“O’zapft is” is what it will be like again in September at the Oktoberfest 2024 on the Theresienwiese in Munich. Read everything you need to know about opening times, how to get there and parking here.
Dirndls and lederhosen, gingerbread hearts and of course the famous beer – all of this is offered by the largest folk festival in the world. In addition to delicious and traditional food and plenty of beer, visitors can also expect a lot of variety around the beer tents: rides, stalls and the “Oide Wiesn”, the nostalgic area of the folk festival, are intended to attract families in particular.
The 190th Oktoberfest begins this year on September 21st and ends on October 6th, 2024 at 11.30 p.m. This means that the world’s largest folk festival will last 16 days this year – two days less than in 2023. The Oktoberfest will be officially ushered in with the festive parade of the Wiesn innkeepers and breweries. The parade starts in the morning from Sonnenstrasse and leads to Theresienwiese, where the Oktoberfest traditionally takes place.
The tapping of the first barrel of Wiesn beer on Saturday, September 21st at 12 noon officially opens the festival for all visitors. It always takes place in the Schottenhamel festival tent and is the responsibility of the Mayor of Munich. The first liter of beer at the festival is traditionally presented to the Bavarian Prime Minister. The twelve cannon shots that follow are the signal that the other festival tents can also start serving beer.
The beer tents at the Wiesn are open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 11.30 p.m., and on Saturdays, Sundays and on German Unity Day (October 3rd) from 9 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. The last beer is served at 10.30 p.m., and then the music stops. Visitors are allowed onto the festival grounds from 9 a.m. on Sundays to Thursdays. The rides can be used until 11.30 p.m. – and even until midnight on Fridays, Saturdays and October 3rd.
Käfer’s Wiesnschänke and the wine tent are exceptions. Both festival tents do not close until 1 a.m. and beer can be ordered until 12:30 a.m. The chicken roasters, café tents and sausage snack halls are open until 11 p.m.
The opening hours of the stalls at the Oktoberfest are similar. They are open on the first day of the festival from 9 a.m. to midnight. Otherwise, the stalls always close at 11.30 p.m. on weekdays. On Saturdays, the stalls are open from 9 a.m. to midnight and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 11.30 p.m.
On the first day of the Oktoberfest, the showmen start operating from 12 noon and are open until midnight. Otherwise, the showmen open their stands from Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. On public holidays and Saturdays, the showmen are open from 9 a.m. and close at midnight.
The first two Tuesdays are family day at the Oktoberfest. There are reduced prices at almost all vendors until 7 p.m.
Entry to the Oktoberfest 2024 is free again – entry to the “Oide Wiesn” costs three euros. The prices for a liter of beer this year are between 13.60 euros and 15.30 euros. The price of a liter has thus increased by 3.87 percent compared to the previous year.
But there is another innovation: This year there will be the possibility to get free drinking water from drinking water dispensers.
This year, half an organic chicken will cost between 16.50 and 23 euros.
At the Wiesn, visitors traditionally have a large selection of festival tents. A distinction is made between small and large festival tents. In each tent, beer from a specific brewery is always served. According to Wiesn tradition, only beer producers from München offer the beer in the festival tents. Here you will find an overview of which brewery is serving beer in which festival tent.
