21 Amazing Facts and 6 Awesome Tips about Oktoberfest
Theresienwiese – Munich - Bavaria
What is Oktoberfest?
In 2019 the 186th Oktoberfest had approximately 6.3 million visitors. That is a huge number of jovial people, at least half of whom are inebriated, to accommodate for a 16 day folk festival in a relatively small area of 300 000 square meters.
That works out to be about 393 750 people per day. I presume that includes all the people that work there.
That also works out to about three quarters of a square meter per person if you don’t take into account the framework of all the tents, tables and chairs, work spaces, equipment, cooking and cleaning facilities as well as bathroom amenities. That’s really jam-packed!
So how much beer gets consumed?
Read on and find out a few more facts and figures about these celebrations in Munich.
Welcome to Oktoberfest 2019
When and where was the first Oktoberfest held?
The Oktoberfest goes way back in history.
In 1810 to celebrate Prince Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen’s wedding, a horse race was held on the Theresienwiese. Often called just Wiesn by locals, it means Theresa's meadows. The horse races were held regularly as part of the Oktoberfest, an important part of Bavarian culture, until the Second World.
Horse race on Theresienwiese
We attended the festival twice this year and here’s what we found:
It’s wild, it’s huge, it’s fun and it’s an intriguing experience.
Our first visit to the Oktoberfest was on a Saturday. If you don’t like crowds, then this is not the best time to go. It was extremely busy and we couldn’t even get into a beer tent. We decided it was best to come back when it was slightly quieter. Before leaving, we walked around to look at what the festival had to offer, then opted for a ride on the Ferris wheel to give us an overall view over the Wiesn.
We found out it is not just about drinking and eating although that plays a huge part. There is a fun fair with numerous white-knuckle rides but also some mild carousel and other rides.
What we saw from the Ferris wheel
We returned during the week at about noon when we thought many people would be working. This time it was far easier to get into the tents. Towards the late afternoon and evening it gets busy again.
We chose to sit in the Armbrustschützen beer tent and spent a few hours inside. We also had a look at some of the other tents. The atmosphere and music differ from tent to tent but no matter which one you go to, you should have a jovial time celebrating Oktoberfest.
Click on image to pin for later
20 Amazing Facts about Oktoberfest
I’ve heard they speed up the escalators at the S-Bahn and U-Bahn in Munich during Oktoberfest, because there are so many people and this keeps the flow of pedestrians moving. Not sure if that is true, but here are a few amazing facts about the Oktoberfest.
1. Although it is called Oktoberfest it starts in September – but you knew that, didn’t you?
Apparently due to it being warmer in September it was considered a more appropriate time to start.
2. Drinking only begins at Wiesn after a 12 gun salute.
Since 1950 there is an official opening ceremony for the festival with a cheerful parade of the Wiesn landlords and various breweries. At exactly 12 noon the mayor taps the first barrel and shouts O’ zapft is! - It’s tapped! Thereafter twelve gunshots are fired in front of the Bavaria statue and signals the opening of the festival by alerting the other tents. Then you can drink to your heart’s content.
3. You can drink all day, if your liver and stomach allow it.
The Oktoberfest opens every day between 9 and 10 am and closes around 11.30 pm. That’s a whole lot of drinking! But beware, apparently the alcohol content is more than your usual draught.
4. 7.3 million litres of beer were consumed during Oktoberfest 2019.
This was less than the previous year which was 7.5 million litres but it was put down to more people consuming Radler, a mix of beer and lemon soda or lemonade, and 1.1 million litres of mineral water. 250 000 pork sausages, half a million chickens, 124 cows, 48 calves, and 59,000 pork knuckles were also consumed.
5. Only beer brewed within the city limits of Munich are considered Oktoberfest Beers.
The beer is specially brewed in Munich for Oktoberfest, a celebration of Bavarian traditions and is extra strong.
6. Beer is sold in Maß
Maß is a regulation 1 litre mug, pronounced ‘muss’ and experienced waiters take about one and a half seconds to fill one.
7. Want a souvenir beer mug so you think it’s a great idea to just swipe one?
Think again! Close on 97 000 beer mugs were confiscated from customers trying to sneak them out at the exits of the grounds and inside the tents. In 2018 it was 101 000. They are taken back to their respective tents. There are collectors mugs for sale, so it is best to buy one.
8. The Oktoberfest produces on average 1 000 tons of trash annually.
That’s a whole lot of rubbish!
9. The historic Oide Wiesn has a more traditional child friendly atmosphere.
Oide Wiesn marked the 2010 Oktoberfest’s 200th anniversary celebrations and was meant to be a once-off event. Bavarians loved the traditional rides, music, dancing and costumes so much more than just the rowdy beer drinking that it has become part of the more modern Oktoberfest but has a break every four years because the Bavarian Country Festival - Bayerische Zentral-Landwirtschaftsfest is held there then.
Oide Wiesn is also a more child friendly environment. They do charge an entry fee though of 3 euros per person and children under 14 years of age are allowed in for free. Disabled persons with a valid pass get 50% off and anyone accompanying them who presents a disabled person’s pass marked with the letter B also has free entry.
10. Lost and found.
Some of the items that have been found at Wiesn I can understand, but certain objects make me scratch my head. Here is a list of lost property:
A set of dentures
780 ID cards or 840 passports
A flugelhorn
1 pram
690 items of clothing
A measuring cup
300 sets of keys
A UN card game
465 bank cards
A kitchen sieve
420 smartphones and mobile phones
155 glasses
130 bags
Backpacks and bags
115 umbrellas
55 pieces of jewellery including a wedding ring
8 cameras
660 purses or 460 wallets
At least 635.60 euros in cash
Even a book "Dalí - the picturesque work" (in its original packaging)
11. Oktoberfest brings in a huge chunk of money.
Apparently the festival brings in around R20 billion in tourism revenue. Although tourists spend a great deal of money on accommodation, transport, food, drinks and of course clothing such as dirndl or lederhosen during Oktoberfest, only 15% are foreign visitors. 70% are Bavarians from Germany.
12. Working at Wiesn.
Around 13 000 are employed at the Oktoberfest. It is a lucrative job to have but you need stamina and you need to be fit and strong. Full beer mugs weigh up to 30 kg per load and the waiters or waitresses can walk up to 20 km a day.
13. Almost nothing stops the Oktoberfest.
209 years of festival and only 24 cancelled or scaled down events. Must be a popular event then! Most of the reasons Oktoberfest was cancelled seemed to be due to war – Napoleon’s war, Prussian war, Franco-Prussian war, World War I and World War II. Other reasons were cholera epidemics and inflation.
14. What if you don’t drink beer?
Between 17 large and 21 small tents, there is a choice for everyone at Oktoberfest and Oide Wiesn. From traditional Bavarian fare with a Wiesn breakfast or crepes and coffee, you won’t go hungry or thirsty. There is even a wine tent and if you really want you can buy bottled water or soft drinks.
15. What will it cost you to say Prost! at Oktoberfest?
Apart from paying to go into Oide Wiesn, you do not pay an entrance fee at Oktoberfest. The tents are free to enter as well. If you want to reserve a table, you pay for tickets for food and drinks which will secure your table, but this has to be done well in advance. A ticket is normally 1 or 2 beers plus an item of food.
The cost of beer, which is only available inside the tents, is approximately 11 Euro and a meal ranges from 12 to 28 Euro. Snacks and drinks outside the main tents cost around 4 to 5 Euro.
16. Providing power.
Did you know they use about 43 kilometres of cable and 18 transformer stations to provide power at the festival? This provides about 13% of the average daily needs of the City of Munich. The consumption at the Oktoberfest totals to approximately 2.7 million kilowatt hours. This excludes setting up and dismantling before and after the festival.
17. Does the Oktoberfest affect the environment?
In a first and recent environmental study nearly 1 500 kg of methane was emitted during the festival. Although fossil fuel methane emissions from gas grills and heating appliances were the major sources, a staggering 10% was attributed to, wait for it… the flatulence and burps of attendees.
It might not be the greatest environmental concern and is short lived, but do major festivals contribute towards global warming? The studies will continue not only for this festival but for other major festivals around the world.
18. Safety at Oktoberfest.
In 2019 there were 133 pickpockets, 8 more significant fights compared to the previous year and a slight increase in sexual offences, about 42 to 45. There was a decrease in crime from the previous year. Considering the amount of alcohol being sold, these numbers are relatively low.
19. What’s on fire?
The fire brigade and rescue services were alerted 14 times, once because a T-shirt had landed on a spotlight and caught alight and on another occasion to rescue an Oktoberfest visitor from the canopy of a tent.
20. Medical emergencies.
Between 600 to 800 cases of alcohol poisoning is reported annually. There were 120 fewer than in 2018.
In total around 3000 people needed medical attention, from cuts to burns and unfortunately even a heart attack, but not necessarily brought on by the festival.
Did you know the medical area consisted of 800 square metres? There were two fully equipped operating theatres, six rooms for the treatment and monitoring of patients, a large rest room and a shock room. Between 30 doctors, 600 paramedics and helpers came to Munich from Germany, Austria and Italy to take care of the patients.
21. Flying drones.
The airspace of about 11 kilometres in diameter around the festival grounds was strictly monitored by police helicopters. There is a ban on aircraft and drones in this area and if you ignored this rule, you would have been given a fine or even imprisonment.
We used the Ferris wheel for our shots and you can apparently get a magnificent panoramic view over the Wiese from the Bavaria statue.
There you have it!
If you’re still keen to add Oktoberfest to your bucket list, here are a few hot tips.
6 Awesome tips about Oktoberfest
Ladies, wear comfortable sturdy shoes. Why? Not only for comfort because you will walk a long way, but also to prevent your feet from being cut, which apparently happens often.
Keep yourself well hydrated – yes, not only with beer but alternate with water or soft drinks or even a Radler. This will help towards preventing alcohol poisoning.
Don’t drink on an empty stomach – there is always something to eat, even if it is only a bretzl.
If you need accommodation during Oktoberfest, book well in advance as it fills rapidly and prices do go up drastically.
Maximum dimensions of bags or backpacks allowed into the Oktoberfest is 20 cm x 15 cm x 10 cm.
Oktobefest has its own App with tips, info and even a friend finder. Download it here.
Have you ever been to the Oktoberfest?
If so, what was the most remarkable thing you found out about it?
Till next time!
About the Author
ALMA VAN AS | ROAMING FOX
Alma is a South African travel blogger and writer. She hopes to inspire you with facts and fables about her adventures, road trips and international travel.
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