Who has been to a real Oktoberfest?

[dennilfloss]

Sounds like fun but I'm too old now. My liver would not enjoy all this delicious beer.

 

[ForumMaster]

i was in Munich in 2008 during the Oktoberfest. not because of it, was just passing through on a trip. we did drink some beer but didn't really take part.

didn't have the time. dang i like german beer. i'll have to go again some time.

 

[AndroidVageta]

...dang i like german women...

Fixed.

 

[Meghan54]

Munich, 1978. Spent the closing weekend of that year's Oktoberfest there. Memories of most of that weekend are rather hazy.

 

[Perknose]

I lived in Munich. Went to one. Didn't stay that long, and never went again. Oktoberfest is a tourist trap and a poorly maintained zoo where overcrowding, alcohol and tempers all mix.

It's a crowded, cheesy carny set on concrete.

Instead, go to the outdoor Beer Garden smack in the middle of Munich in the English Garden, one of the largest city parks in Europe which runs more or less the entire length of the city! On the weekends, a hidden band pumps out oom-pah-pah music from a Chinese Pagoda.

Thank Mad King Willie for that one.

Street muscians come through, and you can enjoy your non-overpriced "mass" (litre) of beer and giant soft pretzel while sitting with the regulars at a huge series of picnic benched tables.

It's what you thought Oktoberfest really was, but isn't!

It's said to seat 7,000 in one write-up. I don't think it's capacity is quite that large.

When you're feeling mellow, take a short stroll over the tiny foot bridge and down that path out into the meadow to the small hill atop which sits the Greek themed monopterous (thanks again, Mad King Willie!)

There, those who wish to probably still lie on the hill and, uhhhhh, openly indulge in "alternative tobacco" while the well dressed good Germans stick strictly to the narrow paved path walking their equally well coiffed dogs while other, even better Germans sunbath by the narrow, fast rushing Isar River.

Some very few of the BEST of the female variety sunbathe without their tops, and nobody gawks or makes a fuss at all.

For those of you who don't really know, Germans are cool. Seriously.

 

[lxskllr]

For some reason I've gotten the urge for milk, not beer :^/

 

[Born2bwire]

I lived in Munich. Went to one. Didn't stay that long, and never went again. Oktoberfest is a tourist trap and a poorly maintained zoo where overcrowding, alcohol and tempers all mix.

It's a crowded, cheesy carny set on concrete.

Instead, go to the outdoor Beer Garden smack in the middle of Munich in the English Garden, one of the largest city parks in Europe which runs more or less the entire length of the city! On the weekends, a hidden band pumps out oom-pah-pah music from a Chinese Pagoda.

Thank Mad King Willie for that one.

Street muscians come through, and you can enjoy your non-overpriced "mass" (litre) of beer and giant soft pretzel while sitting with the regulars at a huge series of picnic benched tables.

It's what you thought Oktoberfest really was, but isn't!

It's said to seat 7,000 in one write-up. I don't think it's capacity is quite that large.

When you're feeling mellow, take a short stroll over the tiny foot bridge and down that path out into the meadow to the small hill atop which sits the Greek themed monopterous (thanks again, Mad King Willie!)

There, those who wish to probably still lie on the hill and, uhhhhh, openly indulge in "alternative tobacco" while the well dressed good Germans stick strictly to the narrow paved path walking their equally well coiffed dogs while other, even better Germans sunbath by the narrow, fast rushing Isar River.

Some very few of the BEST of the female variety sunbathe without their tops, and nobody gawks or makes a fuss at all.

For those of you who don't really know, Germans are cool. Seriously.

Yeah, Munich was enough of a blast without Oktoberfest. It certainly helps that beer or Radler were consitently the cheapest drink per unit volume at restaurants. Mmmmmm... I am so much happier now that I found a place here where I can get four or five different brands of Hefeweisen.

 

[tcsenter]

I have a few times:

Frankenmuth is the first Oktoberfest outside of Munich to be sanctioned by the Parliament and the City of Munich.

It is also the only Oktoberfest outside of Munich to receive such sanctioning, AFAIK.

 

[tcsenter]

damn dp

 

[zinfamous]

I lived in Munich. Went to one. Didn't stay that long, and never went again. Oktoberfest is a tourist trap and a poorly maintained zoo where overcrowding, alcohol and tempers all mix.

It's a crowded, cheesy carny set on concrete.

Yeah, I skipped it and went to the grape harvest in Impruneta while all the other students took the train up to Munchen.

As much as I love beer, Oktoberfest is one of the least desirable events to attend.

 

[SKORPI0]

:awe:

 

[GTaudiophile]

2007 and 2008.

Here is my 2007 thread.

(Also went as a child in 1990 or so, but I won't count that.)

 

[uberman]

I lived in northern Germany for a few years in the 1980's, Hannover to be more precise. During the summer many cities and small towns would have an Altstadtfest (Old City Party). Sometimes we'd plan to go and party, and we did party.

Other times we'd come out of the mountains and stumble into one. There was lots of beer, Apfelcorn (Berentzen is the best) and other shnapps available. They were lots of fun.

Booths selling lots of booze and food. They were great.

 

[grrl]

I went to one in Stuttgart. The beer was awesome.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

A few times in the 80's.

 

[olds]

me

 

[thepd7]

2007 and 2008.

Here is my 2007 thread.

(Also went as a child in 1990 or so, but I won't count that.)

Thanks for posting that! I'm considering going in 2011 so that was great info.

 

[Triumph]

Went in 2008 when making my return trip from Afghanistan, on the last night before it was over. What a great way to return to the civilized world after 3 months in Afghanistan. Touristy or not, it was fun, and there were plenty of Germans there so how touristy can it really be?