Fun Fact! You do not have to wait till October to attend Oktoberfest, and if you do, you might miss the largest folk festival in the world. Oktoberfest 2025 in Munich starts in less than a day on September 20, 2025. Here is your Oktoberfest 2025 in Munich: Your Go-to Guide to Dates, Tips & What to Do. There is so much more to do at Oktoberfest than Prost!
Oktoberfest 2025 in Munich
Who would have thought that the wedding celebration for Prince Ludwig (King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen would still be going on since 1910? Those royals certainly knew how to throw a bash, and Munich is celebrating the 190th Oktoberfest, starting on September 20, 2025, and running through October 5, 2025. Grab your dirndl and Lederhosen because Theresienwiese (Theresa’s Meadow) opens 10 A.M. on September 20, and the celebration doesn’t end until 11:30 PM!
The Rides
Do you need that rush of adrenaline? Do you need to swing high and flip around? The rides at Oktoberfest will not disappoint. Just remember to take a break from eating or drinking before you test out your nerves. If you go to Oktoberfest, you MUST try the Teufelsrad – this thing will never be allowed in the USA.
Imagine sitting in the center of the wooden area with a large disc that spins. Fun right! Just kidding, there is more to this low-tech ride. The announcer will say, “all men over 18 in Lederhosen,” for example. These are the chosen ones. They get to sit on the disc. It starts to spin slowly, but then picks up speed. People shoot off the ride, one by one. If you are the last ones standing, you are so lucky to not only spin fast on the disc, but also the pleasure of dodging the large ball hanging from above on a rope. One way or another, there will only be one person sitting on this Teufelsrad.
What To Do in Oide Wiesn?
When you hear Willkommen zum Oktoberfest, many people picture giant steins, old songs, and hundreds in a tent. While this is all true, the Oktoberfest has so much more to offer! In “Oide Wiesn” located in the southern part of the Thereseienwiese, the historic side of Oktoberfest can be found with rides, stalls, and festival tents. Not only is the a place of nostalgia, but the prices from 2025 are also no where here to be found.
All of the rides are family-friendly and cost only 1.50 €. So jump on “Dicke Berta” (yes, it is said how it looks, just “uh” at the end for the a) or “Fahrt ins Pardies” for just 1.50 € for ALL of the rides, not per ride. Once you are done with rides, head over to Festzelt Tradition and listen to the brass toot their horns in traditional Bavarian garb, while you have a Wiesn-Edlstoff from a wooden barrel. But what about the kiddos? No worries, just head over to the Limogarten (lemonade garden) where the kids can drink all the lemonade from the Limo fountain for 1€.
But wait, there’s more! Take the kids to the Museumzelt to burn off their sugar high with a program that is educational and engaging. What kid wouldn’t want to see some ride penny-farthering and then do laps on the bikes too! Next, head over to the Marionettentheater to watch a show for FREE! If Marionettes are not your family style, go to the Motodrom and watch the motorcycle steep wall show. Let gravity take the reins and you watch “The Death Arena” (1953 film by Kurt Meisen) play out before your eyes. Lastly, stroll down to the Geisterhöhle for a vintage ghost train ride.
Tents, Tents, and More Tents!
If you drank too much lemonade from the fountain and are looking for a new adventure, step over to Theresienwiese. Here you will find a multitude of the 14 großen Festzelte (big beer tents). From the Oschenbraterei, where they have exceptional meat specialties like grilled ox meat (they even have a vegan version for our plant friends), to Festhalle Schottenhamel, where Ozapft – the first tapping of the Wiesn season happens here, you will be overwhelmed with food, beer, culture, and company for days upon end.
Maybe you want to experience the tents without the large crowds. Check out one of the 21 kleinen Festzelten. You can choose to have some Küchen und Kaffee at the oldest coffee tent, Café Theres’ at the Wiessn, or, if you prefer, you can have the Hühnerbraterei Poschner’s crispy chicken and duck straight from the grill. Big or small, crowded or not, you will never be hungry at Oktoberfest. Whatever tent you choose, check out the tents’ opening and closing times.
Chirp! Chirp!
Why do you hear all the bird noises? Well, you are probably near the Vogelpfeifer stall. The what?! Yep, that’s right. At the Oktoberfest, you can hear Horst and Tobias Berger make bird calls. It is great for the young and old. But, what… maybe birds aren’t your thing. That’s okay. There are other stalls at Oktoberfest where you can prove how strong you really are, take a picture to make that memory last… or at least remind you of what you were doing all together.
And, don’t forget to buy a souvenir, from the traditional Lebkuchenherz (gingerbread heart) or even the not-so-traditional HendlHut (you know, a hat that looks like a chicken standing on its head, and with one press of a button-volia- the chicken claps its legs together. I mean, whatever you fancy, it is there for you to buy.
Final Thoughts
No matter what you do at Oktoberfest 2025, being bored will not be one of them. Remember, get there early if you want to get as much done as you can. If you want to save a little money, head over to Oide Wiesn, and enjoy the prices of a time far gone. Come hungry! There are so many places to grab a variety of different foods and drinks. Oktoberfest is for the young and old. Experience the culture and the tradition of the Oktoberfest that has been going strong for 190 years, plus more to come. Now, go get yourself a Hendlhut, ein Bier und Familie! Das Oktoberfest wird wunderbar!
