Do you know anything about the history of Oktoberfest ? The first Oktoberfest was held in the year 1810 in honor of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig's marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festivities began on October 12, 1810 and ended on October 17th with a horse race. In the following

years, the celebrations were moved forward into September.By moving the festivities up, it allowed for better weather conditions. Because the September nights were warmer, the visitors were able to enjoy the gardens outside the tents and the stroll over "die Wiesen" or the fields much longer without feeling chilly. Historically, the last Oktoberfest weekend was in October and this tradition continues into present times.

The Oktoberfest starts on Saturday, September 19th. If you want to catch the official opening ceremonies, at 12pm, the lord mayor of Munich will have the honor of tapping the first keg of Oktoberfest beer. Once the barrel has been tapped, all visitors will then be 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 9am to secure good seats. The festival will last until October 4th, 2009.

Beer Serving Hours
Weekdays: 10am - 10:30pm
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: 9am - 10:30pm

Sales Booths (souveniors, cigarettes, etc.)
Monday - Thursday: 10am - 11:30pm
Friday: 10am - 12am (midnight)
Saturday: 9am - 12am
Sundays and holidays:9am - 11:30pm

Carnival and Rides
Monday - Thursday: 10am - 11:30pm
Friday, Saturday: 10am - 12am
Sundays and holidays: 10am - 11:30pm

Family Days
Every tuesday from 12pm until 6pm
Discounted ride, entrance, and sales prices!