From wearing premium quality lederhosen to enjoying beer steins in tents, German Oktoberfest offers much more of an experience than that. 

So it is already decided, that this year, you are going to enjoy the traditional annual festivities to their fullest. Whether you are looking for better clothing options or looking forward to making a to-do list for the Oktoberfest carnival, you have approached the right page. 

Everyone knows that Oktoberfest is Germany’s heritage, an annual celebration that allows everyone else to take a little time out from their busy lives, engage with other people, celebrate their customs & legacy and elope with other people of the community. 

Oktoberfest festivities have their own history and traditions that extend beyond enjoying root beer and curry sausages. In this article, we will discuss ideas to celebrate this historical event to its fullest and explore some very cool and splendid outfit options and music possibilities for your ears. 

Today’s German Oktoberfest

This German traditional festival and its celebrations are quite popular around the world but real celebrations are continuing in Munich with all ethnicities and customs. Despite its name, this festival starts from mid-September on Saturday night, continuously runs for 16 to 18 days and ends on the first week of October. 

Currently, Oktoberfest is all about enjoying German street food with some cheap beer in Bavarian lederhosen, staying up late and dancing away the night to local music. The only beer served on this customary carnival originally comes from Munich’s six breweries. Every year, the celebration of Oktoberfest kicks starts in the fields of Munich with the mayor tapping on the keg or swinging away the hammer on drums. 

Besides the food and beer, there are many more interesting activities and traditional things to enjoy in the fields of Wies’n. From grand parades enter open-air live performances and local Bavarian music, Oktoberfest is also about learning about the history of German culture, spending time in vendor tents, enjoying carnival rides, participating in shooting competitions and styling German traditional leather outfits. 

These two weeks of festivities wrap up dramatically with a gun salute and boisterous performance brass band. 

Ideas to Enjoy Oktoberfest Celebrations 

According to a survey, German Oktoberfest is one of the world’s largest folk festivals that allows people from all around the globe to celebrate the traditions and customs in an inimitable way. 

One side of you always wants to reside in comfort at the legendary hotel of Germany Bayerischer Holf or the exclusive Beyond By Geisel during your vacation in Munich. But the other half of you want to spend your days in the local beer tents of Munich, blend in with the locals and relive the folk era. 

Dress in Traditional Oktoberfest Outfits 

Dirndl for women and lederhosen for men: these are the classic and traditional authentic leather outfits proudly worn by the locals and tourists to enjoy the aura of the Bavarian festival. 

Before the 1900s dirndl and lederhosen were not the official outfits for this folk festival. In 1887, the chief of Munich made it official to wear 100% pure Bavarian goat leather outfits on Oktoberfest. This tradition has remained unchanged till today date and over time; this festival has gained immense popularity outside the Germany.

Men’s Outfit for Oktoberfest 

Unlike women, the traditional dress for men is much simpler and easy to wear. There are a few simple steps that you should keep in mind to complete your classic Bavarian look for festivities. 

Plain or Checkered Shirt: wearing a light long puffy sleeve plain white or checkered shirt. Both these options are used by men frequently to achieve their desired look. With the shirt, there is nothing fancy or expensive that you need. Just pack the lightest colour shirt in your suitcase. 

Style Lederhosen with Suspenders: this is an essential step and your whole Bavarian looks rely on it. Lederhosen is the knee-length shorts or full pants, manufactured with pure Bavarian goat leather. They usually come in chamois or brown colour combination with embroidery patterns on it. These shorts or pants are held up and fixed in one place with the help of suspenders. You can buy a cheap one on eBay or any other shopping site but to get the classic and authentic Bavarian look, you should get your hands on real and durable clothing pieces. Don’t worry, you don’t have to wander in Munich’s streets to buy a suspender. We are offering original and authentic lederhosen with all other accessories at a very reasonable price. Go check out our online store Oktoberfest Outfits for more options. 

Haferl Shoes: your Bavarian folk look is not complete without wearing the traditional Haferl shoes. Manufactured with colour leather, thick soles, sideway lacings and knee length, boots with characteristics are best even for climbing mountains. If you have an extended vacation plan in Munich then don’t hesitate to wear these Haferl shoes and bust out on the nights in town. 

Sock: shoes without socks, it looks awful. Unlike regular pants, Lederhosen does not come all the way down to your foot. You should get your hands on traditional Trachten socks to wear them with shoes. To achieve the classic Bavarian look, make sure you have light grey, white or off-white calf embroidered socks. Check out our socks collection at Oktoberfest Outfit. 

Don’t Forget Accessories: like women, men also wear some accessories to give an ancient vibe to their outfits. When you are pushing stuff in your suitcase, make some room for alpine hats. A trachten hat is not a necessity but if you have space and budget then get one for yourself. 

Female’s Outfit 

The women’s Oktoberfest costume is a little more confusing and complicated corresponding to males. Let’s break it down in a few steps and make it easy for you to understand. 

Shirt/Blouse: start with the white puffy-sleeve shirt or blouse. The Trachten blouse is a distinctive shirt style because embroidered lace is trimmed on its neck and hem. Like man, a shirt/blouse should be in plain white colour but a checkered one can never go wrong. The colour of your blouse depends on the colour of your dirndl.

Dirndl: just like the men’s outfit, except expand your budget a little bit to touch the authentic and classic Bavarian look. As a most important part of the Oktoberfest fit, it is important to get your hands on authentic and pure leather dirndl. With lace strips and a circular cut, the dirndl skirt also comes in three different lengths. A short one reaches above the knees and is more suitable for young single girls. A mid-length skirt reaches just below the knees and is suitable for married women. A dirndl goes right down to the ankle and is suitable attire for women of all ages. 

Apron or Pinafor: to complete the Bavarian look, an apron is styled over the dirndl. It is recommended to purchase a complete dirndl set instead of buying single items. 

Important Note: the knot on the apron indicates your relationship status. If the knot of the apron is on the right side, it means you are taken, the knot on the front indicates your virginity and the knot on the back means you are either married or a widow. 

Pantyhose: pretty forward, to achieve a smokier look, wear plain white or sheer nylon knee-high white stockings. 

Low-heeled boots: do you know that oktoberfest shoes women's guidelines are less demanding than men's? Unlike men, don’t wear lace or embroidered boots. You can never go wrong with low heel loafers but knee-length white/brown boots with short dirndl gives an extra boost to your overall look. 

You can also wear loafers, subtle toms and ballet flats; it all depends on your outfit choice, your personal choice and don’t forget about comfort. 

Reserve a Seat in Munich’s Beer Tents 

This festival is an annual autumn staple and it is being arranged on the largest grounds of Munich known as Theresienwiese. If you are in Munich then the best way to reach Wies’ns grounds is to take the local bus. The nearest S-Bahn station in Munich is called Hackerbrucke and the closest underground stations are called Theresienwiese, Schwathalerhohe and Goetheplatz. 

Are you planning to attend these festivities with your friend’s group? If yes then it is best to reserve a table at beer tents beforehand. You can do this online or by also going to the Central Reservation Office of Munich. Not all seats are open for reservation; some seats are kept open for spontaneous visitors. Reserving a seat is not necessary because there is no fee to enter beer tents. 

Don’t Forget to Explore Street Food/Restaurants 

With all the ancient Munich beer, don’t forget to give your taste buds a party. Don’t drink Oktoberfest on beer empty stomach. Utilize your food vouchers wisely and give a try to the local German street vendors. Don’t worry, if you are not in the mood for fast food, buy yourself a hearty dine-in or takeaway meal then enjoy your first MaB Bier. 

There are a few favourite rustic dishes to give a try. If you are more into meat then be ready to stuff your mouth with some delicious meaty dishes. Weisswurst is the most eaten item which is just minced veal and pork bacon sausage which is often served with potato dumplings (also known as Knodel and Sauerkraut). 

Halbes Hendl is the all-time favourite German Oktoberfest dish which is basically a half-roasted chicken served with a special sauce and vegetable. If you are starving then devour mouth-watering roasted pork with crackling skin. This dish is served with a side of mashed potatoes and kraut. 

Don’t worry, if you don’t eat meat, you will not go home on an empty stomach. There are also different options available for vegetarians. First of all, get your hands on the legendary Oktoberfest pretzels. Nothing can beat freshly made cheesy and garlicky Mac n Cheese. You can also find different snacks, roasted cashews and other candies in every tent. 

Explore Munich Carnival & Meet New People 

If you are attending the festivities arranged on this big level, grounds fill with other enthusiastic Oktoberfest goers then who knows how things will go by the night.

In simple words, besides drinking beer and exploring food options, Oktoberfest is also about expanding your circle, bursting your bubble, and surrounding yourself with new people. Everyone’s in a happy mood, enjoying the carnival, soak the positive energies and blend in with the atmosphere. 

After devouring all the delicious food and beer, if your stomach permits you then there is nothing wrong with enjoying some fun rides. Hop on the Ferris Wheel to see the majestic view of the city. The classic carousel Wellenflug is the crowd’s favourite swing. 

Not for small-hearted people, Olympia Looping, a giant transportable rollercoaster, Predator, The Flip Flop and Toboggan are the most-favourite activities for adrenaline junkies.  

Well, there is no shortage of new experiences and fun activities at the annual festivities of Oktoberfest. Stay open-minded, say yes to new adventures, meet new people, follow these ideas, and make the most of your time to explore things other than beer tents then you are going to have the most epic lifetime experience at Oktoberfest.