Oktoberfest

:For the Oktoberfest style of beer, see Märzen

The Tents

There are curently 14 main tents at the Oktoberfest. The tents themselves are semi-permanent structures which are only occupied during the festival. The beer (or wine) served in each is in brackets after the tent name:

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• Hippodrom (Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu) - One of the smaller tents, it's the first tent that many visitors see at the fest. As well as serving normal Wiesn beer, it has a Sekt (sparkling wine) bar and Maß of Weißbier. Considered one of the trendiest tents, and attracts the occasional celebrity.
• Seating capacity inside: 3,200
• Seating capacity outside: 1,000
• Armbrustschützenzelt (Paulaner) - Translates as the "Crossbow Shooters Tent", a competition that has been a part of the Oktoberfest since 1895.
• Seating capacity inside: 5,839
• Seating capacity outside: 1,600
• Hofbräu Festzelt (Hofbräu München) - The counterpart to the famous Hofbräuhaus, this tent is especially popular with Americans and Antipodeans.
• Seating capacity inside: 6,896
• Seating capacity outside: 3,622
• Hacker-Festzelt (Hacker-Pschorr) - One of the largest tents on the Wiesn, they have a rock band that plays from 5:30 each evening (as opposed to the tradional brass band). This tent is also known as "Himmel der Bayern" (Bavarian Heaven)
• Seating capacity inside: 9,300
• Seating capacity outside: 0
• Schottenhammel (Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu) - Reckoned to be the most important tent at the Oktoberfest, mainly because it is where it starts. On the first Saturday of the event, no beer is allowed to be served until the mayor of Munich (currently Christian Ude) taps the first keg, at 12pm. Only then can the other tents begin to serve beer. Very popular amongst younger people.
• Seating capacity inside: 6,000
• Seating capacity outside: 4,000
• Winzerer Fähndl (Paulaner) - This tent is noted for its huge tower, with a Maß of Paulaner beer sitting atop it.
• Seating capacity inside: 8,450
• Seating capacity outside: 2,450
• Schützen-Festhalle (Löwenbräu) - This is a mid-sized tent. Situated under the Bavaria statue, the current tent was newly built in 2004.
• Seating capacity inside: 4,442
• Seating capacity outside: 0
• Käfers Wiesen Schänke (Paulaner) - The smallest tent at the Oktoberfest, it is frequented by celebrities, and is known for its especially good food. In contrast to the other tents (which must close by 11pm), it is open until 0:30am, but it can be very difficult to get in.
• Seating capacity inside: 1,000
• Seating capacity outside: 1,900
• Weinzelt (Nymphenburger Sekt, Paulaner Weißbier) - This tent offers a selection of more than 15 wines, as well as Weißbier.
• Seating capacity inside: 1,300
• Seating capacity outside: 600
• Löwenbrau-Festhalle - Above the entrance is a 4.50 meter (15 foot) lion who occasionally drinks from his beer. This is overshadowed by another tower where another drinking lion sits.
• Seating capacity inside: 5,700
• Seating capacity outside: 2,800
• Bräurosl (Hacker-Pschorr) - Named after the daughter of the original brewery owner (Pschorr), this tent has the usual brass band and a yodeler.
• Seating capacity inside: 6,000
• Seating capacity outside: 2,200
• Augustiner-Festhalle (Augustiner Bräu) - Considered by many elderly locals to be the best tent, due to the fact it sells the favourite local brew, Augustiner.
• Seating capacity inside: 6,000
• Seating capacity outside: 2,500
• Ochsenbraterei (Spaten) - True to its name, this tent offers a great vareity of ox dishes.
• Seating capacity inside: 5,900
• Seating capacity outside: 1,500
• Fischer Vroni (Augustiner) - Another of the smaller tents. Fisch is the German word for fish and this tent carries a huge selection in its menu.
• Seating capacity inside: 2,695
• Seating capacity outside: 700