{"id":5233,"date":"2024-09-13T12:35:23","date_gmt":"2024-09-13T10:35:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.airdolomiti.it\/?p=5233"},"modified":"2024-09-13T12:37:44","modified_gmt":"2024-09-13T10:37:44","slug":"ozapft-is-its-time-for-oktoberfest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.airdolomiti.it\/en\/ozapft-is-its-time-for-oktoberfest\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cO\u2019ZAPFT IS!\u201d IT\u2019S TIME FOR OKTOBERFEST!"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

The world\u2019s most famous beer festival will be opening its doors for the 189th time at 9 am on 21 September 2024. Where? In Munich, of course! However, as tradition has it, only soft drinks will be served until the official opening ceremony at 12 noon. The highly anticipated tapping of the first barrel marks the beginning of the festivities when the Mayor of Munich proclaims \u201cO\u2019zapft is!\u201d (Bavarian for “It is tapped!”). The exclamation is followed by twelve gunshots to signal that beer may now be sold in all the festival tents.<\/h3>\n

Oktoberfest or Wiesn?<\/h4>\n

Although it\u2019s called \u2018Oktoberfest\u2019 <\/strong>over time it has slipped towards the end of September and finishes on the first weekend of October. The festival has been celebrated for over 200 years!<\/p>\n

It all began in 1810 in celebration of the wedding of Prince Regent Ludwig of Bavaria, later King Ludwig I, and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The festivities lasted 5 days and all the locals were invited. The celebrations ended with a horse race on the festival meadow, named \u2018Theresiens-Wiese\u2019 in honour of the bride. The event was so popular with the people that it soon became an annual tradition.<\/p>\n

Locals refer to the festival as \u2018Wiesn\u2019<\/strong> (the Bavarian word for Wiese, meadow in English), so if you hear this being said instead of Oktoberfest, don\u2019t worry, you are talking about the same thing!<\/p>\n

The whole city is in party mode and the locals feel such a deep connection with the festivities that even before you get to the entrance of the Wiesn, you\u2019ll be immersed in the real essence and atmosphere of Bavaria of bygone times<\/strong>, surrounded by people young and old dressed in traditional attire: Dirndl for women, Lederhosen for men.<\/p>\n

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Is Oktoberfest suitable for everyone?<\/h4>\n

Yes! Oktoberfest is not just about beer tents and food, and it\u2019s not just an event for young people. You can easily find yourself seated at a table with 80-year-olds and whole families.<\/p>\n

Everyone is welcome at the Wiesn and Tuesdays are dedicated to families, making it particularly enjoyable and easy for families to attend. The Family Day is from 12 to 6 pm and as an added bonus, the rides and many attractions are cheaper!<\/p>\n

Not only beer… Welcome to amusements galore!<\/h4>\n

As you may have gathered by now, Oktoberfest is not only about drinking beer<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Covering 46 hectares of grounds, the Wiesn is filled with stalls selling food and souvenirs, an amusement park, musical bands and showmen, with crowds of visitors in traditional costumes creating an incredible festival atmosphere.<\/p>\n

The amusement park alone is such a beautiful sight that it attracts thousands of visitors, including those less interested in beer.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss out on the parade of the Oktoberfest landlords and breweries in their festively decorated wagons and brewery carriages (21 September at 10.45 am) and the traditional costume and hunters\u2019 parade through the centre of Munich<\/a> (22 September at 10 am).<\/p>\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\t\t