Oktoberfest programme of events
The Tapping
Date: Saturday, 19th September 2020
Venue: Schottenhamel-Festhalle
With this ceremony, the Oktoberfest is opened every year. In 2019, Mayor Dieter Reiter tapped the first barrel of beer in the Schottenhamel tent with two strokes. Immediately afterwards, saluting shots fired 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, 19th September 2020, 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. They include the tent 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, 20th September 2020. Duration: 2 - 2 hours 30 minutes, 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 and Riflemen's Procession gives an impressive insight into how fascinating and diverse the customs of Bavaria, Franconia, Swabia, other German states and neighboring European countries are. 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 the past, farm 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 display on the first Sunday of the Oktoberfest.
Open-Air Oktoberfest Music
Date: Sunday, 27th September 2020
Venue: on the steps of the Bavaria statue
A open-air concert of all Oktoberfest bands (with about 400 musicians) takes place on the second Sunday of the festival.
