In anticipation of Oktoberfest

Ah, our first Oktoberfest as residents of Munich is just around the corner. You can tell it’s the season due to all the stores trying to get you to buy tracht (traditional Bavarian clothing, ie dirndls and lederhosen) these days. It’s in all the shop windows.

My one previous trip to Oktoberfest was about 10 years ago. I don’t remember it too vividly (despite not having a drop to drink there). I came to Munich from where I was living in eastern Germany to meet up with my parents, who planned their vacation specifically to coincide with Oktoberfest. I remember going on some rides (and wondering who came up with the brilliant idea to combine rides with excessive drinking) and walking through the stalls selling gingerbread hearts, chocolate-covered fruit, and hats shaped like beer steins. We poked our heads into a beer tent, which was packed full of people enjoying a big oompa band. My dad was dying to find a place to sit down and have a beer, but was sadly overruled by me (dislike of crowds) and my mom (who was beginning to come down with a stomach virus).

Our guest room (and the fold-out couch) is going to get a lot of use in the coming weeks, and we are thrilled to see all the friends who are coming to visit. That said, I’m a little apprehensive about the Oktoberfest schedule that I’ve got laid out before me: between going with visitors and with local friends, I’m planning to spend at least 5 days in beer tents alone. Don’t get me wrong – I do love drinking with friends. And I can’t wait to have an excuse to wear my dirndl. What I don’t love is crowds, smokey hot crowded tents, waiting in lines to get into smokey hot crowded tents, and big masses of hot sweaty people. It remains to be seen whether I will love Oktoberfest or hate it. Either way, I’ll be sure to blog all about it.

For those looking for Oktoberfest information, here’s a handy downloadable map of the Wies’n which shows where the various tents are located (for those of you lucky enough to have reservations at tents). The official Oktoberfest site is here. You can also find general schedule information here. The opening parade is Saturday morning, and then o’zapft is!

12 thoughts on “In anticipation of Oktoberfest”

  3. At least on Gay Day, you’ll be doing it with some class, however superficial.

    And put on your climbing boots, Hönig, because you’re going to have to rise above a mountain of celebrity trash-talk between BeamMeUp and moi!

  4. my advice – if you don’t already have tent reservations for opening weekend, don’t even try to get in the tents then.
    Go during the week when the crowds are smaller.
    In the meanwhile – there is a nice little Franzikaner beer garden near the rides that is enjoyable – and don’t forget the rotating carousel Franzikaner stands – those are always fun!

  5. Jen – looking forward to seeing you!

    Headbang – Class, yes. Anything that involves you automatically oozes class. And you know what, I was just thinking that hiking boots would look smashing with my dirndl.

    Stephanie – rotating beer stands? Sounds like something I must indeed investigate.

  8. Diane – you think you have it bad? I have back-to-back reservations all day and evening long on Sunday. I’ll be lucky if I make it to Monday…

    Looking forward to meeting you!

  9. I’m curious as to how the smoking ban is going to affect the tents this year. Technically, shouldn’t they be smoke free? Unless you automatically join the “club” with your table reservation…

  10. Moya – alas, the Oktoberfest tents have been given a one-year exemption from the smoking ban. Which means, they will be smokey as hell. Leider.

  11. I specifically planned to visit Munich AFTER Oktoberfest. I’m definitely not a big fan of crowds, plus there’s no way I would have gotten a cheap room in downtown Munich at that time!

    We’ll be there 3 days after it ends. I wonder if they’ll be sales on the Bavarian clothing then??

    Can’t wait to hear about your beer drinking activities!

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