Should they have more tents at Oktoberfest?

The Fridays and Saturdays are so incredibly packed, there are at least so many people waiting to get in, you could fill another whole tent with these people. On the south side of the Wies'n there is a huge parking lot for tour buses and cars (no public parking). That space is big enough to fit at least two or three more tents. Imagine if there were two more tents, there would still be lines in front of the tent because more and more people visit the Oktoberfest, but on the other hand, it's good for the turnover and the statistics. I'm sure they can fit more tour buses at the Messe, it's not that far with the Ubahn to get to the Wies'n!

We discussed this very point tonight and it was pointed out to me that there is a Farmer's Show every 4 years that occupies the very space that you are talking about.

Btw, said Farmer's do happens again next year apparently.

On the subject of overcrowding, the concensus view was that we should either blow up the Brenner or tell the USA visitors that 9/11 was about to happen again.

Don't shoot the messenger eh?

Now that you mention it, I have a vague memory that I've seen that one on my way home from the Wies'n.


Tell the USA visitors that 9/11 can happen again on either the first or last weekend, blow up the Brenner on the Friday before the second weekend and all the tents are open the whole 16 days

I think they should have big 'creche' tents where you can leave your kids if you don't have a babysitter! And a recovery tent for us before we collect them!

So many missed opportunities this year

Already discussed in another O'fest thread... Yes they need more tents and more brewers (Limited to those who brew in Bavaria)
Additional tents would be lottery'ed off with entry $ going to the city.

Well I went on Tuesday afternoon and couldn't get a seat in any of the tents. Its just too packed, too stressful for me. I walked around and around trying to find a seat either inside or at one of the beer gardens right outside the tent, absolutely no room anywhere. As I made my second round of looking they started closing the doors because they were just too full.
So no more attempts for me this year, I'd rather go sit in a quiet beer garden...crowds like that are just not my thing. Guess its the same reason I never went to the Taste of Chicago

Actually it is restricted to brewers in Munich, which is obviously limiting: only 6 big ones can afford to brew here.

Btw, you are worrying about the wrong foreigners...far more Aussies and Brits come over here than Americans!! To be honest, I do not know how you could possibly keep the Aussies away... with the big beer drinking and all. Best to have more tents.

as a true local, NO MORE TENTS.

It's not the Americans per se, but there is no doubt that one of the results of the September eleventh attacks was a LOT less people at the Wies'n and as far as I'm concerned, the Oktoberfest that I have enjoyed the most.

I'd also like to see a minimum age limit of 21 for entry to the tents. Card people on the way in and since you can't get a beer unless your sitting at a table it'd be an easy task to have a couple of roaming security guys doing spot checks. On the 'family' days the rule can be relaxed.

And yes, bombing the Brenner was my suggestion.

This year I haven't had a problem getting in anywhere or getting a seat, with the exception of a Saturday. I think however that is because the weather has been good. If it's crap then you have no chance. A few extra tents wouldn't go astray.

I think you have to draw the line somewhere, and six to seven million visitors is probably the limit. It's not only a question of number of tents; if you are going to increase the number of tents then you also need more staff, more police, more trains, more hotels etc. I think the organisers would prefer to see an increase in the number of families rather than drinkers, so any increase in size would probably go on family attractions rather than on more tents.

Interesting article about the non-commercialisation of the Fest:

Spiegel: Big Money Under the Beer Tents

IMO there are enough tents in place and more congestion is definately not needed.

2001 was my favourite Wiesn since I've lived in Munich too. But it wasn't only the few Americans that it kept away, it was a cross-section of all nationalities, including the locals.

Carding people on the way in? Is that practical? I think not. Knowing Germany there's probably also some paragraph in the constitution that forbids having different criteria at volksfests from normal pubs.

Yeah, well, we had a table reserved for 6 pm in one tent and the waitress had to kick out the "children" sitting in our seats before we could sit down (and wasting 15 minutes of my drinking time).
Then the table behind us was filled with under 18 year olds - how do I know this, you ask? Because I asked them all. They ranged from 14! to 18 years old. They were actually well behaved for teenagers, but still...

But still what? Under 18's are allowed to drink beer in Germany. That's a bit like the locals moaning about us foreigners...

16 for beer innit?

We do NOT need any more goddamned brewers unless they're brewing their beer IN MUNICH. It's a MUNICH festival. Note the absolute impossibility of finding Paulaner and Spaten in Köln during Karneval. Their festival, their beer; our festival, our beer.

One should also be very skeptical of that "6.5 million guests" claim. The tent and grounds capacity is around 120,000 people at any given time. Even if you generously say they manage three full turnovers a day it would take three weeks to get each visitor seated just once. Furthermore they reported selling 6.1 million Maß last year (miraculously using only around 5 million liters of beer to do so). Considering people generally drink from 3-6 Maß per visit, who can seriously state that three out of every four visitors never drinks even one beer?

woof.

The figures do add up. Most of the visitors to the Oktoberfest never even go into a tent. This is why I said that any expansion to the grounds would be used for other attractions. Some don't go into the tents because they can't get in; others have no interest in the first place and just visit the fairground and stalls. Of course this figure is not 6.5 million unique visitors; many people go several times.

As for 5 million litres of beer fitting into 6.1m Maß glasses – well, that makes perfect sense when you consider that each Maß is about 20% short of an actual litre of beer!

I'm just waiting for them to start charging an entrance fee, it would keep away some of the pesky vermin.

have kids under 16 must be accompanied by an adult in the tents, that will reduce the numbers. We were there yesterday and I felt so old, it was teenie boppers in the tents.

I think there should be more tents. If you don't want more breweries involved, then increase the number of tents of existing breweries. The space is there, and it is the biggest beer fest in the world, so there is actually no reason at all not to have extra tents. Extra security, staff etc would be more than covered by the increase in turnover this allows.

I also don't understand the call to ban or limit under 18's from the tents. From my experience, they don't misbehave any more than older folk, so what possible, justifiable reason is there for banning them?

Carm, you know you'reold when the wies'n drinkers are getting younger. The problem is the teenagers though. I was on a table on Friday nect to a bunch of "da yuff". 10 on a table but not realy drinking. In fact most of the girls seemed to be texting more than prosting. 9/11 was cool. What we need is a decent masacre of innocents every September. Kept all those who dont really belong (oth local and none) away from the tents.

'cos they take up "body space" of those that could be drinking beer.

They drink one glass of cola over four hours. Surely you understand this problem.

woof.

the under 18s are actually a good thing. They come in early and occupy tables from 8am and then after a Maß or too they get kicked out, so the tables are free again sometime between midday and early afternoon.

Yes, but it's not a problem that's only limited to U18's...

Introduce a prepaid system card/tokens or tickets with limits to the whole two weeks. not reservations but spend when you like as the current system is. Stop all cash transactions of beer. Allow locals, all within Munichs S-bahn netz, to be able to buy these first. whats left is then given over to the rest of the world. all non e-bayable.

Fucking thanks dude. Like it ain't bad enough living out here without you "inner city" toffs thinking your special.

So you don't think that the people living within the Greater Munich area should be able to call dibs on the Münchner Volksfest? I'm sure Gids would likewise have no problem with additional priority for those who actually live within the city limits of Munich. If nothing else it's a small repayment for the extreme inconvenience and duress caused by millions of drunken yobs clogging up the public transport (not to mention smoking, vomiting and pissing in it), parking their campavans in the few spots we can park in (and, of course, getting up at 7, turning on 3 different radios, brushing their teeth and spitting it out against the same buildings they piss all over, often at the same time), and filling the hotels so that it's impossible for us to have guests for three weeks).

woof.

Ah right. It's all in the name then huh? In that case I would agree on condition that Volkswagen agree to stop selling their cars to foreigners.

Ah but they are produced by foreigners. Munich beer is not.

Er, yes it is. Two of the breweries are 50% owned by the Dutch and two are 100% owned by the Belgians. Only HB and Augustiner are private/state-owned.

i know a foreigner who works at the Augustiner brewery. does that count?

Sorry to see so much hate on these boards. I live in the munich area and have made many friends since moving to germany.
I look forward to meeting some of you american haters. I seriously doubt many of you are as tough in person as you are on these boards.

What hate?

At least no hate on this thread...!

could someone explain post 35. this isnt about hate its about love. of beer. JE we'd all help you get a few tokens...

its all those bloody pikeys it is

What in the name of Barry White's left gonad are you on about?

Guys you're supposed to support me on this.
Oh hang on, STB doesn't live in Munich...


Bella, is that you?

did I miss something? I cannot seem to find the hate? Just alot of suggestions on improving a situation.

Perhaps he thinks it's anti-American of people to drink Augustiner instead of Budweiser?

After all, I once got accused of being anti-American for saying I didn't like Starbucks...

I dont like Spaten or Lowenbraü... what does that make me?

BTW, saw you on telly in the background of some Weis'n reportage the other night

moi?

Yep..unfortunately I can't tell you what channel, or show. I wasn't paying any attention, just looked up and saw you wandering thru in the background texting on your cellular fondle.

Yep - I also spotted Pootle on the Theresienwiese U-Bahn platform after a hard day's drinking.

I have been asked various questions by potential customers, that was one of them - "How much does the admission cost?" Another was "Is 21 the minimum age?" Anyone without a clue on the Wiesn should not be allowed there, considering the abundance of information available on the internet.

More tents would attract even more people in the hopes of getting a seat. Last weekend the Hackerbrücke station was not serviced by S7 due to the platform being so crowded, the U-Bahn station Theresienwiese was closed until the masses had thinned. The public transport does not have capacities for more people.

While we are at it - the Landwirtschaftsfest should be moved out to Riem.

Obviously none of them English, or at least none of them English and funny. You need to learn what sarcastic humour is.