When is Oktoberfest 2023?

How the Oktoberfest will start in 2023

The traditional Wiesn tapping is planned for Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 12 noon. Then Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter is to open the world's largest folk festival again with the traditional "O'zapft is!". Other traditional events around the Wiesn are also on the program again: the parade of the Wiesnwirte onto the festival grounds, the large procession of traditional costumes and marksmen on the first Sunday of the Oktoberfest, the stand-up concert under the Bavaria or the firecracker shooting.

Where is the Oktoberfest in Munich?

The Oktoberfest takes place every year on the largest fairground in Munich, the Theresienwiese. It is adorned, or rather overlooked, by the bronze, 18-metre-high Bavaria statue, on which steps you can perfectly enjoy a break from the hustle of the Oktoberfest. The fairground, where also the Spring Festival or the Winter Tollwood take place at other times of the year, is located quite centrally in Munich, slightly southwest of the city centre. For navigation or the online map, we recommend entering "Theresienwiese" or "Bavariaring". However, it is better to take the public transport. The nearest underground stations are "Theresienwiese", "Goetheplatz" and "Schwanthalerhöhe"; the S-Bahn station from which you can walk to Oktoberfest quickest is "Hackerbrücke".

→ There is more information about arriving by public transport here

How do I get beer table reservations in a tent?

To secure a place as a group at one of the highly sought-after beer sets in the tent, you have to book a table online or by phone via the central reservation office of each festival tent. For most tents, reservations are not possible until spring 2023.

→ All central reservation offices for the tents can be found here.

Sometimes you can get a free seat if you're lucky, because some of the tables are always kept free for spontaneous visitors, but it pays to make a reservation, especially in the evening or at the weekend. With every reservation, you receive drink and food vouchers on site, which you can use to pay the Oktoberfest waiters.

Is there a dress code at the Oktoberfest?

Whether young or old, the clothing of the visitors is definitely eye catching at the Oktoberfest. So called Dirndls with blouses and festive aprons and fine leather trousers paired with traditional shirts and jackets have become a must have for all those who want to visit the world-famous Oktoberfest. The traditional costume can be traced back to the 19th century, when it was first worn as clothing by farmers and workers. Today there is a real hype about the most beautiful dirndl robes and stylish leather trousers.

By the way: The side on which a dirndl wearer places the bow of its apron shows whether she is single, widowed or in a relationship. What exactly you have to look for is revealed here!

Why is Oktoberfest starting in September?

Fair enough – the majority of the 16 to 18 days of the Oktoberfest take place not in the eponymous October but in September. The name comes from the history of the Wiesn: The occasion for the first Oktoberfest in 1810 was the wedding of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen. On October 12th 1810 the festivities began and they ended on October 17th with a horse race. Since it was so well-received, the festival was repeated in the following years, then extended and at this point brought forward into September. The weather surely played a role in moving the dates, which in Munich at the end of September often provides a pleasant, mild Indian summer – true Oktoberfest weather, in fact!

What's the "Oide Wiesn"?

On the more traditional "Oide Wiesn" the atmosphere is rather cosy away from the riot of the real Oktoberfest. Originally it was planned in 2010 as a unique event for the 200th anniversary of the Oktoberfest, but since that time it is located in the northwestern part of the Theresienwiese. For an admission fee of 4€ for adults (children up to 14 years are free), visitors are offered a mini Oktoberfest with lots of nostalgia: historical rollercoasters and rides, beer tents with genuine Bavarian customs and special dark beer (brewed together according to the historical recipe of the Munich breweries, served in a stone mug) await you. In 2023 it will take place, every 4 years it has to give way in favor of the Bavarian Central Agricultural Festival "Bayerisches Landwirtschaftsfest" (this will be the case again in 2024).

Any questions? All answers can be found here:

• Until when do you get beer? How long does the music play? → The opening hours of the beer tents at the Oktoberfest

• Where is the nearest ATM, police or first aid station? → FAQs for Oktoberfest visitors

• When are the traditional processions? Are there any special concerts in the marquees? → All Oktoberfest dates at a glance

• Where can I find which tent/rollercoaster/food? → The official Oktoberfest map

• Can I take bags and prams with me on the Oktoberfest? → The Security Check

• Where do beer and chicken taste the best? Is there vegetarian/vegan food? → Eating and drinking at the Oktoberfest

• How much do you pay for one beer? → The official beer price of the Oktoberfest

• Every Oktoberfest visitor should know that! → 10 rules before you go to the Oktoberfest