Oktoberfest 2026
The 191st edition of the world's largest beer festival, September 19–October 4, 2026, on Munich's Theresienwiese
Oktoberfest 2026 runs September 19 through October 4 on Munich's Theresienwiese ('Wiesn' to locals) — the 191st edition of a festival that started in 1810 as a royal wedding celebration and grew into the world's largest folk festival, drawing roughly 6 million visitors across its 16-day run in a typical year.
Quick facts
The tents
Oktoberfest's identity is really its beer tents — 14 large tents and around 20 smaller ones, each run by a different Munich brewery or restaurant, with genuinely different atmospheres: Hofbräu-Festzelt tends to draw the loudest international crowd, Schottenhamel hosts the ceremonial keg-tapping that opens the festival each year, and smaller tents like Käfer's Wiesn-Schänke stay open later with a different, more local crowd. Picking a tent matters as much as picking the festival itself.
Getting a table
Table reservations at the larger tents are genuinely difficult during peak times (weekend afternoons/evenings) and often need to be arranged months ahead through each tent's own booking system — without one, expect to arrive early on weekdays or stand in designated non-reserved areas. This is one of Oktoberfest's most common first-timer surprises: walking in on a Saturday evening expecting a table is usually unrealistic.
Beyond the beer
Oktoberfest is also a genuine funfair — carnival rides, games, and traditional Bavarian food (roast chicken, pretzels, sausages) alongside the beer. The opening parade (Trachten- und Schützenzug) on the first Sunday, featuring traditional Bavarian costume groups, is worth timing a visit around if the cultural/historical side interests you as much as the tents themselves.
Practical tips
- —Book tent table reservations months ahead if visiting during a weekend — this is the single most common planning mistake first-time visitors make.
- —Weekday visits (especially early afternoon) are genuinely easier for walk-in seating than weekend evenings, which fill fast.
- —Traditional Bavarian dress (Lederhosen for men, Dirndl for women) isn't required but is widely worn and easy to rent locally if you want to participate in the visual culture rather than just observe it.
- —Munich's public transport runs extended hours during Oktoberfest specifically because of the crowds — use it rather than trying to drive or find parking near the Theresienwiese.
