Oktoberfest is a yearly event in Germany’s calendar that happens in Munich. It is known locally as Wiesn and it runs from the end of September until the beginning of October.
It is a strictly Bavarian affair and the official dress code is the Dirndl for girls and Lederhosen for guys.
The grounds are the Theresienwiese, which is were the name Wiesn comes from. It comprises lots of fair ground attractions, food stalls, gifts, souvenirs and most importantly beer tents from the main beer makers in Germany.
To get into the tents, you need to have pre-booked a table around February time, or to work for an established German company in Germany (as they all book tables there every year). However if like me you didn’t do either of these, then queuing and cunning are your only weapons. Luckily one of my friends was an Oktoberfest veteran, and I’m not sure exactly how she did it, but she got us into the bigger tents very quickly everyday.
Once inside a tent, the next task is to squeeze into a table or pay attention at people leaving or being kicked-out for being loud Dirndl-grabbing Italians! (No offence to any of my lovely Italian friends)
Once you are comfortably squashed at a table it’s time for the huge glasses of beer (Maß) and the great food. You will spend most of your time standing on your bench and holding your beer. Once you hold that beer Maß for a bit you realise the feat that the waiters and waitresses achieve carrying 10 of them at a time! Food-wise, there are pretzels, chicken, etc, but by far the best dish is the Schweinshaxe, a roast pork joint with dumplings.
A Maß is a heavy-duty glass capable of holding 1 litre of beer. Holding one all day is hard work…
It’s now time to mingle with those around you and to sing along to the live music. Don’t be surprised to hear classics like ‘Pretty Woman’ and ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ as well as the sponsored ‘Ein Prosit’ which prompts everyone to cheer and drink more beer every 5-10 minutes.
During the daytime the tents are very family oriented and families tend to go together. You can usually see generations together, groups of friends and colleagues. At night time it is more of an adult themed free-for-all party. Please follow the following Dirdnl waste knot guide to help avoid any embarrassing situations:
- knot tied to the woman’s front left: single
- knot tied to the woman’s front centre: virgin
- knot tied to the woman’s front right: married, engaged or otherwise taken
- knot tied at the woman’s back: widow
Prost!
Oktoberfest Photo Gallery
