Enjoy Oktoberfest in Munich

Munich is the capital of Bavaria and the gateway to the German Alps. It is worth a visit for its beautiful churches, royal buildings and excellent museums. The Oktoberfest is a popular festival held every year in Munich between the last week of September and the beginning of October. The festival is an ongoing celebration that continues over three consecutive weekends. If you love drinking beer, then book plane tickets to Munich for guzzling as much beer as you want.

Oktoberfest schedule

I attended the Oktoberfest last year while this year the Oktoberfest will be held from September 22 - October 7 2012. However I had booked tickets on flights to Munich in advance to get a confirmed and discounted seat, as I did not wanted any disappointment. The festival is declared open after the Lord Mayor of Munich taps the first keg of the Oktoberfest beer around noon on the first day in the Schottenhamel tent. Once this happens the festival is declared open for the general public. I was informed by friends who had been there that beer is served between 10a.m. to 10.30 p. m. with the tents opening early at 9 a.m. on weekends and holidays. So to get my full share of beer, I arrived early by 9 a.m. to get a firsthand experience of the festivities.

Activities during the Oktoberfest

The entire city participates in the Oktoberfest and the area of Theresienwiese resembles a vibrant amusement park. The festive Festhalle representing the beer houses of yore serve all types of beer round the clock. A grand parade is organized on the first day where the entire city of Munich participates. There are floats representing the various beer houses of the city that march down the Theresienwiese and the mayor leads this parade along with a traditional band.

The closing time for the Käfer Wiesn-Schänke" and the "Weinzelt” tents is 1am. The last call for alcohol is however 12:15am and no smoking is permitted inside any of the tents. I picked up Oktoberfest souvenirs for my friends at the souvenirs shops that remain open till 11.30 p.m. daily. Besides drinking different types of beer, I enjoyed lots of joy rides and had fun in the carnival that is open daily until 11.30 p.m. Every Tuesday is a family day where children enjoy discounts on rides and sales. Several stalls are there selling savories like wurstel and pretzels that can be had along with the beer.

Those interested in the festival should book tickets now to Munich to get the best airline discounts. However I realized there are no online reservations for Oktoberfest while searching for cheap flights to Munich as these are available at the respective beer tents on certain days. For contact days the details are posted on the website Oktoberfest.de. Entry to all tents is free but it is best to go early for getting the best seats in a tent. Waiting time for entry into the tents is about half an hour and once there it is no fun unless each person has at least a liter of beer. The entire atmosphere is festive and there is camaraderie in the air with people dancing to the music and enjoying themselves. So to fully enjoy a trip to Munich book now, and get Cheap Tickets to Munich, in time for the Oktoberfest.

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