Oktoberfest 2022, On Ground in Germany
Come Oktoberfest and cities across the world try matching pace with the scale of celebrations in Germany, where it all began. So, while you may be browsing through listings for that fun Festbier to have in your city, we thought we would touch base with folks who have visited Oktoberfest in Germany and see what they had to say about the experience.
Photo Credit: Harshith Naik & Varshitha Herikudru
Harshith Naik, a Product Quality Expert at Metro AG, and Varshitha Herikudru, Corporate Service Manager at UBS Europe SE are based in Düsseldorf, Germany. Harshith explains that he has attended Oktoberfest 3 times before, this 187th edition being his 4th year. “My main interest this year, as always, was to see how Oktoberfest is being celebrated in different tents and to try the beers. This year, the Augustiner beer was my favourite followed by the Löwenbräu and Paulaner. It was also fun to meet the locals and celebrate the fest with them in the Bavarian tradition”.
Munich, this year, has 17 large tents and 21 small ones at Oktoberfest and Oide Wiesn (an area that celebrates the more traditional character of the fest with history-based attractions and brass music). At the Augustiner Festhalle, the beer comes from Hirsche – 200-litre capacity traditional wooden barrels. This tent is also supported by its butcher shop. The menu has several vegetarian options and plenty of choices for children too.
The Armbrustschützen tent, another of the large tents, has been the site of the German Crossbow Championships since 1935. It is also the tent to be in if you want to indulge in some Bavarian tradition, complete with costumes and more. An immersive Bavarian experience is best had at the Oide Wiesn which has the Münchner Oktoberfest Musikanten band in attendance. You can also indulge in some traditional delicacies like the Schnitzel and pork roast or the Plum Bavesen and the Rohrnudeln. Try the Steckerlfisch. It is smoked and is absolute culinary joy on a stick.
Photo Credit: Harshith Naik & Varshitha Herikudru
This year sees three new tents – The Bräurosl of the Paulaner group has a whole new structure designed with a half-timber façade. The former hand behind Oide Wiesn's Schönheitskönigin, Peter Reichert also comes in as a host. A fun change he has brought in? The Josef Menzl brass band playing traditional beer hall music only!
Photo Credit: Harshith Naik & Varshitha Herikudru
At Oide Wiesn, Lorenz Stiftl's Schützenlisl takes the place of Schönheitskönigin and is being provided beer by Augustiner and not Hofbräu. And with Lorenz Stiftl's moving to the big leagues now, his 440-seater spot has been replaced by a tent that is functioning right in front of Löwenbräu-Festhalle.
So many tents and so much to do (and drink). The official website of Oktoberfest says that over six million visitors pass through the grounds during this approximately two-week festival and around 7.8 million litres of beer is consumed.
Munich-based Jason Castelino, Automobile Surface Designer, BMW projects, and blogger at One Plate Please, has been attending Oktoberfest since 2016, at least once a year, and did a record three times in 2019! “I’ve been to both the Wiesn (Munich Oktoberfest) and the Wasen (Stuttgart Oktoberfest). For people in Munich, it is normal to end up at the fest grounds after work and try and find a table at the tents and enjoy the song, dance, and beer. There are also Oktoberfest team outings arranged by workplaces. People end up at the fest multiple times – with colleagues, then with friends, family, and other groups”.
Castelino says that the classic Oktoberfest music reminds him of traditional music of the Roce (a pre-wedding ceremony) and the accompanying band, from his coastal hometown of Mangalore in Southern India. He plans to attend Oktoberfest on its final weekend with his Mangalorean friends from in and around Munich.
From their experiences, Naik and Herikudru share these tips. It's only cash payment inside tents. “It's a good idea to tip the wait staff generously so that they come back to serve you faster,” says the duo. Do not take beer mugs outside the tent. This is an offence and you can be fined by local authorities. Only small handbags or a pouch is allowed into the Oktoberfest area, though you can deposit big bags for a fee of 5 Euros per bag, at the entrance.
Photo Credit: Harshith Naik & Varshitha Herikudru
The tents are naturally the biggest draw at Oktoberfest and Castelino reiterates the well-known fact that Oktoberfest reservations begin a year in advance. “But I have managed to experience it without making a reservation. If one isn’t picky about a particular tent or beer, you can always manage to find a place inside one of the tents. Getting there before noon or in the late afternoon when the crowds are relatively lower helps. Daytime on weekdays is the easiest to get in,” he adds. And especially if you are headed to Oktoberfest now, when it is on its last leg, he suggests wearing a light winter jacket and carrying an umbrella, considering the prevailing weather.
Oktoberfest is on in Munich till October 3rd.
Ruth Dsouza Prabhu
Ruth Dsouza Prabhu is an independent journalist based in Bangalore India with 20 years of experience across media platforms. She has published in international publications like New York Times, Al Jazeera, The National, Whetstone SA, Fodor's Travel and Good Beer Hunting and top Indian publications like Nat Geo Traveller, Travel and Leisure, Mint Lounge, Conde Nast Traveller, Architectural Digest, Reader's Digest, Lifestyle Asia, The Hindu, Firstpost, HT Slurrp.com and Zeezest. Her niches are food, travel and people stories.
