Wild Rides and Sideshow Fun at Oktoberfest
It’s easy for people to forget about the other fun at Oktoberfest amidst all the beer-swilling, but next to Wirtsbudenstraβe with all the beer tents there is Schaustellerstraβe. You’ll find here countless show rides, shooting galleries, show booths and entertainment.
But before you go in, you should make a mental inventory of what food and alcohol you have consumed and decide in advance whether your stomach can handle the wild rides.
Popular Oktoberfest Amusements That Are Particularly Fun
Going to Oktoberfest without having a ride on the Ferris Wheel is like having beer without a head. The big Ferris Wheel at the southern end of Wirtsbudenstraβe is a Munich landmark and one of the long-lasting Oktoberfest traditions. And it really is a wonderful feeling when you are swinging 50 metres above the ground in a romantic gondola and you get to see the beautiful Munich panorama.
The swing carousel is also fun as it soars high in the air. This carousel is almost 100 years old and is fun for all ages. Aside from the traditional swing carousel, there are also crazier versions like Alexander Goetzke’s ‘Star Flyer,’ where 24 double seats are hung on a double rotating star that swings you out horizontally at almost 50 metres above the grounds.
The brave can try the Olympia Looping Roller Coaster
There are many roller coasters available at Schaustellerstraβe, some with loops, some with extra steep starts, some which go at breakneck speeds, all of which are wild and fast. One classic roller coaster is the Olympia Looping, named because it has five rings like the Olympic logo, which the cars go around at whirling speeds.
The Sideshow
There is a vast array of shooting booths where you can win a screwdriver, stuffed animal or flower for your lover. You can also experience traditional shooting, in the ‘Altbayrischen Scherbenschieβen’ where you shoot at clay pipes. For a good time for the whole family, try the ‘Golden Westen,’ where guns are connected electronically to puppets. You stand in front of this beautiful Western scenery and fire at groundhogs, curly pig tails, or whistling trains and see how they move and the noise they make.
Not scared of heights? Then here’s something for you at the festival.
For those who want to test their strength, they can have a go on the High Striker. This game has been a carnival attraction for centuries. You take a heavy mallet, lift it up and swing it down on a target. That propels a weight up a vertical tower. The stronger you hit the target, the better the prize and the more impressed your date will be. The different levels of success shown on the tower are always funny. There’s ‘wimp,’ ‘girly,’ ‘beginner,’ ‘rogue,’ ‘ladykiller,’ and ‘world champion.’
In the sideshow you can also find bumper cars, pony rides and children’s rides.
The Perfect Souvenir
A professional photograph makes the perfect keepsake for your Oktoberfest experience. You can either have a Gaudiphoto: a fun photo complete with silly themes and funny outfits, or a nostalgia photo where you dress in costumes from the olden days. You can also have your picture taken in the beer tent.
Of course, you can also capture your own memories with your own camera (didn’t I tell you to keep your valuables at home!). Or with a rifle. Photo-shooting has been in place since 1950. You shoot at a target with an air rifle and if you get enough points, you get an instant photo as a prize.
Want to try some of these Oktoberfest rides? Visit the Munich Oktoberfest at least once in your life.
