German Events: Munich Festivals
Oktoberfest, Fasching, Christkindlmarkt, Starkbierzeit, Maidult Fair
Jun 16, 2007
While the beer halls of the Oktoberfest bring many tourists to Munich, Germany, the city has many more festivals and cultural events going on throughout the year. From the Fasching carnival and Starkbierzeit to the Maidult Fair, Tollwood Festival and Christmas Markets, there is always a party to be found in Munich.
German Events: Munich Festivals – Oktoberfest, Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
Whilst the events calendar in Munich is packed throughout the year, there is one event that is truly world famous, and that’s the Oktoberfest. It all kicked off in 1810, when Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig I married Princess Therese. They decided to throw a party at the city gates to celebrate, and people have been coming back every year since in a noble bid to drink as much beer as humanly possible.
The Oktoberfest starts in September, running until the first Sunday of October. It is held in a meadow called Thereienwiese, where a village of beer tents is set up and tourists from around the world join locals in draining keg after keg of lovely German beer.
German Events: Munich Festivals – Fasching, Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
Fasching is more the collective name for a series of events than an event in itself, but the carnival atmosphere lasts for six weeks and starts in January every year. During the festival period there is everything from fancy-dress balls to costume parades and musical performances.
German Events: Munich Festivals – Christkindlmarkt, Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
Germany is rightly famous for its Christmas markets, and the Christkindlmarkt in Munich is one of the best, putting a Bavarian spin on the Yuletide shopping experience. It takes place in Marienplatz during late November and December.
German Events: Munich Festivals - Tollwood Festival, Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
Munich’s Tollwood Festival is very much international in its outlook, bringing in performers from all over the world to perform music concerts in Olympiapark. The range of genres means that there is usually a concert that will be of interest to everyone. Taking place in the height of summer (June or July), the Tollwood Festival is a great excuse to go and enjoy the evening sunshine.
German Events: Munich Festivals – Maidult Fair, Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
Ostensibly this is a traditional fair in which to enjoy arts and crafts created by talented artisans who have had centuries-old traditional skills passed down through the generations. However, for the children of Munich, the Maidult Fair in May is all about the fairground rides, sideshows and the chance to do an awful lot of screaming.
German Events: Munich Festivals – Starkbierzeit, Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
Just in case people managed to miss the Oktoberfest, Munich has yet another giant beery party a few months afterwards. The Starkbierzeit in February and March is all about the beers of spring, and takes place in the Lowenbraukeller. There is also plenty of traditional dancing and the odd strongman contest.
