You certainly have heard of the Oktoberfest before, and of course, it is not the first time I write about it here on the blog, and I can assure you that this won’t be the last time either. I gave you some practical information, tips for what you should pack for the Oktoberfest, and even explained a little how it works with the traditional Bavarian costume.
Though, it is time I tell that you won’t only drink beer at the Oktoberfest, there is much more than that. There are activities for the whole family, for those only wanting the beer, for those looking for some culture, or simply to have some fun. So here are the tops things to do at the Oktoberfest I came up with:
Go play around
At the Oktoberfest, there is a themed park, with roller coasters, ferry wheels and all. For the adults and the kids, there are many rides to keep you busy, and some of them will even give an awesome view over Munich. Just be careful not to have a few beers and then head to the roller coaster!
Indulge yourself into some traditional food
Inside the tents and outside at the food stands, you can indulge yourself into some traditional Bavarian and German food. Pork knuckle (Schweinhaxe), roasted chicken (Hendl), sausages, sauerkraut, späzle, obazda (a kind of cream cheese), varied types of potatoes (of course), and much more.
Have some sweets
All over the place you can find something sweet to eat. Fruits covered with chocolate, sweet almonds, cotton candy, sweet apples and much more.
Get a heart!
If no one wants to give you a heart, just get one for yourself. I mean the traditional heart shaped gingerbread ones, with nice messages written on them, not a real one. But if someone decides to give you their heart, accept it.
Have a giant brezen
They are normally found in small sizes, but at the Oktoberfest you can have one bigger than your head! Order one for the table, unless you think you can eat it all by yourself.
Sing along!
When you think of the Germans you don’t see them as dancers or singers, but at the Oktoberfest that’s all you will see once you enter one of the tents. They know every song, and even if it plays the same thing every 10 minutes they will sing it over and over again.
The most famous song is “Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit”, which is mostly impossible to translate into English, but basically means “cheers”. And that’s how it goes:
Have a Maß
To match this song there is nothing better than a Maß (pronounced MAAAHHSS), those big beer mugs of 1 liter! Yeah, because you need to have one. Can’t manage it? That’s what you think! But, be careful if you join the people who stands up and drink the remaining beer of their Maß, it can be just too much!
Stand up on the bench
Things do get messy at the Oktoberfest, especially after having a Maß. Don’t be surprised if people start to stand up on the benches or on the tables to sing and drink. I was very surprised on my first time at a similar festival, I had no choice but to join in, so my advice is: just stand up on that bench already!
Buy a souvenir
You can’t just leave without a little something. There are mugs, posters, teddy bears, t-shirts, clothing, key chains, hats, necklaces, and the list goes on and on. Inside the tents there are people selling hats and the popular clothes pin with different sayings.
Send a postcard
Did you know that the Oktoberfest has its own post office? Yes, you can actually send a letter from the Oktoberfest, or even pick a special postcard from the event and send it to someone. How cool is that? So pick one and let someone know you were actually there!
And if you still have energy, go to an
“After Wiesn Party”
If after enjoying spending some time at the Oktoberfest you still want to keep the party going, find an “After Wiesn Party”. Some of the popular ones you can find here.
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