Munich: Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest 2025 will be held in Munich, Germany, at the Theresienwiese fairgrounds. The festival will run for sixteen days, beginning on Saturday, September 20, 2025, and ending on Sunday, October 5, 2025. This will mark the 190th official Oktoberfest celebration. Each year, the event draws massive international attention, and in 2025 attendance is expected to reach around six to seven million visitors. The celebration blends Bavarian traditions like parades, folk music, and traditional costumes with lively beer tents, carnival rides, and a wide variety of local foods. While there is no entrance fee to the grounds or tents, visitors are advised to arrive early to secure space, especially on weekends.
The festival's history dates back to October 12, 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (later King Ludwig I) married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich were invited to join the festivities, which took place on the fields later named the “Theresienwiese” in honor of the bride. The highlight of the original event was a horse race, and it proved so popular that the celebration was repeated in subsequent years, gradually expanding in size and scope. Over time, agricultural fairs, traditional music, and beer stands became central to the festivities. By the late 19th century, beer tents and large breweries had become the dominant feature, shaping the Oktoberfest as we know it today. Despite wars and other interruptions, the festival has endured for more than two centuries, standing as a vibrant symbol of Bavarian culture and hospitality.