MIstake to miss Oktoberfest?
 

We have been to Munich before (not during Oktoberfest). We are traveling back to Germany, and could be in the area during Oktoberfest . Would it be a shame to miss out on the festivities? What would you do - make time for it just for the experience, or if you've been to Munich and not interested in spending much time there, avoid it?

Not a mistake. Miss it and avoid Munich and it's inflated hotel prices during that time. Oktoberfest is a vastly overrated purely regional fun fair that draws it's quaint excitement purely from excessive drinking.

I'd consider going for the opening weekend colorful parades and procession to the festival grounds if going at all - these world-famous parades are sheer fun - especially when the vats of beer hauled in by horse-drawn wagons is tapped to officially open the festival.

And this is a question you will get many different opinions on - I feel Octoberfest is one of the most memorable and sheer fun things I've done in decades of European travels - others no doubt will just think of it as a drunken gathering with special vomit pits in the WCs - but to me even if you do not imbibe a'tal hearing the oompah bands in the several various tents is totally cool - I never reserve any place in a specific tent but just meander between them - you can always stand inside - each tent is different in decor and crowd but the music is the same - leiderhosen-clad oompah bands playing not only old beer garden songs like 'there is no beer in heaven, that's why we are all here' - the beer=barrel Polka type songs but also versions of pop songs and sundries like I have heard the Notre Dame fight song, etc.

Yes to me Octoberfest is a very very special even but one that you do not have to spend all day at to enjoy nor even drink a drop of that great Bavarian beer.

Well, we went to Oktoberfest "by accident", had forgotten about it till after I bought airline tickets, and ended up really enjoying the experience! I'd say GO!

~Liz

pity the poor soul who cannot find fun at Octoberfest!

I agree about going for the parades. The first Sunday parade is one you will never forget. I think it is called the folk parade.

I haven't seen the parades, but I think the Oktoberfest is vastly overrated. It looked to me like a large state fair of the kind you can find in the midwest with a midway where the purpose was to sell you a lot of cheap souvenirs.

One of my first weekends in Germany (in 1965), I went to a winefest. I had never drunk wine before and had no idea that there was more alcohol in wine than in beer. I drank a great deal of wine, and then I tried to stand up and realized I was very drunk. I had a hangover for three days.

Consequently, when I went to the Oktoberfest a couple of weeks later, I drank very little. Maybe half a mug of beer. I was too sober to enjoy it very much. When I returned many years later, I drank no alcohol at all and didn't enjoy it at all. There were a great many very drunk Australians and Americans.

Maybe if you have a few beers, you'll enjoy it more than I did.

I would definitely go. It's a blast!! I've been to Munich several times both during Oktoberfest and not. Have had great trips each time, but why be in Munich for the huge party and miss it?

"pity the poor soul who cannot find fun at Octoberfest!"

For those have trouble finding fun I suggest simply looking at the bottom of a Maß.

We decided to depart Munich before the festivities....the place was already too
crowded and rowdy.....for us.
People have different perception of "fun".
You know what your's is. go from there.

Hated Octoberfest. Like the world's worst fraternity party.

Oktoberfest does not represent the pinnacle of human evolution. Munich gets overrun and very pricey then. And there are other places in Germany that celebrate in September - and a little more sanely - that you can visit.

The Wine and Sausage market/fest in Bad Dürkheim:
http://www.duerkheimer-wurstmarkt.de...arkt.html?&L=1

Oberwesel wine market and fest:
07. September 2012 - 10. September 2012
14. September 2012 - 15. September 2012

http://oberwesel.de/portal/index.php...319&Itemid=261

Wine fests in Boppard (weekend of 9/21-23 and 28-30):
http://www.firework.rhine-river.com/boppard/index.html (boat tickets possible but not needed.)

The Canstatter Volksfest near Stuttgart:
http://www.cannstatter-volksfest.de/index.php?id=2&L=1

Yes, there are beer tents there too.
http://www.firework.rhine-river.com/boppard/index.html

OOPS. Here's the skinny on beer tents:
http://www.cannstatter-volksfest.de/index.php?id=19&L=1

Who was chosen Miss Octoberfest?

If you really want to see it, then perhaps it is a mistake to miss it. We saw it once. That was more than enough (but for us, it was a day trip, we were staying in Nuremberg). We had a MUCH better time at the summertime small town festival in Kalchreuth, outside Nuremberg. Good music, good food, good beer, great fun. IMO, the smaller festivals can be a better experience. But again, if something in you is pining to go to Oktoberfest, then go.

Note to OP: Vast numbers of people drinking vast quantities of beer and eating sausage means people farting. A LOT. And none too quietly (Just an observation about Oktoberfest that somehow hasn't been included in the guidebooks)

Agree with most points above. How "dying to see" Oktoberfest are you feeling?

For us we lived in Germany over 2 years before making it to Oktoberfest, mainly because our adult sons were visiting us and it was #1 on their list of things to see/do. They had a great time doing their thing at the tent of their choice (Augustiner) while my husband and I enjoyed lunch and a beer and especially the camraderie of the people we sat around at the Hippodrome, walked around to sample the ambiance, then high tailed it back to the hotel for some relaxation around 5 pm. Sons were in around 22:00

Glad to have seen it, don't need to do it again. What I DID appreciate, was that there is no entrance fee (like at amusement parks, for instance) and yes, a big mug of bier cost just under 10 euros but I had the choice of buying it or not, too. I'm glad we had a meal and sat and talked with people, though.

I'm with Russ. I enjoyed much more Stuttgart's Cannstatter Volkfest, sort of like a mega state fair, if you've been to one of those. The particular day's entertainment was actually better than its counterpart in Munich, and because we didn't go on a weekend it wasn't crowded but still lively. I am still salivating at the white München wurst I had there and can hardly wait til next year!

Bottom line for me, even without the outrageous costs of hotel and airfare, I wouldn't plan my whole trip around it. If I was already landing in Munich and had the time, sure, I'd go. It's fun even if you don't drink yourself silly or like to ride rides (for gods sake, don't do it in that order!)

Prost!

We often use Munich as a "gateway" city in Europe and ended up there last year at the end of Oktoberfest. Only figured this out because our hotel was charging about twice as much for that overnight as it did for our return 2 weeks later. It was kind of fun to see people in costume carrying trays of beer onto the train into town ( not drinking, just carrying.., which I thought was pretty cool). Th at was as close, though, as we wanted to get...you can get a sense of it in town without going out to the site.

Now that I have learned about the parades, I think that might be kind of neat, but not sure I want to pay the premium prices.

Makes one wonder why so so many tourists and locals flock to Octoberfest, to FodorGarchs one of the most vastly overrated events in all of Europe it seems. A to be so jaded..,

Many tourists flock to all kinds of festivals , events and sites.
it does not make all of them " a must"

Thank you all for your opinions! I don't see it as a MUST, but my husband wouldn't mind going if we were around. The prices of hotels during that time will probably be a good reason to avoid it for him. The wine fest in Boppard that Russ suggested sounds like a good alternative (we could be in that area at the time). Plus, if we happen upon a smaller festival while we are traveling through Germany, it would be a great bonus!
FoFoBT, your observations of happenings at Oktoberfest gave me a great laugh this morning. Yes, I can see that being one of the many hazards of being around lots of people drinking beer and eating sausage!! So funny! :)
I'll just leave it as this - if we happen upon it great, if not, I won't feel too bad about missing it. Since my husband has never met a stranger, we usually find ourselves meeting lots of new people and creating a fun atmosphere most places we visit.
Thanks again!