Oktoberfest - The Wies'n and Tents

The Tents

The parades were just the prelude to the actual two week party held at the Theresienwiese (Theresa meadow) or as it is affectionately known, the Wies'n.  As we said before, the tents are actually imposing structures housing between 6,000 and 10,000 celebrants and the kitchens and restrooms needed to support the activities.  It should be noted that the roofs of all tents are actually fabric, but there the similarity ends.  Massive wooden beams and posts support the roof and a wooden or stuccoed front entrance complete the structure.  All materials are erected, used, disassembled and stored each year - truly a feat of engineering.  Some of the exteriors are shown below.

The Interior of one of the Typical Feztzelt (festival tent)
This one holds 9000 people.

The Tent "Poles" - Giant Steel Girders

The Spaten Hippodrom Tent Celebrating 110 Years 

The Interior of the Hippodrom
It is one of the smaller tents holding about 3000.

The Augustiner Tent

Outdoor Seating at the Tent

Gary attended Oktoberfest with a bunch of guys for the real rousing Oktoberfest experience in the evening.  It is almost impossible to get in a tent in the evening without reservations, but the youngest man in the photo had a connection with the top security person, and they were able to get a prime table on the balcony rail in the Hofbräu tent.

First Night in the Hofbräu Tent

Early at Hofbräu Tent with Most Seated

A Little Later and they are Singing and
Dancing on the Benches

The Picture Says "Don't
Dance or Stand on the Benches in the Balcony"

This Guy Probably Won't be Doing any Dancing

In the Hofbräu tent there is a legendary figure Aloisius Hingerl.  As the legend goes, Aloisius was a regular at the Hofbräuhaus all his life. When he died and arrived in heaven he irritated the congregation by being so homesick for Munich. He moaned so much that eventually God decided to have mercy on him, and sent him back home on a mission for the Bavarian government. But the moment angel Aloisius caught the aroma of Munich, he forgot about his divine mission and flew straight to the Hofbräuhaus. There he finally found peace of mind, and has been enjoying one beer after another ever since. And to this day, so ends the tale, the Bavarian government has waited in vain for divine inspiration.

Aloisius at the Hofbräu Tent

The Food 

The food at each of the tents was much the same, and resembled that which you would find at any Beer Garden.  The true Oktoberfest meal is a half roasted chicken, and it is yummy!  There were some tents that specialized in different sorts of things like the Spanferkel tent that served suckling pig, the Kaisersmarren tent that served a sweet pancake with fruit compote, the Ochsenbraterei that served spit-roasted beef, Fischer-Vroni tent serving fish, duck and wild game dishes.  Outside the tents vendors were selling Brats, Nuts, Popcorn, Leberkäse sandwiches, and sweets of all kinds.

The Spanferkel Take Out

Suckling Pig on a Spit Getting Ready for a Sandwich

A Trout Dish and a Traditional 1/2 Hendl (Half Chichen)
and Bavarian Potato Salad at the Augustiner Tent

Cookies for your Sweetheart and Worn as a Necklace

Or How About a Half Meter of Brat

Traditional Münchener Weisswurst,
Always Boiled and Eaten without the Casing

A Brezn (Pretzel) Anyone?

Appetizers for a Reserved Table - Obatza (a cheese spread), Bavarian Ham and Red and White Radish

The only way to be assured that you can have a place on a tent main floor in the evening is to reserve a table up to a year in advance.  Many businesses reserve tables for their employees, but individuals can also reserve.  The tables seat 10 and a fee of 400 Euros is paid.  That works out to 20 beer vouchers at 10 Euros each and 10 food vouchers for 10 Euros apiece.  The beer voucher cover a Mass each and food voucher basically covers a half chicken.  The reservation is good for the evening till closing.

The Carnival
Like any carnival in the US, there are rides, snacks to take away, and sideshows.  The rides are particularly popular, and the cost per ride varies with the thrill from 4.50 to 5.50 Euro.  The smaller children's rides were around 2.50 Euro.

The Ferris Wheel We Rode
Each Carriage Holding Eight People

View North From the Ferris Wheel
Towards St Paul's Cathedral

Vintage 1924 Merry Go Around with a Live Brass Band

The Lovely Couple on the Carousel

Although we weren't brave enough to go on this ride,
we did go on the Roller Coaster!

Oktoberfest was much more fun than we anticipated.  The beer is certainly a major part of the experience, but it is more of a cultural festival than anything.  The parades, the traditional costumes, the food, the music, and the carnival atmosphere make it fun for all ages.  And all ages do attend - school groups, families, teenagers, singles, and oldsters.  It was a great experience!