Oktoberfest, we’re ready. With the end of September and the beginning of autumn, beer lovers from all over the world are ready to raise their mugs and toast the start of the most boozy time of the year. While the luckiest will fly to Munich to experience the world’s largest folk festival, celebrations will also take place in Italy, with events, festivals and tastings. From Rome to Genoa, via Turin, the offer is very varied.
What to do (also for free) in Rome on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September: from the beer festival to the preview of the film “Transformers One”
München
The 189th edition of Oktoberfest has begun in Munich, the most famous and largest beer festival in the world, which this year will welcome almost 6 million visitors to the Theresienwiese, a historic public square in the Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt district. The event’s programme is rich and accompanies the festivities from 21 September to 6 October: from the tapping of the beer to the parade of traditional costumes and marksmen, from spectacular amusement parks to concerts, from traditional parades of groups to bands in period costumes. To open the festival, which was created in 1810 to celebrate Bavarian culinary traditions, there are two iconic events: the great parade of innkeepers and brewers and the ritual of tapping the beer barrels. On Sunday 22 September, the historical parade of folk groups dressed in traditional costumes and period uniforms will take place, accompanied by small orchestras, brass bands, competitive marksmen and alpine hunters, horses, oxen and decorated wagons. There will also be space for games for children and festival veterans. On 29 September, the traditional open-air concert will be held by around 400 musicians; on 1 October, the highlight of the event will be the Family Day with rides and attractions at reduced prices. On 3 October, the traditional meeting of the showmen will take place, while litre after litre of beer will flow to music in the hippodrome tent. The festival will end on 6 October with the firing of cannons on the steps of the Bavaria statue and the inevitable toasts with the mugs.
Rules and safety measures
This year, the beer festival in Munich will tighten security measures following the recent Islamist attacks in Solingen. The country’s authorities and the event management have decided to carry out stricter controls at the entrances, including random metal detector checks. Although there are no specific terrorism threats, the risk is “high and we will not be intimidated,” Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told dpa, stressing that law enforcement officers will be vigilant. “There will certainly be more security personnel and random checks,” Oktoberfest official Clemens Baumgärtner also said. In recent years, security measures at the Oktoberfest have been strengthened. Since 2016, the event site has been completely fenced in, with physical barriers at the entrances and checks on vehicle drivers. It is forbidden to bring bags with a capacity of more than three liters, knives and glass bottles. The site is monitored by over 50 cameras and the police use body cameras. This year, more than 600 police officers and around 2,200 security guards will be on duty.
Rom
In addition to Munich, Rome is also preparing to toast. From 19 to 22 September, the Città dell’Altra Economia will host the third edition of the Roman Oktoberfest, called “La rassegna birraria”. The historic establishments of the Bavarian city of Munich (Hofbräuhaus, Paulaner, Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Löwenbräu, Spaten) will take part, with their special beers produced especially for the event. The 12 bars set up in the more than 4000 square metres of the event will offer 17 different beers. There will be several stands with typical street food where specialities such as pork knuckle with sauerkraut and potatoes, bratwurst, Wiener schnitzel and vegan bratwurst can be purchased. For the first time, an entire area of the festival will be dedicated to children’s entertainment: in addition to rides for children and adults, there will be free painting and recycling workshops on Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 8 p.m. Entry to the Oktoberfest in Rome is free.
Turin
The people of Turin, on the other hand, will have to wait a little longer to raise their mugs. In Turin, the Oktoberfest 2024 will take place from October 19 to November 3, 2024 at the Parco della Pellerina. Admission is free and will bring the atmosphere of Munich to Turin, with high-quality beer, street food and themed events. The initiative is organized by Partners Eventi srl with the support of the City of Turin and the sponsorship of Paulaner.
The knees
Earlier than in Munich, the Oktoberfest in Genoa is almost over. The 14th edition of the event organized in Liguria will in fact end tomorrow, Sunday 22 September. Also on the last day, the event will offer comic workshops, live music, yoga sessions, dance performances and activities for families in Piazza della Vittoria. In addition to the gastronomy, HB beer and Bavarian music in the main tent, which have always been the undisputed protagonists of the event, the event will be accompanied by a rich calendar of activities for adults and children, which will take place in the outdoor area of the Fuoritendone.
Sad
In Trieste, on the other hand, Oktoberfest officially began today, Saturday 21 September 2024. Already in the early hours of the day, the city’s themed venues were stormed by Triestinos eager to immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the event that celebrates Bavarian culture between beer, food and cheerfulness. Organised in collaboration with the City of Trieste, the festival will take place in the suggestive Piazza Ponterosso and along the canal, highlighting the excellences of the territory and consolidating the historical link between Trieste and German culture.
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