How to Celebrate Oktoberfest… in DC

Hey beer lovers, it’s Oktoberfest! This annual festival in Munich, Germany originated in the early 1800s with the celebration of the nuptials of the crown prince of Bavaria (later King Ludwig I) to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen, but the tradition continues (perhaps even stronger!) today. 

Now, Germans and teutophiles around the world celebrate for two weeks or more — until the first Sunday in October — with as much revelry as they can muster. But here in DC, the celebration can last all month long!

So whether you wanted to be in Munich for the main event or just want to celebrate Oktoberfest with a beer at your favorite DC watering hole, we have some tips on how to enjoy this iconic Beerfest and traveling funfair to the fullest.

A History of Oktoberfest

On October 12, 1810, two royals married in a bid for unity and invited some 40,000 guests to celebrate. The festivities lasted several days — and apparently went so well, Munich decided to do it all again the following year, minus the matrimony. Thus, a tradition was born.

The original celebration featured horse races, games, spectacles and tastings. Over time, Bavarian beer, food, agricultural competitions, and live cooking joined the party. The horse races galloped off for good in 1960, but the rest remains.

And though Oktoberfest began in, well, October, the dates eventually shifted to late September for milder weather, ending on the first Sunday in October. It’s still Oktoberfest, after all.

Today, Oktoberfest is part Bavarian cultural celebration, part fall kickoff and, yes, part excuse to consume copious beer and bratwurst. The massive Volksfest (folk festival) is also an economic powerhouse, surviving wars, cancellations and even COVID to remain one of the world’s biggest annual celebrations.

Oktoberfest Traditions

Whether you’re among Munich’s six million-plus Oktoberfest revelers or celebrating closer to home, a few traditions are essential.

The festivities officially begin at noon with a 12-gun salute, followed by the mayor tapping the first keg and declaring, O’zapft is! (“It’s tapped!”). The first liter goes to Bavaria’s Minister-President, and then the parades, parties and pints begin.

Only beer brewed within Munich and adhering to the Reinheitsgebot (using just water, malt, hops and yeast) can be served at the festival. Revelers can sample it alongside regional fare in 36 beer and food tents, where live brass bands provide the soundtrack, from traditional folk tunes to modern German hits. Outside, carnival rides and games keep the good times rolling.

Best D.C. Oktoberfest Celebrations 

But you don’t have to go to Germany to get a taste of the fun. You can celebrate Oktoberfest at several popular spots across Washington, DC, including the month-long festival at Wunder Garten in NoMa! Dust off those leiderhosen and dirndls for Café Berlin’s annual five-week Oktoberfest on Capitol Hill; or grab your stein at any of DC’s Dacha locations where it’s a biergarden beerfest both in Shaw and the Navy Yard pretty much any day that ends in y.

Prost!