You don’t have to wait until the autumn to enjoy beers Bavarian style! Munich Spring Festival welcomes thousands of people from across the country and beyond, to enjoy the food, music, funfair rides, fireworks and superb quality German beer!
Munich’s Spring Festival is the little sister of Oktoberfest. For two weeks in Munich each spring, the Oktoberfest-style beer and funfair celebration inhabits Munich’s beloved venue, the Theresienwiese.
The Munich Spring Festival (Frühlingsfest) kicks off with a parade and the shooting of mini canons, known as the Böllerschützen. The grand opening is on April 25 at 2.30pm at Theresienhöhe, and the first 100 guests are served beer in a collector’s beer mug for free!
Then, at 3pm the parade makes its way to Theresienwiese, bands begin to play and the canons spring into action! At 4pm, the patronage of the spring festival Mayor will tap the first cask of beer in the Hippodrome.
Although the Munich Spring Festival is a lot smaller and less prolific than Oktoberfest, it is nonetheless an important event on the spring calendar and well worth a visit! The crowds are generally much smaller compared with Oktoberfest and there are noticeably fewer tourists - not that this makes it any less lively! In short, it's a fun, authentic party for all who come to celebrate.
Here are some of the key places to visit during the Spring Festival:
Bavarian festival hall at Munich Spring Festival
A massive focal point of the Spring Festival is the “Festhalle Bayernland” or the Bavarian festival hall, in which festival-goers can find outstanding German dishes to accompany their beer, such as roast chicken and pork.
Another favourite location is the Hippodrome, a massive beer tent that is only slightly smaller than the Hippodrome found at Oktoberfest. Try the Bavarian-style veal hamburgers to soak up all that German beer.
Munich Beer Garden
Enjoying beer and great food in the open air is fantastic when the spring weather stays fine, so there’s no place more perfect than the Munich Beer Garden. Try speciality beers and some tasty German bites al fresco.
Just like Oktoberfest, it's a great excuse to get into traditional Bavarian costume. Men get kitted out in the typical brown Lederhosen and white or chequered shirts, long socks and a hat with a feather. Meanwhile, women wear the Dirndl – the dress in bold colours or black with a frilly low-cut blouse. Looking the part is a key component of the fun at Bavarian beer festivals!
Plan your trip to Munich Spring Festival
Since it’s a busy event, public transport is recommended. Take the U-Bahn U3, U6, U4 or U5, or bus 53, 58, 131, 132 or 134. Check out the Munich Spring Festival website for more information.