialties
can be purchased at economical prices during
midday.

Hacker - Bavarian Heaven
The slogan is integral to the Hacker-Festzelt philosophy: when surrounded by
clouds and stars with a cold Maß (liter of beer) in the hand, you may feel as
though you are truly in a "Bavarian Heaven".

The proprietors Christl and Toni Roiderer have
really planned something special for all those in
need of a break from brass band music this
year: every evening starting at 5:30pm, a Rock'n
'Roll-Band will perform and get the beat going

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Hacker-Festzelt

Schottenhamel - Pure Tradition
The Schottenhamel is one of the most important tents of the Wiesn, as
everything starts inside this tent.

Schottenhamel

On the opening day of the Wiesn, at 12 pm on
the dot, the mayor of Munich, Christian Ude will
tap the first keg and call out “O’zapft is!”
confirming that the tapping was successful. It is
only after this that all other tents may begin to
serve beer.

It’s hard to believe that the Schottenhamel tent,
which in 1867 was just a small beer booth with
50 seats, has become the largest Wiesn tent
with circa 10,000 seats. The Schottenhamel is
the favorite hunting ground for Munich’s young
people who meet there to drink and party.

A toast to Gemuetlichkeit (great fun)
A further place to meet celebrities at the Wiesn, which is in great part due to the
fantastic atmosphere in this cozy tent.

Winzerer Fähndl

“Gemuetlichkeit” is a very important feature of
the tent, and the proprietors Helga and Willi
Kreitmair ensure that stays that way.

The Kreitmair’s decorate their Faehnd’l with
great care and authentic Bavarian details. It is
here that many Oktoberfest visitors
unexpectedly end up staying for a long time.
The Blaskapelle Ruhmannsfelden provide for
the right beer-atmosphere. Sing-along allowed!

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Under Bavaria's eyes
The Schützenfestzelt with its 4,442 seats is a mid-sized tent. The “Niederalmer”
(music group) provide for a good atmosphere and many other surprises.

Schützenfestzelt

One thing, which has made this tent world-
famous, is the sucking pig prepared in an
authentic Bavarian manner in malt beer sauce
and served with coleslaw. It is even served in
the traditional "lukewarm" Bavarian manner
and will melt in your mouth! Enjoy your meal.

Celebrity meeting place and gourmet temple
No longer a secret: celebrities from all over the world, and especially those from
Munich flood into Käfers Wies’n-Schänke. That’s no wonder since proprietor
Michael Kaefer has created an extremely comfortable and cozy retreat in his
comparatively small tent at the Wiesn.

It's clear: the gourmets are truly at home here
and the delicious Käfer-roasted duck is
something that should not be missed.

In contrast to the other tents, Käfers is open
until 00:30 am. However, it’s very difficult to get
past the bouncer after 11 pm unless you have
connections or are a well-known celebrity.

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Käfer's Wies’n-Schänke

A glass of wine…
...isn’t bad either.

Weinzelt

Who is to say that you always have to drink
beer at the Wiesn? The Wine Tent offers a
selection of more than 15 different wines, in
addition to different types of Sekt (sparkling
wine) and champagne.
The proprietors of the wine tent are the
Kufflers. They have been a part of Munich’s
gastronomy scene for a long time, and know
very well what Wiesn visitors will appreciate.

A lion marks the spot
A favorite meeting place which cannot be overseen: The entrance to the
Löwenbräu tent is decorated with a massive lion, which is 4.50 meters high.

Don’t be scared when the king lets out an
authentic sounding roar every couple of
minutes. A further feature: It is no surprise that
this beer tent is the meeting point for fans of
the TSV 1860 Munich soccer team as they are
also called “Lions”. If you are searching for
extraordinary hospitality and a bombastic
atmosphere, you’re guaranteed to find it here!

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Löwenbräu

True Wiesn tradition
The Heide family has solidly managed the tent "Braeurosl" for seven
generations. The name of the tent originates from the daughter of the brewery
owner Pschorr.

Bräurosl

Entertainment is of great importance in this
tent: a tent-own yodeler, who answers to the
name “Bräurosl” during the Wiesn (in honor of
Rosi Pschorr), ensures a good atmosphere and
traditional Bavarian songs. But that’s not all!
Because when “Bräurosl” goes on break, the
Luwig Thoma-Musicians take up the beat and
pump up the heat.

Last but not least, the South Tirol Spitzbuam
(musicians) perform daily during lunchtime,
and 6 - 7pm.

Family friendly and great fun
The proprietor of the Augustiner-Brewery, Manfred Vollmer has built up
something very special during the course of the past sixteen years: this tent is
considered to be the friendliest of all at Oktoberfest. The waiters/waitresses
(almost) never forget to smile, regardless how busy or hectic it gets.

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Augustiner-Festhalle

Families also feel very comfortable in this tent:
on both Tuesdays during the Wiesn there is a
“kids day” with especially low prices. The
excellent Augustiner beer also contributes to
ensuring a great atmosphere – which often
already gets into full swing in the middle of the
afternoon!

All kinds of oxen
When visitors look at the entrance of the Ochsenbraterei, where an over-
dimensional ox is slowly turning on a huge spit, it is easy to understand what
this tent stands for.

Ochsenbraterei

The Ochsenbraterei does indeed offer an
amazing variety of different oxen specialties.
One look at the menu and many visitors will be
awestruck at the great variety of dishes that
can be created with an ox.

Careful... the great atmosphere and excellent
brass music can lead to extensive partying.

For Fish lovers
Nobody gets the short end of the stick at the Wiesn. For those with no interest in

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pig's knuckles and the like, Fischer-Vroni is the right place to go.

Fischer Vroni

You can enjoy an authentic grilled "fish on a
stick" in one of the most comfortable tents at
the Oktoberfest.

Even the fish preparation is an experience: the
fish are skewered on a stick, and grilled in a 15-
meter long row. Regardless whether walleyed
pike, white fish, or salmon trout…. Your fish
wishes will not go unanswered.

Sepp Folger and his Munich musicians provide
the right music for your fish(ing) pleasure.

The Hippodrom

Mainly frequented by the younger crowd. A
stylish sekt (sparkling wine) bar lends the
Hippodrom a special flair. It is also highly
recommendable for singles, as the flirt factor is
one of the highest at the Wiesn.

Even celebrities have discovered the
Hippodrom, which in turn ensures a good
amount of autograph seekers.

Armbrustschützen - Bull's Eye!
The Oktoberfest crossbow competition is considered one of the great Wiesn
highlights. The marksmen have been letting it fly since 1895. But don’t worry;
this tent doesn’t only feature marksmen and shooting.

The Hippodrom - truly "hip"
One of the favorite tents of the Munich locals. Although it's important to note
that one shouldn't start looking for a place to sit too late, as the Hippodrom is
somewhat smaller than the other tents.

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Armbrustschützenzelt

It is also especially comfortable and the
proprietor Peter Inselkammer and his team will
ensure that your physical well-being isn’t
neglected. Regardless whether you choose to
sample the roast chicken, knuckle of pork or
traditional sausages with sauerkraut, you’re
sure to hit the Bull’s Eye each time!

Good company and great fun go hand in hand
in this tent, which may also have to do with the
excellent Paulaner beer.

Last but not least, the Unterbrunner brass band
music does their part by getting the visitors
into the "groove".

Oktoberfest Main Entrance

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Theresienwiese one day pre opening 2006

The beer price will range between 6.95 and 7.50 Euros per liter.

The average prices for alcohol-free drinks will be as following: One liter of table water - 5.84

Euros, one liter of Spezi - 6.90 Euros, and one liter of soft drink – 6.43 Euros.

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Jumi



Oktoberfest at night

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Signpost indicating the direction to the restrooms.

Before the guests arrive…

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… and after - a typical tent in all his glory.

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The official start of the Oktoberfest

The Oktoberfest is for old…

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…for young…

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…for men…

…for women…

….the Oktoberfest is for everyone



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The memorial of the victims of the bomb attack in 1980

On September 26, 1980 at 10:19 PM, a pipe bomb was set off in a trash can, at the

showers at the main entrance. The bomb consisted of an empty fire extinguisher filled

with 1.39 kilograms of TNT and mortar shells. Thirteen people were killed, over 200 were

injured, 68 seriously. This was the worst terrorist attack in the history of Germany. The

official inquiries found that a right-wing extremist Gundolf Köhler from Donaueschingen, a

social outcast who didn't get away in time and killed himself in the explosion, was the

lone perpetrator. However, this account is disputed strongly by various groups.

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On February the 1st, the official Oktoberfest-motif 2007 has been released. Ten artists - who

where invited by the Munich Tourist Center to participate in the contest - presented 19

suggestions to the jury and three of them where chosen as the winners. First place was given to

this picture.

The sunny motif will decorate more than 7.000 posters and 90.000 brochures worldwide.

“Twisteeers, twisteeers, delicious salty twisters!”

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