Noon on opening Saturday. Inside the Schottenhamel tent, the mayor of Munich swings a mallet into a wooden keg, a few thousand people hold their breath, and then the words go up: “O’zapft is!” It’s tapped. Outside, cannons boom. Across the Theresienwiese, the first liter mugs hit the tables, and for the next sixteen days Munich runs on beer, roast chicken and brass bands. Oktoberfest 2027 will start exactly the same way.
Oktoberfest 2027 is coming, and if you’re planning from the US, now is the time to start. Not because it sells out like a concert (there are no tickets), but because the hotels, flights and tent reservations that make a trip go smoothly get scarce early. We live in Germany, we spent years cooking Bavarian food at Brauhaus Schmitz in Philadelphia, and we host a small group at the Wiesn every year. Here’s what you need to know.
Oktoberfest 2027 Dates
Oktoberfest 2027 runs from Saturday, September 18 to Sunday, October 3, 2027, on the Theresienwiese in Munich. That’s 16 days.
Yes, most of it happens in September. The festival always starts on a Saturday in September and ends on the first Sunday of October, or on October 3 (German Unity Day) when that falls later. In 2027, both land on the same day.
Key days to know
- Saturday, September 18: opening day. The tent hosts and breweries parade to the grounds in decorated carriages and horse-drawn beer wagons in the late morning, and the mayor taps the first keg at noon. No beer is served in the tents until then.
- Sunday, September 19: the Costume and Riflemen’s Parade (Trachten- und Schützenzug). Thousands of people in traditional dress from all over Bavaria and beyond, marching bands, riflemen and horses, through the city center to the grounds. If you only see one parade in your life, make it this one.
- Sunday, October 3: the last day, finishing with a gun salute at the foot of the Bavaria statue that overlooks the grounds.
When to Go to Oktoberfest 2027
It depends on what you want.
- Opening weekend is the full experience: the parades, the tapping, the energy. It’s also the most crowded, and getting into a tent without a reservation is hard.
- Weekdays are the sweet spot for first-timers. Go in the late morning or early afternoon on a Monday through Thursday and you can usually walk into a tent and find a seat.
- The middle weekend is packed with visitors from abroad. Have a plan, or a reservation.
- The final days are a little more local and a little more sentimental, especially if October 3 falls on a weekend, as it does in 2027.
Oktoberfest Tent Reservations: How They Actually Work
This is where most Americans get confused, so here’s the short version.
Entry is free. To the grounds and to every tent. There are no Oktoberfest tickets, and anyone selling you one is selling you something you don’t need.
Reservations are for tables, not seats. There’s no central booking system. Each tent takes its own reservations, usually through its own website, and only for a full table of 8 to 10 people. You don’t pay for the reservation itself. You prepay for food and drink vouchers, typically two liters of beer and half a roast chicken per person. According to the official Oktoberfest site, that works out to around €350 per table on average, and more in some tents.
Reservations open months ahead. Most tents open booking in late winter or spring, by April or May at the latest. Popular evening and weekend slots go fast.
You don’t need one. The city requires the big tents to keep part of their seating unreserved: a quarter of the seats on weekdays, and even more on weekends and holidays before 3 p.m. Arrive early, especially on a weekday, and you’ll find a spot. You need a seat to be served, and the tents close their doors when they’re full, so don’t wait until evening.
Beer gardens can’t be reserved. Every big tent has an outdoor beer garden. On a sunny afternoon, it can be the best seat on the grounds.
How Much Does Oktoberfest Cost?
The beer price for 2027 won’t be announced until around June. For reference, a Maß (one-liter mug) at Oktoberfest 2026 cost between €14.80 and €15.90 depending on the tent. It goes up a little every year, so budget around €16 a liter plus a tip for your server.
A half roast chicken, the classic Oktoberfest meal, runs in a similar range per plate. Pretzels, sausages and snacks from the stands outside the tents are cheaper than inside. The real budget-buster is lodging: Munich hotel prices during Oktoberfest can be several times their normal rate, which is why it pays to book early.
What to Eat at Oktoberfest (From Two Chefs)
People come for the beer. The food is better than it gets credit for. In the tents, here’s what we’d point you to:
- Wiesnhendl: half a spit-roasted chicken, crisp skin, buttery and salty. The Oktoberfest meal. Here’s our Hendl recipe on New German Cooking, the recipe site for our cookbook.
- Schweinshaxe: roasted pork knuckle with crackling skin. Share it. It’s enormous. Or make our crispy Schweinshaxe at home.
- Ochs vom Spieß: spit-roasted ox. The Ochsenbraterei tent has been roasting whole oxen on the spit for generations.
- Steckerlfisch: a whole mackerel or whitefish grilled on a stick over charcoal. Eat it with your hands.
- Brezn and Obatzda: a giant pretzel and the paprika-spiked Bavarian cheese spread that goes with it. We have recipes for both: our pretzels and our Obatzda.
From the Huts Outside the Big Tents
Some of the best food at the Wiesn never makes it inside a tent. The wooden stands along the lanes between the big tents sell food you eat standing up, for a lot less money than a plate inside.
- Flammlachs sandwich: salmon fillets fixed to wooden boards and slow-cooked beside an open wood fire until they’re smoky, flaky and just barely set, then piled into a roll. Follow the smoke. It’s one of our favorite things on the grounds.
- Haxensemmel: pork knuckle carved off the bone, crackling and all, and stuffed into a crusty roll with a little mustard. All the Schweinshaxe, none of the knife work.
- Bratwurst: a grilled sausage in a roll with sharp mustard, handed over the counter in about thirty seconds. The perfect thing to eat on the way from one tent to the next.
- Gebrannte Mandeln: candied roasted almonds, warm in a paper cone. For the walk back to the train.
Can’t get enough? Munich’s beer halls and restaurants serve the same classics all year. Here are our favorite Bavarian restaurants in Munich, and our guide to the Viktualienmarkt for a market lunch on your off day.
Throwing your own party? Here are 12 Oktoberfest recipes to make at home.
What to Wear and What to Bring
- Tracht is optional, but you’ll want it. Most people at the Wiesn wear Lederhosen or a Dirndl. Skip the party-store costume and buy something real in Munich. It’ll last for years.
- Small bags only. Bags can be no bigger than 3 liters, or about 8 × 6 × 4 inches. Anything bigger gets turned away at security, and you’ll be paying for a locker.
- Cash. Many tents and stands take cards now, but cash is faster and still common. Tip your server.
- Comfortable shoes. You’ll be on your feet and on the benches.
A few house rules: stand on the benches, not the tables. Don’t save seats with your jacket. And when the band plays “Ein Prosit,” raise your mug, clink, and drink. It happens a lot.
For a quieter, old-school version of the festival, visit the Oide Wiesn on the south end of the grounds. It has a small entry fee, vintage rides, traditional music, and the same beer.
Oktoberfest 2027 Planning Timeline From the US
- Now through winter: pick your dates and book your hotel. Seriously. This is the step people regret leaving late.
- Winter: book flights into Munich (MUC).
- Late winter to spring: watch the tent websites and apply for reservations the day they open, if you want one.
- Summer: buy or reserve your Tracht, get comfortable shoes, and plan your non-Wiesn days in Munich.
- September: arrive a day early to get over jet lag before opening weekend. Trust us.
Oktoberfest Tour or DIY? An Honest Comparison
We run Oktoberfest trips, so take this with a grain of salt. But plenty of people have a great Wiesn on their own, and here’s how to tell which camp you’re in.
Do it yourself if: you’re flexible on dates, happy to go on weekdays, you have a group of 8 to 10 ready to grab a table reservation the day booking opens, and you enjoy the planning. Munich is easy to get around, and the unreserved seating means you’ll always find a beer.
Go with a small-group tour if: you want opening weekend without the stress, you’re traveling as a couple or solo and can’t fill a table yourself, or you’d rather someone else handle the hotel, reservations and logistics while you focus on the beer and the food.
If that second list sounds like you, here’s our trip. From September 18 to 25, 2027, we’re hosting no more than 17 travelers for eight days in Munich:
- Opening weekend, including the Costume and Riflemen’s Parade
- Reserved tables in two Oktoberfest tents, with food and beer vouchers
- A hands-on Bavarian pretzel baking class
- A tasting at the Beer and Oktoberfest Museum and a Wildbräu brewery tour
- Seven nights in central Munich, daily breakfast and four hosted dinners with us
See the Oktoberfest 2027 itinerary or check availability and book on WeTravel.
FAQ About Oktoberfest 2027
When is Oktoberfest 2027?
Saturday, September 18 to Sunday, October 3, 2027, in Munich.
Do you need tickets for Oktoberfest?
No. Entry to the grounds and the tents is free. Table reservations are optional and require prepaid food and drink vouchers.
How much is a beer at Oktoberfest?
In 2026, a one-liter Maß cost €14.80 to €15.90 depending on the tent. Expect a little more in 2027.
Can you go to Oktoberfest without a reservation?
Yes. Most visitors do. Part of every big tent is kept unreserved. Go early in the day, ideally on a weekday.
What should I wear to Oktoberfest?
Lederhosen or a Dirndl if you have them, comfortable shoes, and layers. September in Munich can be warm at noon and chilly at night.
See you in the tent. We’ll be the ones ordering a second chicken.