May 13, 2016

Posted by in Oktoberfest | Comments Off on Oktoberfest dates 2016 and beyond

Oktoberfest dates 2016 and beyond

Oktoberfest dates 2016 and beyond

Lots of people are surprised to find out that the Oktoberfest is almost over by the beginning of October, meaning that it kind of creeps up on them a month ahead of time; often, it’s too late for them to organise the trip when they realise that much of the fortnight festival falls in September. To make sure you don’t get your Oktoberfest dates 2016 in a muddle, we thought we’d give you the low-down on when and where this world-famous event is held. Always wanted to know, but felt silly asking? You don’t have to ask…

Oktoberfest place: Where?

The original, genuine-article, one-of-a-kind Oktoberfest takes place in the Bavarian capital Munich, in Southern Germany. Specifically, it is held on the Theresienwiese – which literally means “Theresa’s meadow” – just over a mile away from the centre (main station or Marienplatz). This expanse of unbuilt land is is kept empty for the Oktoberfest and similar fairs, and also gives the festival its vernacular name, “Wiesn” (pronounced: veezn).

Oktoberfest dates: When?

This is where it gets tricky: although it’s called the “October fest”, more than 50% of the Oktoberfest actually takes place in September. Here is how the dates are set:

  1. The Oktoberfest always starts on the first Saturday after 15 September: i.e. if 15 September is a Saturday, it will start on 22.
  2. As a general rule, the Oktoberfest ends on evening of the first Sunday in October – i.e. the tents are open on three Sundays in a row.
  3. Since 2000, if the first Sunday in October falls on either 1 or 2 October, the festivities are prolonged until the evening of 3 October, which is a bank holiday and the Day of German Unification.
  4. The Oktoberfest runs for a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 18 days.

That give us the following dates for the next three years:

2016 – 17 September to 3 October

2017 – 23 September to 8 October

2018 – 22 September to 7 October

There you go: all you need to know about the Oktoberfest dates in 2016 and beyond to make sure you never miss another!

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