Oktoberfest 2017, Munich

I am one of the lucky souls who got a chance to witness the grandeur of this once in a year event - THE OKTOBERFEST.

Picture says it all - ONE WAY people! (P.C. Girish)

When I imagined the sight of Oktoberfest, I was expecting a street in Munich bursting with people, food and drinks all around. The actual sighting was not so different except there was no street – it was a huge open ground with a lot of people, drinks, music, food and GIGANTIC RIDES!

First things first – It’s a 16-18 day event majority of which is in second half of September and runs until the first weekend of October each year. It takes place every year at a huge open space near the train station Theresienwiese.

A lot of BEER! (P.C Girish)

             

CROWD (P.C. Girish)

Shot with glimpse of the Oktoberfest

People all around

Oktoberfest Gully (Corridoor)

I had an opportunity to witness the Oktoberfest in 2017. As soon as I was out of the station, I saw a huge crowd walking in a direction. I just joined them. It was a Saturday and the party was at its best! In a single view I could see atleast a few hundreds of people in any direction. The locals wore a traditional Bavarian outfit which was pretty cool!

Follow the party!

So what do you find in the Oktoberfest? Of course there is beer and that too from some serious brewers from Munich. There are Beer tents all across the ground which is bursting with people at any hour of the day serving some amazing selection of food and beer.

P.C. Girish - Beer Tents 1

P.C. Girish, Another Beer Tent

The other attraction are the massive sky high rides that is hard to miss. Something that you have to experience for yourself. I have been to several fun/amusements parks in India, including the Essel World in Mumbai. But the rides in Oktoberfest by far were the biggest I had seen!

Star attraction ride - from my perspective

Another huge ride

Marry-go-round

In terms of the history, it relates to a royal wedding of Bavaria's Crown Prince Ludwig with Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen and its celebrations involving horse races in October 1810. Against the tradition, Munich's locals were also invited to the celebrations. Since that year, the festivities were repeated year after year which converted into what we now know as the Oktoberfest tradition.

OKTOBERFEST - Be There (P.C. Girish)

If you are in Munich around September October, this is a must do event among many others (read my blog One day in Munich for more).

Cheers!

P.S. Thank you Girish for sharing your pictures and videos.