Oktoberfest 2026 dates are confirmed: the 191st edition of the world’s largest folk festival runs from Saturday, September 19, 2026 to Sunday, October 4, 2026 — 16 full days on the Theresienwiese in Munich. This guide collects the official 2026 calendar, daily opening hours, key event days (the Mayor’s Tapping, the Trachten- und Schützenzug parade, the Italian Weekend, the Family Day, the closing ceremony), tent-by-tent schedules, and practical timing tips so you can plan exactly when to arrive, when to enter a tent, and which days to choose for the experience you want.

Oktoberfest 2026 Dates at a Glance

Detail	Date / Time
First day	Saturday, September 19, 2026
Last day	Sunday, October 4, 2026
Duration	16 days
Mayor’s Tapping (O’zapft is!)	Saturday, September 19 at 12:00 noon
Costume & Riflemen Parade	Sunday, September 20, around 10:00
Italian Weekend	September 25–27, 2026 (1st full weekend)
Family Days (Familientage)	Tuesdays — September 22 and 29 (until 19:00)
Day of German Unity	Saturday, October 3, 2026 (public holiday)
Last call (closing)	Sunday, October 4 at 22:30
Edition number	191st Oktoberfest

Why These Specific Dates? A Brief Note on the Calendar

The first Oktoberfest was held on October 12, 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig (future King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The festival proved so popular that it was repeated the following year and has run almost annually since (with cancellations only for cholera, world wars, and the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic). The dates moved earlier into September during the 19th century to take advantage of warmer weather, and since 1873 the festival has officially started on the Saturday after September 15 and run until the first Sunday in October.

Two timing rules apply: if the first Sunday in October is October 1 or 2, the festival is extended to October 3 (German Unity Day, a national holiday) so it always includes a 16- or 17-day run; and the festival always concludes on a Sunday. In 2026 the first Sunday is October 4, the festival closes that day, and the run is exactly 16 days.

Daily Opening Hours: When Tents Open and Close in 2026

Opening hours during Oktoberfest are largely standard, but vary by day type and by tent. The figures below match the official schedule published by the City of Munich for 2026:

Big Festival Tents (Festzelte)

• Opening day (Saturday, September 19): Tents open at 09:00; beer tap at 12:00 sharp; beer service from noon
• Weekdays (Mon–Fri): Tents open at 10:00; last beer at 22:30; music ends 22:30; tents close 23:30
• Weekends and October 3 holiday: Tents open at 09:00; last beer at 22:30; close 23:30
• Closing day (Sunday, October 4): Standard weekend hours; final last call at 22:30

Small Tents, Snack Pavilions, and Cafés

• Open at 10:00 daily (09:00 on weekends and Oct 3)
• Last beer and music at 23:00 — half an hour later than big tents

Late-Night Exceptions

• Käfer Wiesn-Schänke: open until 01:00; last drink 00:30
• Kufflers Weinzelt (wine tent): open until 01:00; last drink 00:30

The Funfair (Rides, Stalls, Games)

• Open daily 10:00 to 23:30 (24:00 on weekends and Oct 3)
• Some food stalls stay open later than the rides themselves

Day-by-Day: Key Events of Oktoberfest 2026

Saturday, September 19 — Opening Day

The festival officially begins with the Wiesn-Einzug der Wiesnwirte, a parade of festival hosts, brewery wagons, marching bands, and waitresses that leaves Sonnenstraße at 10:45 and arrives at the Theresienwiese around 11:30. At exactly 12:00 noon, Munich’s Lord Mayor steps inside the Schottenhamel tent and taps the first keg with as few hammer blows as possible, then shouts “O’zapft is!” (“It is tapped!”) — the official start of the festival. Twelve cannon shots from the steps of the Bavaria statue follow, signaling the other 13 big tents to start serving. The first liter of beer goes to the Bavarian Minister-President. Beer service begins at 12:00 sharp.

Sunday, September 20 — Costume and Riflemen’s Parade

On the first Sunday, the Trachten- und Schützenzug — one of the largest traditional parades in the world — winds 7 km through the city from Maximilianstraße to the Theresienwiese, starting around 10:00. About 10,000 participants in regional Bavarian, Tyrolean, Swabian, Hessian, and other historical costumes march alongside marching bands, riflemen’s guilds, alpine herdsmen, and brewery teams. The procession takes about three hours to pass any single point. Best public viewing spots: along Residenzstraße, Odeonsplatz, and Sonnenstraße. Free and unticketed.

Tuesday, September 22 — First Family Day

Tuesdays are official Familientage (Family Days). Carnival rides and games offer reduced prices (typically 50%), and the funfair is more relaxed in the afternoon. Many families with kids time their Oktoberfest visit specifically for these days. A second Family Day falls on Tuesday, September 29.

September 25–27 — Italian Weekend

The first full weekend of Oktoberfest is famously known as the Italian Weekend because tens of thousands of Italian visitors traditionally drive up from northern Italy. Tents fill faster than any other weekend; reservations are essentially required, and unreserved seating disappears by 09:30. If you want a quieter Wiesn weekend, choose the second one (October 2–4).

Sunday, September 27 — Wiesn Open-Air Concert

At 11:00 on the second Sunday, the brass bands of all 14 big tents combine for a 400-musician open-air concert at the steps of the Bavaria statue. It’s free, often poignantly atmospheric, and a great photo opportunity.

Saturday, October 3 — Day of German Unity

Germany’s national holiday falls inside the festival in 2026, making it one of the busiest days of the run. Tents open at 09:00. Expect peak crowds — book a table or arrive at opening if you want to enter a big tent.

Sunday, October 4 — Closing Day

On the final day, beer service ends at 22:30 with the traditional dimming of lights, the playing of the festival’s farewell songs (“Sierra Madre del Sur” and “Angels”), and the firing of the final celebratory volley by the Bavarian Riflemen’s Association. Visitors light sparklers in the dark, and the Theresienwiese empties for another year.

Tent-by-Tent Hours and Reservation Rules

Most rules above apply to all 14 big tents and 21 small tents at Oktoberfest 2026, but a few worth noting:

• Schottenhamel hosts the official tapping; entry is restricted from 09:00 to ~13:00 on opening day to ticketed/invited guests
• Hofbräu Festzelt, Augustiner-Festhalle, Hacker-Festzelt, Paulaner Festzelt, Löwenbräu-Festzelt, Schützen-Festzelt are the largest of the big tents; expect long lines on weekends
• Käferzelt and Weinzelt are the only ones open until 01:00 and tend to be celebrity hangouts after 22:30
• Three big tents (Marstall, Kufflers Weinzelt, Käferzelt) operate full reservations and have very limited walk-in seating; the other 11 are required by city regulation to keep significant unreserved seating
• Reservations for 2026 most tents opened in spring 2026 and require a complete table of 8–10 people; you don’t need a reservation to visit

Best Times of Day to Visit Oktoberfest 2026

If You Want Guaranteed Tent Entry

Weekday mornings (10:00–11:30) are the easiest time to walk into any big tent without a reservation. Even on weekends, arriving by 09:00 (when doors open at 09:00) usually guarantees seating somewhere. By 11:00 on a Saturday, big-tent doormen typically begin turning people away when tents reach capacity.

If You Want a Peak-Energy Atmosphere

Friday and Saturday evenings 18:00–22:00 are when the famous “on-the-bench” singing happens — the band typically transitions from Bavarian folk into Schlager hits and English rock around 19:00. Get a seat earlier in the day and stay; you cannot reliably enter a big tent after 18:00 on a weekend.

If You Want the Funfair Experience

The fairground (rides, games, food stalls) is best during late afternoon weekdays and in the evening when the lights come on (around 19:30 in mid-September, earlier in October). The 50-meter-tall Ferris wheel offers the best photo angle of the entire grounds.

If You’re Bringing Kids

Tuesdays (Family Days) for the funfair, and weekday afternoons before 17:00 in the tents — by city regulation, children under 6 must leave the big tents by 20:00. See our Munich with kids guide.

What’s Different About Oktoberfest 2026?

Compared to 2025, the 2026 edition introduces a few small but practical changes that frequent visitors should know about:

• Beer prices for a Maß (1 liter) are expected in the €15.00–€16.00 range — up roughly 4% on 2025; the official prices are released in early September each year
• The 191st running follows the 190th anniversary celebration of 2025 — there are no special anniversary events in 2026, just the standard program
• Cashless payments have expanded; nearly all big tents now accept card and contactless payment for both food and beer (some still prefer cash for tips to waitresses)
• Bag size limits remain in effect: no bags larger than 20×15×10 cm; backpacks, large purses, and roller bags are not permitted on the Theresienwiese (free locker storage available at the perimeter)
• Reusable cup deposits apply at most outdoor stalls — typically €2 returnable on cup return

Practical Timing Tips for Your 2026 Visit

• Book accommodation 6+ months ahead. Hotels in Ludwigsvorstadt and Schwanthalerhöhe (closest to the Theresienwiese) sell out by early summer. See our main Oktoberfest guide and where to stay guide
• Arrive at the Theresienwiese on foot. Walk 10 minutes from the Hauptbahnhof or take U-Bahn 4 or 5 to Theresienwiese station. Driving and Uber pickups are nearly impossible during the festival
• The first 90 minutes after a tent opens is your best window for an unreserved table
• Order food when the table is busy. Bavarian classics (half chicken, pork knuckle, Käsespätzle) take 20–40 minutes during peak hours
• One Maß is one liter — about 6% alcohol. Hydrate, eat heavy, and pace yourself. The famous “Bierleichen” (beer corpses) sleeping under tables are a real phenomenon
• Last U-Bahn from Theresienwiese runs around 01:00; night trams continue afterward

Oktoberfest Dates Through 2030: Reading the Calendar Ahead

If you missed the booking window this year, or you’re already plotting a return, here’s the reassuring part: Oktoberfest’s dates follow a fixed formula rather than anyone’s whim. The festival always opens on the Saturday after 15 September and runs 16 days to the first Sunday in October. The single wrinkle is the holiday rule — when that first Sunday lands on the 1st or 2nd, the Wiesn stretches to 3 October so it closes on the Tag der Deutschen Einheit, German Unity Day. That’s why a few years run a generous 17 or 18 days instead of the usual 16.

Year	Festival dates	Length	Worth knowing
2026	Sat 19 Sep – Sun 4 Oct	16 days	This year’s 191st Oktoberfest
2027	Sat 18 Sep – Sun 3 Oct	16 days	Closes on German Unity Day
2028	Sat 16 Sep – Tue 3 Oct	18 days	Extended to 3 Oct — the long edition
2029	Sat 22 Sep – Sun 7 Oct	16 days	The latest start the formula allows
2030	Sat 21 Sep – Sun 6 Oct	16 days	Falls almost entirely in October

Insider tip: the date formula matters for your wallet as much as your diary. Munich hotel rates climb to two or three times their normal level across all 16 days and stay high on the nights either side, and the cheapest beds go first. Six to nine months out is the sweet spot for booking; by midsummer the central districts near the festival grounds are largely gone. To set the Wiesn against the rest of the year, our guide to the best time to visit Munich lays out the trade-offs.

How Many Days Do You Actually Need on the Wiesn?

Oktoberfest runs more than two weeks, but almost nobody attends for two weeks. The real question is how many days to carve out of a Munich trip, and the honest answer depends on what you came for.

One evening is enough to say you’ve done it, provided you set expectations. Arrive by late afternoon on a weekday, find a bench before the tables fill, and you’ll get the brass band, the swaying, and the litre Maß without queuing at the gate for an hour. What a single evening won’t give you is the daytime Wiesn — the funfair, the quieter family hours, the wander between tents — because by 6 or 7 pm the big halls are full and the doors start closing to all but reservation-holders.

A full day is the classic dose and what most visitors should aim for. Start mid-morning with a Weißwurst-and-Brez’n breakfast, walk the Schausteller funfair while your head is still clear, take a turn on the antique Krinoline carousel or ride the Riesenrad big wheel for the view across the whole Theresienwiese, then settle into a tent by mid-afternoon as the band warms up. That arc — laid out tent by tent in our guide to the Oktoberfest beer tents — is the festival as Münchner themselves do it.

Two days buys you range. Spend the first inside one of the big-name tents for the full roar, and the second on the Oide Wiesn — the calmer, historic southern corner with old-fashioned rides, a separate few-euro ticket, and traditional brass instead of pop covers — or working through a couple of the smaller tents you’d otherwise never see. Two days also lets you split a rowdy Saturday from a gentle Tuesday, which is the difference between surviving Oktoberfest and enjoying it. Either way, base yourself somewhere you can walk or take a short U-Bahn home: our roundup of hotels near Marienplatz keeps you a handful of stops from the gates.

And if a litre of strong beer at 11 am isn’t your idea of a holiday, remember the Wiesn is one event in a city full of them. A half-day on the funfair followed by an afternoon among Munich’s museums and landmarks is a perfectly respectable way to “do” Oktoberfest without surrendering your whole trip to it.

Early Wiesn vs. Late Wiesn: Weather and Crowds, Week by Week

The 16 days are not interchangeable. Because the festival straddles the turn from September into October, both the weather and the mood shift noticeably from the opening weekend to the last, and choosing the right window can change your whole experience.

The opening weekend is the warmest and the wildest. Late-September Munich can still touch the low 20s Celsius — locals call a bright Wiesn day Kaiserwetter — so the open-air tables in front of the tents come into play and the whole Theresienwiese feels like summer’s last party. It’s also the most crowded stretch and the hardest time to get a tent seat without a reservation, with opening Saturday and the Sunday costume parade pulling the biggest gate numbers of the run.

The middle weekdays — above all the Monday to Wednesday of the second week — are the connoisseur’s choice. Daytime temperatures are usually mild, the big tents are reachable without a booking if you arrive by early afternoon, and the staff have found their rhythm. This is when families come for the discounted Tuesday afternoons and when you can actually hear your tablemates over the oompah. On a sunny midweek lunchtime the open-air beer-garden instinct still works beautifully.

The closing days belong to October, and October in Munich means a real chance of single-digit temperatures and steady rain. The outdoor tables empty, everyone packs inside, and the tents take on a cosy, end-of-season warmth — sparklers come out on the final night, the bands lean sentimental, and a noon gun salute under the Bavaria statue sends the festival off. Pack for it: a proper jacket over your Tracht is the difference between a magical last night and a cold, damp one. Our Munich weather and packing guide breaks down the swing, and if you’re still assembling an outfit, what to wear to Oktoberfest covers staying warm in a dirndl or Lederhosen once the temperature drops.

Oktoberfest 2026 FAQs

When does Oktoberfest 2026 start and end?

Oktoberfest 2026 runs from Saturday, September 19 to Sunday, October 4, 2026 — 16 full days. The official Mayor’s Tapping at 12:00 noon on September 19 marks the official start.

What time do tents open at Oktoberfest 2026?

Big tents open at 10:00 on weekdays and 09:00 on weekends and on October 3 (German Unity Day). On opening day, tents open at 09:00 but beer service begins only at 12:00 noon. Last call is 22:30 in big tents and 23:00 in small tents.

Is Oktoberfest free to enter?

Yes. Entry to the Theresienwiese and to all tents (with available seating) is free. You only pay for beer, food, rides, and games. Reservations cost a deposit but are not required.

Which days are busiest at Oktoberfest 2026?

The opening day (September 19), both Saturdays (September 19 and 26, October 3), the Italian Weekend (September 25–27), the closing weekend (October 3–4), and German Unity Day (October 3) are the busiest. Weekdays are noticeably calmer.

What is the Italian Weekend 2026?

The first full weekend (September 25–27) is informally called the Italian Weekend because thousands of Italian visitors drive up from northern Italy. Tents fill very fast — secure reservations or arrive at opening.

How early should I arrive to enter a tent without a reservation?

Weekdays: arrive 10:00–11:00. Weekends: arrive at 09:00 sharp; you’ll usually find seats. After 11:30 on weekends, big tents typically reach capacity and turn people away at the door.

When is the parade in Oktoberfest 2026?

Two parades: the opening procession (Wiesn-Einzug der Wiesnwirte) on Saturday, September 19 at 10:45 from Sonnenstraße to the Theresienwiese; and the much larger Trachten- und Schützenzug (Costume and Riflemen’s Parade) on Sunday, September 20 at 10:00, with 10,000 participants and a 7 km route.

Plan the Rest of Your Oktoberfest Trip

This dates-and-schedule guide is part of our complete Oktoberfest Munich guide, which covers tents, reservations, traditions, dirndl and Lederhosen tips, food, and getting around. For the wider trip, check our where to stay guide, our transport guide, and our overall trip planner. Want to combine Oktoberfest with sightseeing? Our things to do guide has the rest of the city covered.