Love beer? Then you should be at Oktoberfest; here's your definitive guide

The first keg has been tapped, and beer has been served as the 185th Oktoberfest began in Munich. Mayor Dieter Reiter inserted the tap in the first keg on Saturday with two blows of a hammer and the cry of "O'zapft is", "it's tapped". As tradition demands, he handed the first mug to Bavarian governor Markus Soeder, who declared that "the Oktoberfest is perhaps Bavaria's biggest and best calling card in the world."

This year, about six million visitors are expected at the festival, which runs until October 7. Last year about 7.5m litres (1.6m gallons) were consumed during the event which had revellers gorging on thousands of grilled sausages, chickens and giant pretzels.


The festival, which spans just over two weeks, is held annually in a meadow just outside Munich’s city centre. In addition to eating, drinking and dancing, visitors can enjoy colourful parades, a variety of fairground rides, and get themselves clicked in traditional Bavarian gear.

But why is Oktoberfest called Okotberfest when it actually begins in September?
The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 in honour of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig's marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festivities began on October 12 and ended on October 17 with a horse race. For five full days, people were invited to eat, drink and be merry, and enjoy parades involving kettle drums and music, shooting displays and a horse race around a meadow on the edge of town.

In the following years, the celebrations were repeated and, later, the festival was prolonged and advanced to September which turned out to be more pleasant weather. The nights were warmer and visitors were able to enjoy the gardens outside the tents. Historically, the last Oktoberfest weekend was in October and this tradition continues today.

Here’s a guide to how Oktoberfest started, what exactly it entails and how best to plan a visit.

When does the fest take place?
If you want to catch the official opening ceremony, the Schottenhamel tent is where you should be on September 22. At noon, the Mayor of Munich taps the first keg of Oktoberfest beer. Once the barrel has been tapped, visitors are allowed to quench their thirst. It pays to arrive early in order to experience the festivities up close and personal and it's quite common for visitors to come around 9 am to secure good seats. The festival ends on October 7.

Where is it held?
The main Oktoberfest is held on the original meadow, named, in honour of Ludwig’s bride, the Theresienwiese (shortened to the 'Wiesn'), a short tram ride from the centre of Munich.

Here's a quick guide to the terms you need to know:
O’zapft is! - 'It is tapped' – the phrase uttered by Munich’s mayor to mark the opening of the first beer barrel and the commencement of the drinking
Oans–zwoa-drei-gsuffa - 'One, two, three, bottoms up!'
I mog di - 'I like/love you'

For more see oktoberfest.de/en/lexikon

Should you go for the fest even if you don't like beer?
Oktoberfest is probably not for you, if you don't like drinking beer. But, fret not, you can hang out at the Weinzelt or the wine tent where you can choose from more than 15 different varieties in addition to different types of Sekt or sparkling wine and champagne.

Are there other interesting things to do apart from just drinking?
The Oktoberfest can be the backdrop for the perfect outing with the family too. There are a lot of attractions, including spectacular rides such as the 'Höllenblitz' ('Lightning from Hell'), the 'Skyfall', the 'Teufelsrad' ('Devil’s Wheel') or, the 'Krinoline' (an old-fashioned merry-go-round). There are also candyfloss stalls and shooting galleries.