September 2005
Beer We Go Again
Yes, it’s that time of year again. On September 17, with the cry of “O’zapft is!,” Munich Mayor Christian Ude will tap the very first barrel of beer, marking the start of the 172nd Oktoberfest. Although the festival will run to pretty much the same format as it has done for, ooh, at least the last hundred years, there are some slight differences. We’ve put together a
Wies’n spotter’s guide to this year’s festival:
LOOK OUT FOR:
•
The topless tent—for the first time, the Hacker Pschorr tent will be fitted with a sliding cabrio roof, enabling drinkers to gaze up at the Bavarian sky above them, instead of at a painted imitation.
•
Cleavage—speaking of topless, be sure to watch out for plenty of cleavage, as it could be the last chance you get. An EU ruling, which forces employers to control the amount of flesh their staff bare, to prevent sunburn, has sparked fears that dirndls will soon be outlawed. According to Wies’n bosses, though, the worries are unfounded.
•
Outdoor toilets—another novelty for this year is the installation of toilets in the tents’ beer gardens, rather than just inside. This will boost the overall number of loos by 20 percent.
•
A free seat—tricky one this, but here’s something that might help you: for the first time in its history, the Schottenhamel tent is taking no reservations on Saturdays, meaning all its tables are up for grabs. Hurray!
•
Sportsmen—watch out for drinkers engaging in traditional Wies’n games, such as “Fingahackln,” where you hook middle fingers with an opponent and then attempt to
pull them over the table, or “Masskruagstemma” the simple aim being to hold a full Mass with a straight arm for as long as possible.
•
New thrills—this year’s Oktoberfest features a number of new rides and attractions. Think the carousel with flying chairs is for girls? Try the Star Flyer—a similar concept, but 35 meters above ground, and with top speeds of up to 80 km/h. If spectator sport is more your thing, catch racing legend Hugo Dabbert, who’ll be running his 1960s formula V car round the new Wies’n motordrome.
•
Sausage-free zones—two new food stands to look out for this year: Clark’s ice cream bar and Kübler’s fruit stall, featuring fresh fruit, milkshakes and other healthy treats.
•
Bored drinkers—in response to claims that the Wies’n has strayed from its traditional roots and become too much of a global party zone, band leaders have been banned from playing any “aufheizende” music (that is, anything that’ll get the crowds excited) before 6 pm. In short, they appear to hope this’ll bore those who usually sit in the tent for hours on end into getting out, meaning they’ll drink less and that places will be free for others.
•
True Bavarians—thanks to Websites such as
www.lederhosenverleih.de, it’s all too easy for us non-natives to look the part. Try spotting some real locals, by listening for
the giveaway lingo: “ogschdocha,” means tipsy and “Mingga” is Munich.
•
Cheap beer—with prices averaging around € 7 a Mass, you’ll have a challenge on your hands. For the cheapest tipple in town, head to Wienerwald, where a liter costs € 6.80. The most expensive beer is on sale in the Schottenhamel and Löwenbräu tents, where a Mass will set you back € 7.25. Another option to save some cash is to remember the “Mittagswies’n.” From Monday to Friday, 10:30 am to 3 pm, food is available at a 10–30 percent discount. And on family days (September 20 and 27) all ride prices are reduced from 12 noon to 6 pm.
THE MAIN OKTOBERFEST EVENTS:
Sept. 17, 10:45 am: “Grand entry of the Oktoberfest landlords and breweries”
Around 1,000 participants take part in this parade, starting at Sonnenstrasse and working its way to the Theriesenwiese.
12 noon: “The official tapping of the beer.” The Mayor of Munich taps the first beer barrel at the Schottenhamel tent, whereupon 12 shots shall be fired, signifying to the other tents that beer can be served.
Sept. 18, 10 am: “Oktoberfest Costume and Marksmen’s Parade”—parade starting at the Max II statue on Maximilianstrasse involving some 7,000 people.
Sept. 25, 11 am: “Open-air Oktoberfest concert”—concert with 400 musicians on the steps of the Bavaria statue at the Wies’n.
GETTING THERE:
U-Bahn: U4 or U5 to Theresienwiese or Schwanthaler Höhe;
U3 or U6 to Goetheplatz or Poccistrasse
Buses: 31 (to Hans-Fischer-Strasse or Poccistrasse), 58 (to Goetheplatz),
62 (to Alter Messeplatz or Theresienhöhe) or 66 (to Alter Messeplatz,
Theresienhöhe or Hans-Fischer-Strasse)
Trams: 18 (to Hermann-Lingg-Strasse) or 19 (to Hermann-Lingg-Strasse).
