What you need to know about celebrating Oktoberfest in Munich

Oktoberfest is a Bavarian beer festival celebrated in many countries around the world, making it a global phenomenon.

But many say there is no place more fun than its original home, Munich. According to the festival website run by the Munich Ministry of Labour and Economic Affairs, the festival attracts around 6 million festival-goers each year.

As a German, not a native Bavarian, I visit Munich regularly and have learned a few things about attending the festival, known simply as “Wiesn”. Here’s my advice:

The dress code for many is traditional Bavarian dirndls for women and lederhosen for men. In stark contrast to other parts of the world, there is no accusation of cultural appropriation here. In fact, locals encourage foreign visitors to wear traditional dress.

These costumes are available to suit every budget, from inexpensive one-off costumes to vintage and custom clothing rentals.

A few things to keep in mind: Lederhosen is plural, so a pair of leather pants is simply Lederhose. This is a Bavarian style of clothing, not a German one as many travelers believe. You won’t see it if you travel north. Except at Oktoberfest, of course.

Beer is not served in a stein as many people believe, but in a glass called a “mass”. A mass is one liter of beer. The server holds up to six mass in each hand, which weighs about 12 kg (26 pounds). The server receives a percentage of the beer and food served, plus a tip. So be sure to tip well.

To get their attention, servers wear clothespins with their names on them, but they also respond with the informal address of ‘du’, which means “you”. — In German.

The merrymakers hold their glasses by the handles, make a toast easily, and drink. When the band calls out “Ein Prosit, ain Prosit der Gemütlichkeit. Oans, zwoa, driel g’suffa!” (translated as “Cheers, to joy and kindness. One, two, three, drink all!”), the merrymakers must empty their glasses and order again.

Other times, they practice the ‘Schkeln’ movement, linking arms and shaking their bodies to the music.

Women: If you wear a tie, be careful where you tie your ribbon. Wearing your tie on the right side traditionally means you are single and open to flirting.

Oktoberfest is all about beer, which is brewed specifically for the event and is quite strong (over 6%), but there is also wine, Apfelschorle (a drink made from carbonated water and apple juice), non-alcoholic beer, soft drinks and water.

Across the river Wiesen are numerous food stalls selling a variety of foods, including giant pretzels (called Bretzen), meat dishes such as bratwurst, weisswurst and schnitzel, French fries and curries.

Within easy walking distance of the festival site, Theresienwiese, meaning “Therese Meadow,” visitors can visit the former city gate, Sendlinger Tor, and the lovely market place, Viktualienmarkt.

The historic Old Town is nearby, with the former royal palace of Residenz, the world-famous Hofbräuhaus and the beer and Oktoberfest museum.

For a day trip from the city, visit the stunning Neuschwanstein Castle, a 90-minute drive from Munich. Salzburg, Austria, is less than two hours away by train. The postcard-perfect town of Rothenburg on the Tauber, just north of Munich, is also a beautiful city.

After enjoying a beer, consider a day of relaxation in the snow-covered Alps at Lake Starnberg.

For those who can’t make it to Munich, don’t worry – there are fantastic festivals all over the world where you can experience tradition, fun, food and drink.

One of the biggest festivals takes place in Hong Kong. The Marco Polo German Beerfest has all the trappings of a festival and views of Hong Kong Harbour.

In the United States, there is a large festival in Cincinnati, Ohio, and in South America, there is a large festival in Blumenau, Brazil.

For those who don’t like crowds, there’s another annual German festival, the Springfestival, which takes place in the same venue, Munich’s Theresienwiese, but with fewer tents and can be just as fun in many ways.