Oktoberfest
- 18 September 2027 – 3 October 2027
- München, Bavaria
The world's largest folk festival at the Theresienwiese: 16 days of beer tents, the traditional costume parade and fairground rides. Tent seats and hotel rooms should be booked months ahead, since prices rise sharply during the festival.
Source: https://www.muenchen.de/en/events/oktoberfest · Checked 2026-10-08
What Oktoberfest 2027 is
Oktoberfest is Munich's famous folk festival on the Theresienwiese, a large open field just southwest of the city centre. The 2027 edition is listed in our event data as confirmed, running from Saturday 18 September to Sunday 3 October 2027, which makes it a 16-day festival. It combines big beer tents run by Munich breweries, a large fairground with rides, and a programme of traditional events that locals and visitors both take part in.
Because the edition is marked as confirmed, you can plan around these dates with reasonable confidence. Even so, the organiser publishes the detailed programme, the opening ceremony times and any changes closer to the date, so treat the official city page as the final word before you book anything non-refundable.
How the dates are set and what the calendar looks like
The festival starts on a Saturday and ends on a Sunday. In 2027 the final day, 3 October, is a Sunday, so the festival closes on the same day as the national holiday, the Day of German Unity. Because that holiday falls on a Sunday, it does not create an extra day off anywhere in Germany. Do not count on a free Monday afterwards.
The opening weekend, 18 and 19 September, is the busiest start of the festival, with the first tapping of the barrel and the arrival of the costume and marksmen parade traditionally set for the first days. The middle weekends, 25 and 26 September and the closing weekend, are also heavily booked. Weekday lunchtimes are much calmer, which matters if you want a seat in a tent without a reservation.
Character and what to see and do
Oktoberfest is not only about beer. Many visitors come for the atmosphere: brass bands in the tents, people in Tracht (Dirndl and Lederhosen), roast chicken, pretzels and the long wooden tables where strangers share a bench. Outside the tents there are classic rides, a large Ferris wheel, shooting galleries and sweets stalls. The grounds are open to walk through without a ticket, so you can look around even if you do not get a tent seat.
The festival also has quieter corners. The Oide Wiesn section offers a more traditional, historic feel, with its own entrance fee, and the costume and marksmen parade is one of the most photographed events of the opening days. If you want to see the real city as well, plan time for the old town, the Viktualienmarkt and the Deutsches Museum, which are all easy to reach by public transport from the festival grounds.
Getting there and where to stay
Munich has one of Germany's best connected main stations, with direct long-distance trains from Berlin, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna and Zurich. From the main station the Theresienwiese is within walking distance, roughly a quarter of an hour on foot, and the U-Bahn stop named after the grounds is a short ride away. During the festival the trains are crowded, so keep luggage small and expect queues at some exits in the evening.
Accommodation is the biggest cost driver. Prices in the city rise sharply during the festival, and many hotels set minimum stays for the busiest weekends. Booking months ahead is the single most useful tip. If the central hotels are too expensive, consider staying in a nearby town on the S-Bahn network and commuting in, which can be cheaper and calmer, as long as you plan the last train back.
Public holidays, bridge days and vacation days in Bavaria
For a Bavaria-based or visiting employee, 2027 has no public holiday inside the festival dates. 3 October is a Sunday, so there is no bridge day to exploit, and the next Bavarian holiday afterwards is All Saints' Day on Monday 1 November 2027, a few weeks later. That means an Oktoberfest trip is mostly paid for with ordinary vacation days.
Count the working days. From Monday 20 September to Friday 1 October there are 10 weekdays. A trip from the opening Saturday to the closing Sunday would use all 10 vacation days, which is a long holiday. A classic long weekend, say Friday 24 to Sunday 26 September, costs just one day. Using the second weekend plus the final week, from Saturday 25 September to Sunday 3 October, costs 5 vacation days (Monday 27 September to Friday 1 October) for nine days away.
Tips and who it suits
Oktoberfest suits groups of friends, couples who enjoy lively crowds and visitors who want a very Bavarian experience at least once. It is less suitable for people who dislike noise, crowds or alcohol-centred events, although families do visit during the day, and some tents and days are specifically family friendly. Check the official programme for family days and reduced-price rides, since the details change each year.
Plan your tent visit early, reserve tables where possible, bring cash for small stalls even though many places take cards, and wear comfortable shoes. Read the entrance rules for bags at the official site, because bag size limits are enforced. Finally, leave time on the final Sunday to travel home: with 3 October falling on a Sunday, trains back are likely to be full, so reserve seats in advance.
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Written and maintained by Basaveswara Rao. Last reviewed on October 10, 2026.