How to Survive Oktoberfest in Munich

You can blend in with the locals by purchasing or renting traditional Bavarian garb: lederhosen for men, dirndl for women. This is known as tracht (“traditional garments”) and shops in Munich are happy to help outfit visitors for about $150 to $250. 

It’s free to attend the festival. But that doesn’t mean it’s cheap. If you want to be in on the action & truly get the full experience you’re going to want to wear the garb, reserve spots inside the beer tents and eat, drink & generally participate in the festival games & rides.

The beer at Oktoberfest comes from several Munich breweries like Augustiner, Paulaner, and Spaten. Most of it is a German type of pale lager called Helles, but Dunkel Bier (dark lager) is also available. Libations can be found in the 14 main beer tents. Oh and it’s only sold by the liter!

• • The Hofbräu Festzelt is nicknamed the “party tent” for its high-energy atmosphere. You can count on it constantly being full of foreigners, but also having a loyal local contingent.
  • Augustiner is more laidback and family-friendly (yes, children attend Oktoberfest, too). This tent is known for its beer from the hirsche (wooden barrels, as opposed to steel containers).
  • Schottenhamel is the oldest and largest tent, with 10,000 seats, and its especially significant in that it’s where the first keg of Oktoberfest is tapped (O’zapft is!). This is where young people go to party.
  • The Hacker Festzelt is another large tent that attracts a mix of locals and foreigners with its ethereal Himmel der Bayern (Heaven for Bavarians) décor.

Tents tend to be relatively calm early in the day, only about a quarter of the seats inside will be open to walk-ins. General seating fills up as the day goes on, so it would be wise to reserve a table for at least part of your stay. This should be done by March, at the latest. On weekends and holidays, up to half the seats cannot be reserved until 3 p.m. Outside seating is also available in the biergarten, but it often reaches capacity during peak times.

As for food, you’ll never be too far from chicken roasting on spits and pretzels the size of your head. Most tents have several dishes on offer and there are also stands selling full meals, snacks, and desserts located throughout the grounds.