First-Time Guide To The World’s Biggest Beer Festival
Munich Oktoberfest is one of the world’s great bucket-list events. After experiencing the beer tents, the songs, the giant beers and the incredible atmosphere firsthand, here’s everything you need to know before you first raise a liter and start singing “Country Roads.”
Munich Oktoberfest is one of the biggest, most fun, forget-about-everything-else themed events in the world.
Your smiling the whole time, singing and hoisting huge beers with strangers at long picnic tables.
It’s everything you’ve heard it is and more. Here’s everything you need to know about this event. Ein Prost!
Essential Oktoberfest Information
2026 DATES: Satureday, Sept. 19-Sunday, Oct. 4
TICKETS: Oktoberfest is free. The beer tents are free. So, no tickets are needed or sold for this event.
HOURS: Basically, Oktoberfest is open from 10 a.m.-midnight. But there are slightly different hours of the grounds and the beer tents and when beer is served in those tents. Here’s the breakdown.
Beer Serving Hours
Opening Day: Noon-10.30 p.m.
Weekdays: 10 a.m.-10.30 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday & holiday: 9 a.m.-10.30 p.m.
Daily closing hour: 12.30 am ‘Käfers Wiesnschänke’ and ‘Weinzelt’ open until 1 am
Fairground Hours
Opening Day: Noon midnight
Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m.-11.30 p.m.
Friday, Saturday: 10 a.m.–midnight
Sunday 10 a.m.-11.30 pm
LOCATION: Theresienwiese festival grounds. It’s about a 20-minute walk from the Marinlatz. There is also public transportation; take the U-Bahn U4 or U5 underground Munich subway line to Theresienwiese.
Best Times To Go To Oktoberfest
As you can see, the beer tents are open pretty much all day. There are two “shifts” of people in them. If you’re single you want to be there in the evening but note there can be lines. So it’s advised to go be there by 6 or 7 at night if you want to really party it up at night. On weekends, the beer tents can reach capacity by 11 a.m., so if you’re not in one you’ve got to walk around until you find one that’s not full.
What To Expect Inside Oktoberfest: The Beer Tents
THE BEER TENTS: The are huge. The size of airplane hangers. There are literally people – all holding big beers – as far as the eye can see. In the center on an an elevated platform is a German oompha band playing fun tunes. Smoking is not allowed in the beer tents.
THE BEER: Yes, the beers are served in those huge beer mugs. They are all-glass, thick 1-liter mugs. Empty the are heavy. Full of beer they are really heavy. Click here for the cost of beer in the tents.
YOU MUST BE SEATED TO GET BEERS: This is something that may catch you by surprise if you’re new to Oktoberfest. In most beer tents, you have to be seated at one of the long picnic tables to get a beer. They are served by waitresses (and yes, they do carry several of them at once; it’s pretty amazing, actually). There are no bars to walk up to where you can order a beer. One tent where you can be standing is Hofbrauhaus which is why it’s the most popular and biggest party tent, especially among singles from around the world.
BEER TENT RESERVATIONS: It’s not a bad idea to make a reservation ahead of time at a beer tent.
Link: Beer tents & reservations.
Food At Oktoberfest
FOOD: The beer tents have food: huge pretzels, sausages and roasted chicken dinners; the latter is one of Oktoberfest’s signature meals. There are also food booths (which may be a bit cheaper than in the beer tents) on the grounds of Oktoberfest.
There’s More Than Beer Tents At Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest is more than giant beer tents and oompha bands. It’s a full-on festival. There are carnival-style rides, food boots and other attractions. It’s like a big county fair in America. One year, after starting at Hofbrauhaus, PubClubber Luau Larry decided he wanted to get an aerial view of the fairgrounds. He thought it would make for a good photo, so he went to the ride that launches you high in the air and you ease back down to the ground. Once he got there, tho, he looked up and thought better of it and rejoined me in another tent.
Planning Your Visit
WHAT TO WEAR: You can put on a barmaid outfit or lederhosen – this is how many locals dress – or you can go casual. While it’s cool outside, the beer tents are warm, even hot. When PubClub.com was there, it was t-shirt and shorts for us. Then again, we’re based in California.
WEATHER: The weather can be sunny, warm or rainy and coo. If it’s the latter then there will be longer beer tent lines as people will want to be inside rather than doing things at the festival. Opening weekend calls for thunderstorms Saturday night and Sunday morning. The daytime temperatures are generally in the mid-70s and it will be low 50s at night.
OKTOBERFEST LINKS:
• The Nightlife Blogger: Experiencing The Beer Tents For The First Time (pubclub.com)
• Oktoberfest Munich Top Party Tips & Beer Tents (pubclub.com)
• Munich Oktoberfest Hofbrau House Is The Best Beer Tent (pubclub.com)
• Oktoberfest In Munich Is The Ultimate Beer Drinker’s Heaven (pubclub.com)
• Munich Oktoberfest Is Heaven For Beer Drinkers
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