BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture German Culture Munich's Oktoberfest

Has anyone out there ever been to one of the more than 3,000 Oktoberfest festivals that take place around the world at this time of year?

Having only been to the one in Munich, which is this week�s German Culture topic, would love to know what some other ones are like, and what they offer that is different from the original.

Hard to believe but i have never been and have no desire to go to the October Fest.

No not hard to believe at all flower 70.

Had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the first Oktoberfest I attended, but was amazed at just what fun and how interesting it was for both adults and children.

Certainly nothing like I had pictured that it would be, which was a beer festival with the emphasis on 'Beer'.

Don't attend every year but it took five years of thinking about it to get me there originally, and am happy to have given it that first try, even though it was definitely against my better judgement at the time.

People say i should at least try it, but i�m weary of this. Just seeing the wiese (the lawn or grass) where all the drunks are laying peeing and pukeing on them selfs just takes the fun out of it for me.

Oh i forgot to mention the acts of intercoure to go along with that. I don�t think so.
I can buy a mass here and drink my beer out of it just the same, but i know it�s not the same. Maybe someday.

Goodness Me Flower 70, have never seen anything like that in all the years I have been attending and neither has anyone I know, have just 'phoned around to ask over 20 people of all nationalities, who have attended at very different times. Too many stewards etc. around the place making sure nothing untoward does happen, so such occurrences would be rather quickly brought to an end should they take place, and the 'sinners' promptly taken away. No more Oktoberfest for them.

If you have actually had that experience yourself while you were there then it is amazing, and must have been quite awful.

But then as you say, maybe one day you will feel like trying it again.

I was never there i said, and am scared to go. I seen this on tv, it usally takes place very late at night they said in the report. But it was getting better as for the patroling of security.

Worked in TV for some time Flower 70, so know how certain things can be sensationalised to make 'good TV', even to the extend of actually persuading people to behave in a certain way. Doesn't happen every day, but it does take place sometimes.

However, with all that alcohol around, am sure there is bad behaviour at the Oktoberfest that a busy camera crew can come across, although luckily I personally have never seen it even though I have been there until closing time.

A few years ago it was considered to be getting too rowdy and away for the original concept, so some things were changed in order to get back more towards the traditional idea of a 'peoples party', with less emphasis put on the beer element. Although of course it is still there.

In addition the security is very much in evidence and also very strict, anything untoward gets dealt with very quickly.

Unfortunately there will always be some people behaving badly amongst the over 6,000,000 who attend, but they are really few and far between.

Not sure whereabouts in Germany you live, but who knows perhaps one day you might even feel like taking your little daughter to the childrens days, they are really fun and absolutely safe, both my sons loved it, and there is still a feeling of the traditional atmosphere but without the loudness, and perhaps more boisterous behaviour, of later in the evening.

Francine - German Culture

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Yes, maybe one day i will go and even take my daughter with me. I know they always make things look different in tv than they really are, and sometimes it�s not for better. Thats show buisness,lol.

Flower, make sure you let us know so you can share some pictures with us. It sounds like fun.