When is Oktoberfest 2026? Official Dates and Schedule
Oktoberfest 2026 runs Saturday, September 19 through Sunday, October 4, 2026 — sixteen days of the world's largest folk festival on Munich's Theresienwiese. The 191st Oktoberfest follows the traditional Bavarian Wiesn calendar: the festival begins on the first Saturday after September 15 and closes on the first Sunday of October.
Opening day: Saturday, September 19, 2026
Closing day: Sunday, October 4, 2026
Duration: 16 days
Location: Theresienwiese, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Tap ceremony: 12:00 noon, Sept 19 — "O'zapft is!"
Costume & Riflemen's Parade: Sunday, Sept 20 at 10:00 AM
Closing salute: Sunday, Oct 4 at 12:00 noon
Day-by-day Oktoberfest 2026 calendar
Full Oktoberfest 2026 Schedule — Key Events
The Munich Oktoberfest schedule combines daily operations with several traditional ceremonial events. The dates below are based on the standard Wiesn calendar and the official Munich tourism announcements.
| Date | Day | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 19, 2026 | Saturday | Opening Day. 10:45 AM: Wiesn-Einzug der Wirte (Brewery Wagon Parade) from the city to the festival grounds. 12:00 noon: Anzapfen — the Munich mayor taps the first keg at the Schottenhamel tent with the traditional shout "O'zapft is!" (It's tapped!). No beer is served before noon. |
| Sept 20, 2026 | Sunday | Trachten- und Schützenzug (Costume and Riflemen's Parade). 10:00 AM: a 7-km parade of approximately 9,000 participants in authentic Bavarian Trachten through the streets of Munich to the Theresienwiese. |
| Sept 21–22 | Mon–Tue | Regular operating days. Tuesday is traditionally a Familientag (family day) with discounted ride and select food pricing before 6 PM. |
| Sept 23–25 | Wed–Fri | Regular weekday operations. These are the quietest days of the festival and the easiest to enter tents without a reservation. |
| Sept 26–27 | Sat–Sun | Italian Weekend (Italienerwochenende). The second weekend traditionally draws heavy Italian visitor attendance and is one of the busiest weekends of the festival. |
| Sept 27, 2026 | Sunday | Wiesn-Standkonzert. 11:00 AM: massed band concert of approximately 400 Wiesn musicians at the foot of the Bavaria statue. One of the most photographed traditional moments of Oktoberfest. |
| Sept 28–Oct 2 | Mon–Fri | Regular operating days. Tuesday (Sept 29) is the second Familientag. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Saturday | German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit). National holiday — expect peak crowds, full tents from opening, and significantly extended wait times. Reservations strongly recommended. |
| Oct 4, 2026 | Sunday | Closing Day. 12:00 noon: Böllerschützen-Salute (rifle salute) at the foot of the Bavaria statue marks the official end of Oktoberfest 2026. |
Plan your Oktoberfest 2026 visit
Best and Busiest Days to Attend Oktoberfest 2026
Crowds vary dramatically across the 16-day Oktoberfest 2026 calendar. Choose your day based on your priorities — atmosphere, photo opportunities, or ease of tent entry.
- Easiest tent entry (best for first-timers): Weekday afternoons between Sept 22 and Sept 25, and Sept 28 to Oct 1. Most tents are accessible without a reservation if you arrive before noon.
- Best for traditional atmosphere: Sunday, Sept 20 (Costume Parade day) and Sunday, Sept 27 (Wiesn-Standkonzert). High Trachten visibility, photogenic events, more locals in authentic dress.
- Best for families: Tuesdays — Sept 22 and Sept 29 (Familientag). Discounted ride and select food pricing before 6 PM, calmer family-friendly atmosphere across the festival grounds.
- Avoid if you dislike crowds: Both weekends (Sept 19–20, Sept 26–27, Oct 3–4) and especially German Unity Day (Saturday, Oct 3). Tent capacity is reached early; without a reservation, entry can be impossible after 11 AM.
- Opening Day reality check: Saturday, Sept 19 itself is busy but somewhat anticlimactic for non-reservation visitors — no beer is served until after the 12:00 noon tapping ceremony, and most tent capacity is taken by pre-booked guests.
Wiesn tent operating hours 2026
Tent Hours and Last Call at Oktoberfest 2026
The large Wiesn beer tents (Festzelte) follow consistent operating hours across Oktoberfest 2026. Smaller tents and outdoor stalls may vary slightly.
| Day | Tent opening | Last beer call | Tent closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Day (Sept 19) | 9:00 AM (no beer until 12:00 noon) | 10:30 PM | 11:30 PM |
| Weekdays (Mon–Fri) | 10:00 AM | 10:30 PM | 11:30 PM |
| Weekends & holidays | 9:00 AM | 10:30 PM | 11:30 PM |
| Closing Day (Oct 4) | 9:00 AM | 9:30 PM | 10:30 PM |
Music in the main tents typically ends at 10:30 PM. The smaller late-night tents (such as the Käfer Wiesn-Schänke and Weinzelt) often remain open until approximately 1:00 AM. Last food service ends roughly 30 minutes before the listed close time.
Order your authentic Trachten in time
Pre-Oktoberfest 2026 Outfit Deadline
If you are travelling to Munich for Oktoberfest 2026, you need your authentic Bavarian Trachten outfit in hand before September 19, 2026. For guaranteed pre-Wiesn delivery worldwide, place your order by September 1, 2026.
Roughly 90% of Oktoberfest 2026 attendees wear Trachten. To fit in with locals and look authentic in your festival photos, choose a real Bavarian Lederhosen or Dirndl from authentic Trachten makers — not a thin costume-grade alternative.
- For men: Browse our Lederhosen collection — real goat suede, deerskin, and cowhide in traditional Bavarian cuts.
- For women: Browse our Dirndl collection — authentic Wadenlange midi dirndls in classic Bavarian colors and fabrics.
- For families: Coordinate with our Kinderdirndl and matching family Trachten options for Familientracht photographs.
- Complete the outfit: Visit our Outfit Studio to build the full Oktoberfest 2026 ensemble — Lederhosen or Dirndl plus blouse, hat, knife, suspenders, and accessories in one coordinated set.
First-time Oktoberfest 2026 visitors
What Is Oktoberfest? A Brief Orientation
Oktoberfest — known locally as die Wiesn after the Theresienwiese fairground — is the world's largest folk festival, attracting approximately six million visitors annually. The festival was first held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese, and has been hosted on the same Munich grounds for over two centuries.
Oktoberfest 2026 will feature the traditional fourteen large beer tents (Festzelte) and approximately twenty smaller tents, each served by one of Munich's six original breweries (Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, Spaten, and Hofbräu). Each tent has its own character — Hofbräu is the busiest international tent, Augustiner the most traditional locals' choice, and Schützen-Festzelt one of the more refined.
Entry to the Theresienwiese is free. Beer is served only in Maß (one-litre glasses) at Wiesn-Mass prices set annually by the Munich city council. Tent reservations are typically free but require advance booking (usually opened the previous spring) and minimum spend commitments per table.
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Related Pages
Dates and event details are based on the standard Bavarian Oktoberfest calendar and announcements from Munich Tourism (München Tourismus). Always verify final dates and event times with the official Munich Oktoberfest website (oktoberfest.de) before travelling. Last updated: June 2026.