We've heard that Octoberfest occurs mostly in September. We will be in Germany in early October after a week long bike-barge trip and will drive to Gotenburg, Sweden over a one week period. Does anyone have suggestions for towns to visit that might have Octoberfest? Or are there interesting sites from Passau, Germany to Sweden that are recommended? We plan to visit Amsterdam to see family. Thanks!
Posted by
Green Bay
21164 posts
Oktoberfest is in Munich and I think they have the copyright. It ends October 4. That is not say there aren't any other festivals in Germany. Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart goes to October 11.
Posted by
Oberpfalz, Germany
1389 posts
Search for "Kirchweih" literally the dedication of a church in German along your travels as Fall is the season. Many small towns will have a Kirchweih Fest like a mini Octoberfest during this time, at least in Bavaria. You can get a good goose dinner too mit kloß und soße.
Posted by
Reno, NV, USA
2547 posts
Salzburg has a festival at that time. It's smaller, of course, but they have the food and beer and folk dancing.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9222 posts
Many cities are now having "Oktoberfest" copies. All towns and cities have festivals all year round, so if you go to the town website, those festivals will be listed prominently.
Which cities will you be visiting and on which dates?
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Thanks for the tips! Ms. Joe, we will leave Passau Oct 4 and need to be in Gotenburg Sweden by the 9th. We have no definite stops but would like to see a few towns and possibly festivals on the way.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
I, personally, would rather visit Munich after Oktoberfest than during it. As stated above, Oktoberfest ends this year on October 4. The traditional ending for Oktoberfest was the first Sunday in October, but recently it was changed to always include October 3, the Day of German Unity - therefore October 3 - 7.
If you don't want to go to Munich, go up the Danube a few km to the Bavarian Forest Nat. Park, with some quaint towns, nice woods, and several wildlife preserves (spread-out zoos, really). Then either go into the Czech Republic, to Prague, then to Dresden, then to Berlin (all accessible by EC from Prague) or go to Regensburg, Nürnberg, and Bamberg. From there there are any of many things to see in norther Germany - Lutherstadt Wittenberg, the Harz and the fachwerk villages of Quedlinburg, Wernigerode, and Goslar, the Peied Piper town of Hameln, Bremen, and Hamburg, Lübeck, amongst others.
Posted by
Myrtle Beach, USA
12315 posts
I have a couple of German families in my neighborhood. They speak highly of the Stuttgart fest.
I've been to Bonnfest and thought it was better than Oktoberfest, for one thing it went all night (Oktoberfest closes tight at around 10:30). I don't know if it's still the same since the government has moved to Berlin. I went in early September, before the Munich fest had begun.