Going to Oktoberfest, or even Germany, is something I never felt a strong desire to do. However, when the opportunity arose to spend a weekend in Munich and go to THE Oktoberfest, on the festival's opening day, I didn't think twice.
Saturday
We arrived to the festival grounds around 10 AM, just in time for the parade that proceeds the opening ceremony - the tapping of the first keg at noon by the Mayor of Munich. Each brewery had their own horse-drawn wagons, full of kegs to be delivered to their beer tent, as well as a group of men and women dressed in traditional Lederhosen and Dirndl.
My friends and I opted not to spend £90 on a traditional dress, considering we planned the trip only 2 weeks in advance and wanted to save money wherever possible. If I were to do anything differently though, I would love to have one. We could definitely tell the difference between the tourists and the German women based on their Dirndls. The authentic gowns were very elaborate and timeless, with brocade fabric that looked sturdy enough to last a lifetime of annual festivals. The girls wearing last minute Amazon Prime orders never stood a chance!
Finding a spot to sit in a beer tent was our biggest challenge of the day. Visitors can not order beer without having a spot at a table. We quickly caught on that this was the reason why people showed up at 7 am to rush to claim a table when the gates opened. Luckily, we found a table of Bavarians who were willing to let Pauline and I sit with them while we drank a mass. Most people think the cups that the beer is served in are called steins, but this is incorrect!
Thomas, the man sitting across from us, was very friendly and spoke enough English to converse with us about Oktoberfest traditions and more. He's been attending the festival every year since he was 16, and always with the same group of friends. Please note that Thomas himself confirmed the stereotype that Bavarians are not the friendliest people, but for the occasion they tend to be more open to outsiders once they've drank enough beer.
Sunday
The next morning, we wanted to explore more of the Bavarian culture in the few hours we had left in Munich. We walked from our Airbnb to Nymphenburg Palace, which used to be the summer residence of Bavarian monarchs. The grounds are still in use today, with a carriage and sleigh museum inside the wings of Nymphenburg, a park that is open daily to the public, and several smaller palaces that can be toured as well.
For more pictures, please go see the new Photos page I have added to this site!