Munich’s Oktoberfest is more than a beer festival. The Theresienwiese is also a huge fairground and a Bavarian food market, with live brass music, and ordering a beer is entirely optional, since there are plenty of fun things to do at Oktoberfest besides drink beer. If you are working out the best things to do at Oktoberfest, start with your appetite and let everything else follow.
This guide builds a food-led visit around three ingredients: one satisfying meal, a few contrasting fairground attractions and some live music. Everything below happens on the festival grounds, apart from the Costume and Riflemen’s Parade, which is a separate event that marches through Munich on a set date. Dishes, schedules and prices change from year to year, so treat the details here as a framework and check the official festival information before you go.
What to eat: Bavarian snacks, hearty meals and something sweet
Start with Hendl, the festival’s classic main course. It is roast chicken, often served as a half bird, with crisp skin and tender meat, and because it is a proper sit-down meal rather than something to eat while wandering, it is best saved for a table.
For lighter eating, look for Brezn, the large, soft, salted pretzels, and Obatzda, a seasoned Bavarian cheese spread that is commonly eaten with them. Käsespätzle is the hearty vegetarian-leaning alternative to roast meat: soft egg noodles layered with cheese and usually topped with fried onions. Think of it as the Bavarian answer to macaroni cheese, only chewier and more savoury.
In general, pretzels and sugar-roasted almonds are easy to buy from stalls and eat on the move, while Hendl and Käsespätzle are best at a table. Some foods turn up in both settings, so check the menu rather than assuming.
Pretzels, Obatzda and Käsespätzle are often meat-free, but do not take that for granted, so ask about animal-derived fats, the cheese used and whether bacon or other meat has been added. They contain dairy and egg, which means they are not vegan. Some tents offer little beyond snacks, so a full vegetarian meal is not guaranteed.
Resist the urge to sample everything. One main meal, one savoury snack and a sweet finish, such as a paper cone of warm roasted almonds, will taste better than a rushed tour of the whole menu.
Enjoy tent food and music without ordering beer
A tent is as much a dining room with a band as it is a drinking hall. Sitting down for a plate of Bavarian food while brass musicians play is one of the best parts of the festival, and you do not need a beer in front of you to enjoy it.
Look for water, lemonade and Spezi, a cola-and-orange soft drink that is a German favourite. Apfelschorle, apple juice mixed with sparkling water, is refreshing alongside rich food, and alcohol-free beer is worth asking about, though you should only count on it if the current menu confirms it.
Getting through the door and finding a seat are separate matters. Capacity limits, reserved tables and booking conditions all affect access, so ask staff which tables are unreserved instead of sitting down at any empty one. If you do reserve, read the terms carefully first, including any food or drink vouchers that come with the booking, as the city’s official reservation advice explains.
An earlier weekday meal gives you a better chance of manageable queues. Nothing guarantees a seat or a quiet room, though, so keep a second option in mind.
Things to do at Oktoberfest between food stops
The fairground is the natural counterpoint to the tents. Begin with the Ferris wheel, which gives you an overview of the grounds and a calmer view of the stalls and tents below, then add a traditional carousel for old-fashioned fairground atmosphere or a game stall for a quick, playful stop that needs no commitment.
You do not need to fill your day with stomach-testing rides. Gentle rides, games or simply watching the bustle all count, and a break after a big meal is sensible. Rides and games change, so choose from what is operating on the day and check each ride’s restrictions before you queue. Bring some cash in case a stall or ride does not take cards.
For more ideas beyond the tents, this guide to non-drinking activities at Oktoberfest is useful optional reading.
Experience Bavarian dress, brass music and the costume parade
Brass bands give a meal or a stroll its Bavarian character. Check the current programme for traditional performances, because not every tent plays folk music all day.
You will see plenty of dirndls and lederhosen, and they are fun to watch, but dressing up is optional. Comfortable everyday clothes and good walking shoes work perfectly well on a fairground that involves a lot of standing and walking. If the Oide Wiesn, the traditional section of the festival, interests you, check that it is running this year and what admission applies.
The Costume and Riflemen’s Parade is the big cultural spectacle. Regional costumes, marching bands and decorated carriages travel through Munich’s streets, but it happens on one scheduled date, not daily, so confirm the current date, route and viewing arrangements before you plan around it. Keep the distinction clear: the music and dress are part of the grounds, while the parade is a separate city event.
Plan a flexible tasting-and-exploring visit
A simple sequence works well: arrive, browse the stalls and menus, taste a savoury snack or sit down for lunch, take a ride after a comfortable pause, then enjoy some music and finish with roasted almonds. Swap the ride and the meal if queues or appetite make that easier.
Weekday mornings and early afternoons are usually calmer, while evenings and weekends tend to draw heavier crowds. If you want the parade, you may be choosing atmosphere over quiet.
Travel by Munich’s public transport rather than relying on parking nearby, and check current routes and station advice before you set off. Entry to the main festival grounds is free, but food, drinks, rides and games all cost money, and free entry does not guarantee tent access or a seat, so set a simple meal-and-attractions budget using current prices.
Before you go, check:
- Official festival dates and opening times
- Parade and music schedules
- Tent access and booking rules
- Permitted bag sizes
- Attraction availability, prices and payment options
Then pick one meal and two activities as your priorities and leave the rest of the day open.
