A little foretaste for 2024: A visit to Oktoberfest 2023 in pictures
A visit to the Munich Oktoberfest conveys a Bavarian attitude to life that can only be found here...
Munich Oktoberfest - photo impressions from last year - 2023 on the Theresienwiese
Munich. We were looking forward to the Oktoberfest meadow in the morning and in fact, at 11 a.m., when the rides, stalls and stands opened, it was still pretty clear. Little by little the Oktoberfest streets filled up and here and there the music started in the tents. The world's largest folk festival takes place once a year on the Theresienwiese in Munich.
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| Paulaner carriage on Friday at 11:30 a.m. at the Munich Oktoberfest, photo: Helga Waess |
What is she doing with this Munich Oktoberfest? Why does the whole world come to Munich to really celebrate?
The “Wiesn”, as the Oktoberfest is affectionately called by locals, is unique. It is more than just a folk festival! It is, and not just for Munich residents, a special attitude to life, one that sums up everything that makes this Bavarian country special. Conviviality is very important. You sit side by side and often don't understand the languages, but the Oktoberfest language is the emotion, it's the fun, the music and the same beat that everyone follows when they stand on the bench in the tent, raise their voices and sing along. For newbies who manage to get a spot here and there in one of the huge festival halls, the motto is “Sit here, then you can do more!”
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| Guests from Australia in lederhosen before entering the SCHOTTENHAMEL festival hall from the Spatenbrauerei, photo: Helga Waess - Friday, 11 a.m |
The Munich breweries brew an Oktoberfest beer with more original wort specifically for this purpose
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| Pschorr Bräurosl - serves delicious Hacker Pschor Wiesnbier - Photo: Helga Waess |
And everyone should try it once. When the barley juice, whether with or without alcohol, refreshes your throat at an almost summery 25 degrees and the band plays Bavarian music, then you're almost there: in the traditional Bavarian Oktoberfest feeling!
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| Dumpling rösti with chicken and fried onions, a giant pretzel goes well with the Oktoberfest beer, photo: Helga Waess |
The waitress rushes over with eight beer mugs, the pretzel seller walks repeatedly through the aisles and white sausage, pork knuckles or fried chicken are brought out on huge serving boards by muscular waitresses.
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| The delicacy kitchen conjures up Bavarian delicacies in the Pschorr Braurösl tent, photo: Helga Waess (press photo) |
A walk through the Munich Oktoberfest is a lot of fun
Whether it's a Herzl as a souvenir, a ride on a Ferris wheel or a carousel, or a snack on delicious Bavarian cuisine at the many delicacies, there's something for everyone. The many dirndls and lederhosen lift the mood and show that you are not in Berlin or Hanover. It is not at all comparable to a local Schützenfest or “Little Oktoberfest” - as it is called elsewhere - even if the Schützenfestzelt, which is the first to be built every year, is right at the foot of the Bavaria. Many Munich restaurateurs, like the Käfer family with the beetle tent, which also serves delicious coffee, are there every year. All hosts have their regular places.
Wiesnhendl, knuckle with dumplings, Kasspatzn and sausages with cabbage
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| Bavarian dishes - freshly prepared and delicious, photo: Helga Waess |
These are the real “makers of the Munich Oktoberfest beers”
And the big innkeepers serve the local festival beers from Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner and Spaten. By the way, the annual Oktoberfest beer is only brewed by these six big Munich breweries and can only be served by them at the annual Oktoberfest. A reason for us to mention Munich's master brewers by name:
- Andreas Brunner (Augustiner),
- Rainer Kansy (Hacker-Pschorr),
- Rolf Dummert (Hofbräu),
- Bernd Kräußel (Löwenbräu),
- Christian Dahncke (Paulaner)
- und Friedrich Geiger (Spaten)
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| View from the balcony of the Pschorr Bräurosl tent towards Bavaria and Paulaner and Löwenbräuturm - in the background the Ferris wheel under a Bavarian blue sky on Friday at 11:30 a.m., photo: Helga Waess |
The opening times of the beer tents
The Oktoberfest 2023 began with the tapping of the first Oktoberfest barrel
- Monday to Friday the tents open at 10 a.m. and close at 11:30 p.m.
- On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, the serving starts at 9 a.m. and the tap is at 11:30 p.m.
- In the large festival halls the last beer and the last music is at 10:30 p.m.
- In the small tents such as chicken roasteries, snack bar and café tents, serving and music don't end until 11 p.m.
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...
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| It's still quiet in the stands - the music will soon be playing - Photo: Helga Waess 11:00 a.m. on the Oktoberfest meadow in the tent |
The Käfer Wiesn-Schänke and Kufflers wine tent
are open until 1 a.m., the last drinks are available here at 12:30 a.m.
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| Visitors line up at Käfer's Wiesnschänke on Friday at 10:30 a.m., photo: Helga Waess |
Opening hours for fish rolls, balloons more at the Oktoberfest 2023 in Munich
- Monday, from 10 a.m. to midnight - otherwise until 11 p.m
- Saturdays from 9 a.m. to midnight
- Sundays and public holidays from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m
- The reserved tables in the beer tent fill up around 11:45 a.m
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| The reserved tables in the beer tent fill up around 11:45 a.m., photo: Helga Waess |
You can still find empty beer benches almost everywhere at 10 a.m. in the morning
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| In the Wiesnzwelt - Photo: Helga Waess |
In addition to cotton candy and ice cream, there are also balloons and stuffed animals for the little ones
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| Oktoberfest gifts, photo: Helga Waess |
This Paulaner beer carriage stands in front of the tent at the Oktoberfest for three hours and shows that fresh Oktoberfest beer has arrived
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| Paulaner team at the Oktoberfest - Photo: Helga Waess |
The HOchreiter family of festival hosts brings delicious food to the Munich Oktoberfest
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| Hier gibt es Löwenbräu und Franziskaner, Foto: Helga Waess |
Der Morgen - so bis 12 Uhr - eignet sich sehr gut für einen Wiesnrundgang
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| Munich Oktoberfest - Schottenhamel Festhalle, photo: Helga Waess |
