1st Oktoberfest Sunday with the Traditional Costume and Marksmen’s Parade

On the first Sunday of the Wiesn, around 8,000 people in traditional costume followed the *Münchner Kindl* through Munich's city center.

September 20 in Munich: The traditional costume groups are coming! The *Münchner Kindl*, the Minister-President, and the Mayor lead the procession in their carriages; accompanied by music groups and participants in traditional dress, the parade makes its way through Munich's city center to the Theresienwiese

Thousands of participants march in the Traditional Costume and Marksmen’s Parade on the first Sunday of the festival, traveling from Maximilianstraße (Max II Monument) to the Theresienwiese at Bavariaring. This traditional parade has taken place on this date every year since 1950. It is part of the 191st Oktoberfest, which continues to delight everyone here until October 4, 2026 (Italiano, English, Nederlands, Deutsch, Francais)

Munich – City Center – Traditional Costume Parade from Maximilianstraße to the Theresienwiese on Sunday, September 20, 2026. The first Sunday of the Wiesn drew many spectators with the grand, traditional parade—spanning approximately 7 kilometers—from Maximilianstraße to the Theresienwiese. The parade of traditional costumes moved from Munich's city center to the Oktoberfest grounds. For a good two hours, 50 traditional costume and marksmen’s groups from across Europe filed past us, following the decorated honorary carriage. Directly behind the *Münchner Kindl* (riding on horseback), we see Bavarian Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder and Dominik Krause, the Mayor of Munich.

Many flag-wavers and fanfare bands delight the spectators; photo: Helga Waess

It kicked off just before 10 a.m. at the Max II Monument, right next to the Maximilianeum.

 
Around 8,000 people—members of traditional costume and marksmen's associations—take part in the event every year.
 

Polnische Trachtengruppe im Festzug, Pressefoto: Helga Waess

 

Participants in traditional costume on their way to the Theresienwiese; photo: Helga Waess – Sept. 20, 2026
 
Spectators enjoy the Munich Morris Dancers, as well as the many marching bands, choral societies, and brass bands that enrich the traditional costume parade.

 

In addition, the breweries send out festively decorated, magnificent multi-horse wagons, offering a splendid sight to spectators lining the streets and watching from windows.   

 

Geschmückte Kutschen und winkende Trachtenvereinmitglieder im Festzug - Foto: Helga Waess

 
The groups in traditional costume and the bands represent their respective regions, traveling to Munich from all over Europe.

 

The dance groups also deserve admiration—seen here near the Theresienwiese; photo: Helga Waess – Sept. 20, 2026

 

Crowds delight in the historic costumes on display, ranging from regional *Dirndls* and *Lederhosen* to Biedermeier-era fashion, guard regiments, and suits of armor.

Participants in traditional costume at the Theresienwiese; photo: Helga Waess – Sept. 20, 2026

The 2026 "Münchner Kindl," Sina Hochreiter - a 27-year-old Munich native -welcomes the traditional costume and marksmen's groups.

 

The "Münchner Kindl" welcomes the participants at the Theresienwiese; photo: Helga Waess – Sept. 20, 2026

 

The parade is led by the "Münchner Kindl," the Mayor of Munich, and the Minister-President of Bavaria

The procession through Munich’s city center is led by the reigning "Münchner Kindl" (the city’s emblematic figure, also seen on the coat of arms at the Town Hall on Marienplatz) and the carriages of Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder and Munich’s Mayor Dominik Krause.

 

Trachtlerinnen im Festumzug, Foto: Helga Waess

Decorated carriages and waving members of traditional costume associations in the parade

 

A brief history of the traditional costume parade:  

The traditional costume parade first took place in Munich in 1835 to mark the silver wedding anniversary of King Ludwig I and Therese of Bavaria. The couple had married 25 years earlier, on October 12, 1810—an event celebrated with the very first Oktoberfest.

Erstmals dabei die Kölner-Trachtler, Pressefoto: Helga Waess

Oktoberfest highlight: traditional costume and rifle parade on September 22nd, 2024

First Sunday of the Oktoberfest - September 22nd, 2024

 

On the first Sunday of the Oktoberfest, you should watch in Munich when the traditional costume and rifle parade moves through downtown Munich to Theresienwiese on September 22, 2024

189th Oktoberfest from September 21st to October 6th, 2024

Munich - city center - traditional costume parade from Maximilianstrasse to Theresienwiese on Sunday, September 22nd, 2024. On Saturday in 6 days at 12 noon there will be "o'zapft" in Munich. The next day is the start of the Oktoberfest for us Munich residents: the first Sunday of the Oktoberfest with the large, traditional, approximately 7 kilometer long costume parade from Maximilianstrasse to Theresienwiese. It starts shortly after 10 a.m. at the Max II monument in the immediate vicinity of the Maximilianeum. Every year around 9,000 people from shooting and traditional costume clubs, the Munich Morisken dancers, marching bands, singing clubs and brass bands take part here; and the most beautiful thing is the traditional costumers and bands come from all over Europe. Let's look forward to historical costumes from Spain to Sweden, dirndls and lederhosen, the fashion of the Biedermeier period and - this much can be revealed - knight's armor. The sequence for the traditional costume parade at the 189th Oktoberfest 2024

The music is coming! Traditional costume of the brass band - press photo archive: Helga Waess

The Tachtler procession is led by Münchner Kindl, the Mayor of Munich and Bavaria's Prime Minister

The procession through Munich city center is led by the current Münchner Kindl, which can be seen everywhere in the town hall on Marienplatz as the city's coat of arms. This year it is 20-year-old Franziska Inselkammer. Also in the carriages at the front of the procession are Munich's Mayor Dieter Reiter and Bavaria's Prime Minister Dr. Markus Söder there. The breweries also send festively decorated, multi-horse floats and offer spectators a beautiful sight on the street or in the windows

Shooters in traditional Bavarian costume in the parade in Munich, press photo archive: Helga Waess

First Oktoberfest Sunday “Live” on TV:

Many Bavarians also sit in front of the television when Bayerischer Rundfunk or München TV broadcast the traditional costume parade live.
Briefly about the history of the traditional costume parade:  

In 1835, the traditional costume parade moved through Munich for the first time on the occasion of the silver wedding anniversary of King Ludwig I and Therese of Bavaria. 25 years earlier, both had married on October 12, 1810, which was celebrated with the first Oktoberfest.

Watch out! Dear Oktoberfest guests, you shouldn't miss this:

 
Traditional costume and rifle parade,

 on Sunday, September 22nd, 2024, 

through Munich city center to Theresienwiese

Und nach dem Trachtenumzug wird auf der Wiesn gefeiert! Foto: Helga Waess (Pressearchiv)