Have Sippy Will Travel

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The first day of Oktoberfest is truly a fantastic day, the opening ceremony brings forth the largest tent and oldest ceremony at Schottenhamel. When the clock strikes noon, the mayor will arrive to The first keg of beer and yell out “O’zapft is! With this exclamation, the festival is opened and it is truly an exciting time!

If you’re looking for a to witness and the opening ceremony, it is important to arrive no later than 6:45 AM and make your way to the front of the grounds. In addition, considering the morning hours will be rather chilly, you may want to wear something warm and bring a hot drink and something to eat while you wait, or if you really want to go all out and enjoy yourself then try a traditional German dessert served during Oktoberfest.

The Oktoberfest gates will not open until 9 AM on the first day, so you should expect to stand in the chilly weather for about 2 1/2 hours.

You will witness that many people drink beer while they wait in line. While this is not officially endorsed by the festival, police tend to take a blind eye to the activities. I don’t know about you, but drinking beer that early in the morning is enough to turn my stomach, even at an Oktoberfest!

One of the greatest thrills at Oktoberfest is seeing the gates open up for the first time at 9 AM, and watching everyone run into the fields. Of course, there is a reason people are running into the festival, there are only so many unreserved seats available, so it is essential to find a table quickly. Take the time to examine the Oktoberfest app to locate the tent that you want to visit so you are not wasting your time once the gates do open. If you are interested in seeing the opening ceremony, you will need to arrive at the Schottenhamel tent. Keep in mind that even if you are at the gates early, it is still quite difficult to get a table inside of this tent. However, if you are quick, you more than likely will be able to secure a table at one of the less popular tents.

Keep in mind that the gates open at 9 AM, however, opening ceremonies will not start until 12 which means you have about three hours waiting inside the Schottenhamel tent. If you’re able to arrive at a table, you’ll be able to play cards and order food with your family and friends. Even if you are unable to get to a table, you should consider yourself lucky. Just be an inside of the Schottenhamel tent throughout opening ceremonies is quite an achievement. The doors to the tent will close rather quickly and you will soon see a line of people waiting to get inside.

On the first day of Oktoberfest, beer will only be served after the opening ceremony at 12 PM. The mayor will tap the keg at 12, then you will hear 12 gunshots as a signal for the other tenants to begin serving beer.

It is important to realize that you are only able to order beer and food if you are seated at a table. One benefit of waiting for opening ceremony is the ability to order pretzels, which are absolutely delicious! These pretzels are sold by girls and boys wearing traditional costumes throughout the 10 with large baskets filled with pretzels.

Once the opening ceremony has finished, you can try your luck at finding a table at one of the less popular tents, however it is usually an impossible mission. A better bet would be to find a table located in the beer gardens just outside of the tents. Many people will find themselves wandering for hours just looking for a place to sit on the first day.

Attending the first day of Oktoberfest is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. Spending the day with a bunch of crazy people overly obsessed with beer that early in the morning is a situation you’ll soon not forget. With that being said, opening ceremony of Oktoberfest is not an essential activity, you can miss it and still fully enjoy the rest of Oktoberfest.