When it comes to Oktoberfest, it’s literally never too early to start planning. There’s so much to do beforehand and Oktoberfest 2027 will be here before you know it. In fact, we’ve been planning for this one since 1810!
To plan the perfect Oktoberfest trip, you have a bunch of questions to answer: Where will you stay? How will you get there? Which tents should you go to? And just where the heck should you tie your dirndl bow? There are a few things we can’t help you with, but some––like when you should go––we most definitely can.
Oktoberfest 2027 Schedule of Events
Here are all the most important Oktoberfest 2027 dates and events to keep in mind as you plan:
Saturday, September 18th
9 am | Oktoberfest begins! Well, kind of. You won’t be able to drink a beer this early, but the tents are still open and waiting for you to fill them up. I hope you wore your running shoes today (seriously) because it’s going to be a mad dash to the bash like you’ve never seen before.
11 am | The Oktoberfest opening day parade begins winding its way through town until it makes it over to the Theresienwiese for the festivities. Beer tent owners and landlords (quick, become their BFF!) make their grand Oktoberfest entrance on fancy horse-drawn carriages. This parade has about 1,000 participants and is led by the famous Münchner Kindl, Munich’s beautiful monk mascot. Well played, Germany.
Noon | O’zapft is! The beer pouring at Oktoberfest officially starts at noon on opening day when the Lord Mayor of Munich taps the first Oktoberfest keg and shouts “O’Zapft is!” (It is tapped!) Not until this happens inside the Schottenhamel tent is beer allowed to be served at Oktoberfest… but it just did so what are you waiting for?!
Sunday, September 19th
10 am | Another day, another parade! The second parade of Oktoberfest’s opening weekend is the much bigger traditional costume parade. This time, you can expect up to 10,000 flamboyant participants, against led by the Münchner Kindl. This parade features flag bearers, marching bands, traditional costumes and dance performances, and those beloved horse carriages of course. Today’s parade starts at the Max II monument on Maximilianstraße and ends at the Theresienwiese.
All day and night and probably a little into the next morning | Gay Sunday! Every year, the Pschorr-Bräurosl tent hosts Gay Sunday on the Sunday of Oktoberfest opening weekend. Get your Gagas on with more than 8,000 others in the tent known for their yodelers and… whip-snappers. You can’t make this stuff up.
Tuesday, September 21st
All day until 7 pm | Family Day #1. The first of two Oktoberfest family days offers discounted rides and other special offers all day. Because what else are you going to do with your kids at Oktoberfest?
Thursday, September 23rd
10 am | Traditional Oktoberfest church service. (We’re talking mass, not maß this time.) This service occurrs annually in the Marstall Tent and is mostly meant for Wiesn employees but anyone and everyone is welcome to show up.
Second weekend of Oktoberfest 2027 schedule
All day Saturday & Sunday | Italian weekend! Chances are, if you’ll be visiting from Italy, it’ll most likely be on this weekend. Italian weekend is a whole ‘nother party in itself, most of which you can find over in the Löwenbräu tent.
Sunday, September 26th
11 am | Annual outdoor concert – All those brass bands we love so much from the Oktoberfest beer tents join together on the steps of the Bavaria statue for a huge concert. Oktoberfest welcomes the Mayor of Munich as well as other celebrities to help “conduct” so… it’s a good thing the bands already know those backwards and forwards.
Tuesday, September 28th
All day until 7 pm | Family day #2. The last of Oktoberfest’s two family days when you (and your kids if you were forced to bring them) can ride all the Wiesn rides at a discount.
Sunday, October 3rd
Noon | Suns out, guns out! The traditional gun salute marking the end of Oktoberfest (known as a Boellerschiessen) takes place on the steps of the Bavaria statue and features the winners of the Oktoberfest shooting competition. Oh, we didn’t mention there was an Oktoberfest shooting competition? Check out the Armbrustschützenzelt for details. (For obvious reasons, this event is not open to the public.)
11:30 pm | The unofficial closing ceremony of Oktoberfest takes place inside the Hacker-Pschorr tent. The lights go down and the sparklers go up. Everyone joins hands and sings their hearts out to celebrate another year gone by on the Wiesn. Only one more year until Oktoberfest 2028!
Other Important Oktoberfest 2027 Schedule Info
Beer Serving Hours
Opening day: noon – 10:30 pm
Weekdays: 10 am – 10:30 pm
Saturdays, Sundays & holidays: 9 am – 10:30 pm
Oktoberfest closes 11:30 pm (‘Käfers Wiesnschänke’ and ‘Weinzelt’ open until 1 am)
Open Hours of Theresienwiese Stalls
Opening day: 10 am – midnight
Mondays – Thursdays: 10 am – 11:30 pm
Fridays: 10 am – midnight
Saturdays: 9 am – midnight
Sundays: 9 am – 11:30 pm
Fairground Attractions & Shows
Opening day: noon – midnight
Mondays – Thursdays: 10 am – 11:30 pm
Fridays, Saturdays: 10 am – midnight
Sundays: 10 am – 11:30 pm
So there it is—your Oktoberfest 2027 schedule of (really awesome) events will be happening before you can say…well, just pick pretty much any German word. It’s never too early to start planning!
