Story TINA DO
Photos PEXELS

Munich comes alive with the world-renowned Oktoberfest beer festival.

The Oktoberfest beer festival is an iconic annual event for the city of Munich

Oktoberfest is no stranger to Vietnam, as the festival has been held annually in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang since 1992, making it one of the longest-running Oktoberfest celebrations outside of Germany. In fact, after the resounding success of the 2023 festival, which attracted over 10,500 visitors and served 20,000 liters of beer, Oktoberfest in Vietnam has cemented its status as the largest beer festival in Southeast Asia.

But just how grand is this festival at its place of origin? That would be in Munich, the capital of the state of Bavaria in southeastern Germany, where it welcomes over 6 million visitors and serves 5-6 million liters of beer, along with hundreds of thousands of sausages, every Oktoberfest season. Oktoberfest – meaning “October Festival” – is held annually in late September and early October. The very first occurrence (on October 12, 1810) had nothing to do with beer or alcoholic beverages, but was part of a royal wedding celebration. In subsequent years, the event continued with large- scale agricultural exhibitions and traditional costume parades to celebrate the values of the Bavarian region. By the late 1800s, breweries had recognized the importance of the festival and began sponsoring elaborately decorated horse- drawn carriages for the parades. And from there, the Oktoberfest beer festival became an iconic annual event for the city of Munich.

Wearing traditional Bavarian costumes has become part of Oktoberfest

While modern Oktoberfest has very little in common with its 1800s version, the beer festival still reflects the traditional values, diversity and community spirit of the Bavarian people over the past two centuries. The joie de vivre, cohesion of family members and brotherhood among friends are always present in the festival atmosphere, with the phrase “Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit” (a toast to cheer and good times) appearing throughout the festival’s theme song, Ein Prosit.

Wearing traditional Bavarian costumes has also become part of the Oktoberfest experience for Munich locals and foreign visitors alike. You’ll see groups of local men happily gathered around the beer tents in their lederhosen (knee-length leather breeches worn with suspenders), while smiling Bavarian maidens in traditional dirndl dresses (a white blouse with a bodice and full skirt, often with an apron tied at the waist) greet the crowds.

Oktoberfest Munich attracts millions of visitors each year

But the most exciting activity for both visitors and locals at the festival is to sample hundreds of beer varieties from giant one-liter mugs at tents that can hold tens of thousands of people. People are willing to wait in line for hours to get a spot in the beer tents, happily paying more than EUR15 for a one-liter mug of premium beers like Armbrustschützen-Festzelt, Bräurosl and Fischer- Vroni. Dirndl-clad waitresses skillfully carrying trays of giant beer mugs to customers is an indelible Oktoberfest sight.

With more than 200 years of history, Oktoberfest is not only a beautiful part of the cultural life and spirit of the people of Munich, but the festival has also become an unforgettable annual destination for the city and the entire state of Bavaria.

Vietnam Airlines offers direct flights between Hanoi/ Ho Chi Minh City and Munich (Germany). Please visit www.vietnamairlines.com for more information and special offers.