There is a lot to experience at the world's largest folk festival. In addition to daredevil rides in the "Predator" or the roller coaster, you can also take it easy in the "Oidn Wiesn". The Oktoberfest has something for everyone. Especially for beer lovers.
"Geht's amoi auf'd seit" I hear as a strong hand gently pushes me to one side. Only now do I become aware of the tinkling of the countless bells. A brewery team with magnificently decorated horses is making its way through the visitors to the 189th Oktoberfest. It is an important mission: after all, the people in the tent should not run out of beer.
On September 21, Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter once again struck hard and got the beer bubbling with just two taps. "O'zapft is", resounds through the Schottenhamel marquee. Since 1950, only in this tent has the wooden hammer been swung for the traditional opening of the Wies'n. Last year, the tent attracted attention because of another incident: a drunken American climbed onto the tent roof and had to be rescued by crane.
As you stroll through the festival grounds, you can hear every language. People from all over the world meet here to celebrate together. Flo has been working as a waiter at Augustiner Bräu for three years. He remembers a group of Australians from last year: "They were here for two days. They landed at six in the morning and bought a pair of lederhosen for 15 euros. As soon as they checked into the hotel, they came here and started drinking." The guests from Down Under told him that they appreciated the quality of the beer here, among other things. "At home, they drink 15 cans of beer in the supermarket without any great effect. Here they drink one pint and almost fall over".
The toilet attendants also have to contend with the effects of international beer consumption. In the truest sense of the word. "Just recently there was a fight between a Scotsman and an American in the toilet van," one of them tells me. However, she threw the brawlers out before anything worse could happen.
But you shouldn't just sit in the beer tent and enjoy one beer after another for an average of 14.80 euros. Just go outside, get some fresh air and watch the visitors. For example, the adrenaline junkies queuing up for the wild rides. Some of them make you sick to your stomach just watching them. Predator, Breakdance and the Olympia roller coaster are just a few of them. If you prefer a more leisurely ride, you might prefer the Ferris wheel on the ghost train or a stroll around the "Oide Wiesn".
It almost feels like a little trip back in time. After all, some of the rides here are a hundred years old. But you can also have fun at a slower pace. Like the ride to paradise, for example. It sounds nice and almost idyllic, but in my experience it's not without its drawbacks. The constant up and down motion is quite a stomach-wrenching experience.
The Oide Wies'n was planned as a one-off event to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Oktoberfest. However, visitors enjoyed it so much that it is now being held for the tenth time. Here you can get really nostalgic throwing cans, swinging boats or riding the chain carousel. Some of the men also try to show off a little: they swing the hammer at "Dicken Berta". With enough strength and the right technique, the winning bell rings. However, I only heard this a few times during my visit.
At some point, the smells of bratwurst, grilled fish or chicken will make you hungry. However, if you want more than just a small snack, you are in good hands in one of the many tents. Provided you can still find a place. From 1 p.m., all hell breaks loose here and people dance on the benches. It feels like the brass band is playing "Ein Prosit, ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit" every few minutes. This really heats up the waiters in the tent and the beer orders skyrocket. Nobody wants to sit there empty-handed when they should be toasting each other. It's something of an unwritten law at the Oktoberfest.
Just like, apparently, carrying poultry by the head. Even though I've never heard of it before. The visitors either walk around in dirndls and lederhosen (well, let's say imitation lederhosen) or with a chicken-shaped hat on their heads. One of these fried chicken wearers has traveled from Mexico with his friends. The group is on a round trip and only arrived from Berlin yesterday. Their first impression of the Oktoberfest? "It's a peaceful place to drink beer. We've never been to Bavaria before." But the group thinks it's a "good place to get to know Bavarian culture". They must have done just that, as they confessed to me that they had already had two pints of "good, strong Bavarian beer" by lunchtime.
And it is precisely in this blissful beer mood that many people are drawn to the more traditional rides. The classic is the Devil's Wheel, but the Mirror Cabinet and the Munich Slide are also popular. You can hear a real Wiesn institution from afar: the Münchner Voglpfeifer. Horsti and his son Tobias keep the family business alive. They produce small plates that are placed between the tongue and the palate. The airflow causes the instrument to vibrate. It can be used to imitate all kinds of bird calls. According to Horsti, it also helps with speech problems. "The whistling restores blood flow to the vocal cords and you can speak better." He and his son ensure that the tradition continues. "My 34-year-old grandson is already doing it. It is always passed on, my grandfather also did the bird whistling," says Horsti with a proud undertone in his voice.
Even if you get the impression that Oktoberfest is becoming more and more touristy and that it's all about (casually speaking) "boozing" - people like Horsti and the operators of the other classic stands ensure that it will always remain a traditional festival to a certain extent.
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Sources:
Official Oktoberfest website(https://www.oktoberfest.de/)
My own experience and interviews during my visit on September 26, 2024
Copyright:
All photos and videos on this page are the property of Ingrid Müller
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