We got to watch the Costume and Riflemen parade from the front of our hotel, which was pretty cool. It’s a LONG parade so we didn’t stay outside for too long.
We started with the Costume and Riflemen’s parade, which is LONG but went right in front of our hotel so we could come and go all morning pretty leisurely.
We then visited a small tent in the Wiese for a light lunch of käsespätzele, obazda, and salad. There was a little band that performed while we ate. Lots of families: it was fun watching the kids dancing.
For the evening, we got to experience the Schottenhamel tent which is quite the party. It’s the OG Oktoberfest tent, the one where the mayor of Munich taps the first keg to open the festival each year. The band, called “Südhertz” was incredible, playing everything from oompah music to Neil Diamond to Kings of Leon. The food and beer were outstanding.
We all noticed that we felt better after 2+ maß of Spatenbräu beer tonight than we did after 2+ maß of Hacker-Pschorr last night. Maybe it was the ginger juice shots we had tonight (and didn’t have last night…). Interesting data point.
In the “Vinzenzmurr Metzger Stubn” restaurant for a light lunch.
I got a kick out of these little pins, which are supposed to be replicas of the decorated gingerbread cookies you can wear around your necks.
HUGE ferris wheel! Each of those cabins are decorated like chalets.
These are little ~100ml bottles of fortified ginger juice and I’m convinced it made a difference between how we felt after the beer on Sunday vs. how we felt on Saturday. Recommend!
The Schottenhamel tent is the ORIGINAL Oktoberfest tent, featuring Spaaten beer. The major of Munich taps the first keg at noon on opening day from this tent. (https://abcnews.com/video/136601831/) The tour group we use includes one large tent dinner but you can’t easily choose which tent you end up in. We’re happy we got to see this one.
My wristband to get into the tent.
Vouchers for dinner. Two Maß of beer + a “1/2 Brathendl” = grilled half chicken.
We sat down to a big charcuterie board. 10 of us at the table and we couldn’t finish it all.
And finally, a video of our view from the upper balcony of the pandemonium below….
