Oktoberfest statistics

Check out this link from br-online for statistics from 1950 to 2006 regarding visitors, beer drank, beer prices and food consumed. Interesting stuff and something to impress your friends with if the conversation dies suddenly after x amount of overpriced litres. Pay close attention to what happens after the city council stops setting a cap on beer prices and the severe drop in 2001... did something happen in September that year?!

Yeah, the Wiesn was the way it used to be. More locals than tourists and tents you could walk into at 3pm and sit almost where ever you wanted.

Yep, 2001 was a great wiesn, the right crowd and no crowding! Interesting that the Hendl consumption hasn't recovered. Doesn't surprise me, that is one of the big rip offs at the Oktoberfest.

I remember in 1986 or 87, on a Saturday afternoon, walking into the Augustiner Tent, going upstairs finding a booked table, asked nicely if we could sit till the owners turned up( which they didn´t) Stayed till about 8 o´clock . Going to Hofbrau (I think, bit hazy by then) and doing the same thing. No security men, no plastic tags, no hordes of tourists. It wasn´t even raining. Those were the days.

At the risk of sounding like the 4 yorkshiremen, 20 years ago it really was just a giant volksfest, doesn't stop me still enjoying it though, just have to plan ahead a little.

If you're looking for a more "local" feel, try the Rosenheim Herbstfest. It's got some great rides, food, and bier, and the prices are more reasonable than at Oktoberfest. Plus, you'll run into mostly Bavarians, instead of drunk Aussies and angry Turks.

Personally, I didn't enjoy the atmosphere at Wiesn in 2001. I managed to get a pass from guard duty at my base down in Bad Aibling, and so we went up to Munich and found the place pretty empty. It seemed like everybody thought that Wiesn would make a good terrorist target, so they stayed away. Those who were there were subdued, and some of them actually appeared to be nervous.

Easier yet, try Dachau's Volksfest...going on right now. Damn cheap beer, god bless it.

...but back on topic, thanks for that, jamie...nothing that I'm aware of happened in September 2001 (well, at least nothing that I think of as a reason for mass hysteria). I was busy getting my political science degree and sampling the 100's of beers available at any liquor store in the states...

I was at the 2001 Wies'n. It was only my second Wiesn and first after moving to Germany. Many, many tourists cancelled their plans after the whole 9/11 thing. It almost felt wrong to be enjoying myself in a beer tent after the events of the previous two weeks.

There are so many Volksfests where you'll only find locals in and around Munich, it's not so bad that there is one big one that's full of tourists..