Oktoberfest may be canceled for 2020
but that shouldn't stop you from visiting virtually.
In today's video i'm taking you on a virtual visit to the world's largest
beer festival showing you exactly what goes down during this intense
two and a half week ball of chaos that hurtles through Munich every year.
Well... every year before the virus who must not be named,
so let's get going hit that cheesy intro.
What's up smarties? Christina here from happytowander.com.
It has been a little while but I'm here today
with a virtual trip to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany,
an event I've been lucky to attend every year since moving to Munich
five years ago. If you've ever wondered
what the festival is actually like. what every tent looks like inside,
what you can eat and all sorts of fun facts, this video is for you.
Using clips from previous years I'll show you exactly what to expect.
And if you want some more Oktoberfest content like recipes
DIY party ideas, how to get table reservations for next year and more,
be sure to visit the Oktoberfest section of my site for tons more information.
Now let's start with some numbers so you have an idea of
just how huge Oktoberfest really is
Oktoberfest is the largest beer festival in the world spanning two and a half
weeks annually from late September to early October.
In 2019, Oktoberfest welcomed over 6.3 million visitors who guzzle down
over 7.3 million litres of beer. And this isn't just regular beer either, the beer
served at Oktoberfest is brewed especially for the festival with a
stronger alcohol content than normal and if that sounds like a recipe for
disaster, you are completely correct.
Besides beer though, you'll find fairground rides, games, amazing food
stalls and of course the main attraction: dozens of epic beer tents
that are all unique in design and decor.
But how did this all begin?
Let's give you a quick rundown of Oktoberfest history.
While today, Oktoberfest is known as a beer festival where millions of people
go every year to lose their dignity, it might surprise some of you to know
that the very first Oktoberfest was actually a wedding.
The year was 1810, crown Prince Ludwig (who would later become
King Ludwig I) was set to marry Princess Therese of Saxony-Hilburghausen,
so they did what royals did back then best: they threw an epic
party. Everyone in Munich was invited to celebrate at the field in front of the
city gates which is still where the festivities are held today.
That empty space would come to be known as Theresienwiese,
translated in english to the meadow of Therese, named after the blushing
bride herself. This name still stands today
and is why most locals refer to Oktoberfest as the Wiesn.
The horse races and celebrations were so beloved that they returned the year
after that and the year after that then
they started adding amusement park rides, carousels, beer tents and
really the rest is history. Today the first day of Oktoberfest looks a little
something like this: if you don't have a reservation you need
to get up at the crack of dawn to go mark your spot in line.
Once they cut the ribbon so to speak it's a no holds barred running match
to the tents.
Here's some footage of my boyfriend leaving me in the dust.
All tents will have a section for unreserved tables but you have
to run to secure your spot.
The first day is also kind of unique because beer can't be served
until 12 p.m which means lots of sober waiting around, but once noon hits
every effort will have been worth it.
The first day is also marked by a fun opening day parade
where each tent takes part in a procession that marches through
the city center. It's a lot of fun and a good alternative to joining the
Oktoberfest hunger games on the first day.
Now on that note why don't we talk a bit more about the beer tents?
First thing's first they may be known as tents but I think that word really
undersells just how epic these structures are.
At Oktoberfest you'll find 17 large tents that can fit thousands of people inside
each one, and that's not even counting the giant beer gardens that most of
them have as well.
It's little wonder why they actually take months to build and so they start
construction early in the summer. Not only does every tent
look different with different themes, colors, menus and specialties...
They all serve different beers as well
and the rule is beer at Oktoberfest must come from one of Munich's six
city breweries: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu,
Löwenbräu, Paulaner and Spaten. Each tent will serve beer from one of
these breweries so if you want to catch them all you can definitely try but odds
are you'll end up on 'Pass Out Hill' way before that, especially because beer
here is served by the litre, also known as a Maß. They're not cheap,
ranging from 11 to 12 euros plus tip for a single one,
and if you want your server to come back, you'll definitely have
to tip them well.
Servers are like the unsung heroes of Oktoberfest but they do get
compensated accordingly. While they're not paid an hourly wage, they make approximately 50 cents per Maß
plus tips, and trust me it adds up fast. Reports say that servers
can earn anything from 5 000 to over 10 000 euros for the two and
a half weeks work... definitely not bad. And if you haven't left yet to Google
how to become an Oktoberfest server now it's time to take a peek inside each
large Oktoberfest tent so let's hit some tunes and take a quick tour.
As I mentioned every tent at Oktoberfest has a different
character and color scheme, some pay homage to traditions like hunting
while others feature motifs of their favorite culinary specialties.
The oldest tent at Oktoberfest is the Schottenhamel tent which started
as a shack with 50 seats but today has an indoor capacity of over 6 000.
This is also where the party starts because on the first day at Oktoberfest, it is in this tent at noon that
the mayor taps the first keg of the festival.
Fun fact: Albert Einstein also worked in this tent. He wasn't a server though,
he was screwing in light bulbs as a teenager.
Another noteworthy tent is the Hacker tent known by its nickname the
heaven of Bavaria. Its decor is light blue with fluffy clouds and many
Bavarian motifs. It's by far one of my favorites.
Not my favorite is the infamous Hobräu tent, a favorite among international
tourists because of the brewery's international fame.
This tent is beautiful but it's always packed and it's definitely
among the festival's rowdiest.
For a more wholesome experience visitors can't miss the Oide Wiesn,
a special section of Oktoberfest that feels like a step back in time.
It costs a few euros extra but is 100% worth it for cozy tents and
old school rides that are reminiscent of what Oktoberfest would have been
like decades ago.
Lastly, unbeknownst to most, Oktoberfest does actually have an
entire tent dedicated to wine, although beer is definitely still the star of the show.
For a detailed breakdown of each tent with photos and fun facts,
be sure to visit happytowander.com.
Now after all that sightseeing, you must be starving so let's talk about
Oktoberfest food.
Granted, food might not be the first thing you think about when you hear
the word Oktoberfest but where there's drunk people, there's bound to be
drunk munchies and at Oktoberfest, the most popular dishes
are the ones that fill you right up.
From roast chickens and giant pretzels to pork knuckles with potato dumplings
and gravy, the food at Oktoberfest isn't exactly light but it is delicious and if
you visit certain tents the selections can even be pretty gourmet.
Käfer's Wiesn Schänke for example is known for its culinary offerings which
is probably why that tent is one of the most exclusive... but besides what's
served inside the tents there's plenty of stalls on the ground selling street
foods like sandwiches, hot dogs, roasted almonds and my
personal favorite: fried garlic shrimp. Trust me when I say I would take a bullet for this shrimp.
So as you can see, Oktoberfest cuisine is definitely the wurst
- both for your waistline and your wallet.
And while spending far too much on food is pretty much an Oktoberfest
tradition of its own,
so is getting drunk and paying to go on rides you
would otherwise never attempt, from carousels and swing rides to bumper
cars and roller coasters, there are dozens of fairground rides and games scattered across the Oktoberfest grounds, the
majority of which date back to the 19th century.
This fairground aspect is what makes Oktoberfest
actually quite the family affair. Most first-time visitors are shocked to see that children are
running around the festival but actually you'll see plenty of them during the day
- there's even special family days for discounts on rides and food.
Don't worry though, if you see a small child downing what looks like a beer,
odds are it's Apfelschorle, a popular local drink that's just a mix of apple
juice and sparkling water.
And while the ferris wheel is an iconic site of Oktoberfest,
the most thrilling ride is hands down the Olympia Looping, also known as
the largest transportable roller coaster in the world and the only one of its kind
with five loops.
There's also the Bayern Tower, a swing ride that goes 80 meters above ground.
I've been on it and it wasn't pretty. My personal favorites though are the
attractions where you get to watch people make a fool of themselves.
For that there's the amazing Toboggan where you
watch drunkies zip their way up a conveyor belt, climb up a spiral
staircase and slide down on a wooden slide
and of course my personal favorite, the Teufelsrad, AKA the Devil's Wheel
which has been an Oktoberfest institution since 1910.
This game is simple: there's a spinning wheel in the middle,
groups of people are called up according to different categories,
then the wheel starts spinning and the last person holding on wins.
They don't actually win anything except bragging rights but it's pretty
fun to watch.
Now last but not least let's talk about Oktoberfest outfits.
Lederhosen and dirndls are some of the most iconic symbols
of the festival, with locals and tourists alike dressing up for the occasion,
but it's important to note that these traditional outfits known as Tracht
aren't costumes - they're actually traditional garments worn for many
other occasions in Bavaria like church, weddings and one time I even saw a
guy mowing his lawn in the countryside in his lederhosen.
For me Oktoberfest is like fashion week
- I love seeing all these traditional outfits which is why one of my
favorite Oktoberfest traditions is a parade dedicated to Tracht that takes
place on the first Sunday of Oktoberfest every year. Over 9000
participants march in this parade showing off all their
unique Trachten.
Groups come from villages and towns all across
Bavaria and seeing the differences in Tracht is really so much fun.
Some towns even try to upstage the others with giant floats and displays.
So now that you know about Oktoberfest history,
beer, tents and outfits, it's time to relax and enjoy a virtual beer
of your own.
The song you're hearing right now is called Ein Prosit and it is one that you
will hear every 10 minutes or so at Oktoberfest. At the end you're meant to cheers everyone at your table
and take a sip. Some say that every time it plays, the tent
earns 3 000 euros from all the sips being taken.
And while brass bands and oompah music are
popular during the day, most tents go into party mode at night, with a
stream of party favorites, classic hits and plenty of benchtop dancing...
just don't stand on the table to chug your beer or you'll probably be
thrown out. Well that's it for today - thanks for joining me on this
virtual trip to Oktoberfest 2020. Let me know in the comments if you've ever
been or ever plan to go and as always if you enjoyed this
video be sure to like and subscribe for more virtual Europe
travel coming soon. Thanks for watching - byeeeee!