Festive programme of events
The Tapping
Date: Saturday, 21st September 2019
Venue: Schottenhamel-Festhalle
With this ceremony, the Oktoberfest is opened every year. In 2018, Mayor Dieter Reiter tapped the first barrel of beer in the Schottenhamel tent with two strokes. Immediately after tapping, saluting shots fire through the air at the Bavaria statue - the sign for all innkeepers that the Oktoberfest has begun. According to tradition, the first mass of beer goes to the Bavarian Prime Minister.
Grand entry of the Oktoberfest landlords and breweries
Date: Saturday, 21st September 2019, duration about 45 minutes
Route: Sonnenstraße-Schwanthalerstraße to the Oktoberfest grounds
This is the official prelude to the opening of the Oktoberfest and involves about 1,000 participants, including the landlords' families in decorated carriages, the magnificent horse-drawn drays of the Munich breweries, waitresses on decorated floats and all the beer tent bands.
Oktoberfest Costume and Riflemen's Parade
Date: Sunday, 22nd September 2019, duration 2 - 2 1/2 hours, about 9000 performers, 7 km distance
Route: Max II. Denkmal, Maximilianstraße, Residenzstraße, Odeonsplatz, Kardinal-Faulhaber-Strasse, Pacellistrasse, Maximiliansplatz, Karlsplatz-Stachus, Sonnenstraße, Schwanthalerstraße, Paul-Heyse-Straße, Georg-Hirth-Platz, Kaiser-Ludwig-Platz, Festwiese
World-famous procession on the first Sunday of the Oktoberfest. The Costume und Riflemen's Procession gives an impressive insight into the fascinating diversity of customs rooted in the heart of Bavaria, in Franconia, Swabia, the states of Germany and in neighboring European countries. A varied succession of regional costume groups, "troops" in historical uniforms, marching bands, riflemen, thoroughbred horses, oxen, cows, goats, the decorated drays of the Munich breweries, floats displaying typical local traditions and historic carriages all pass by in a 7-kilometer-long procession through the streets of the city center. Ribboned trees, harvest garlands, craftsmen's tools from bygone days, harvest produce, dancers decorated with flowers, stars and crowns, trumpeters on horseback, flag-throwers and a host of other performers transform this traditional Munich procession into a brilliant highlight on the first Sunday of the Oktoberfest.
Open-Air Oktoberfest Music
Date: Sunday, 29th September 2019
Venue: on the steps of the Bavaria statue
A bigband open-air concert of all Oktoberfest bands with some 400 musicians takes place on the second Sunday of the festival.
