It’s maybe Blasphemous to say, but as far as Oktoberfest goes, after the first fifteen times, you kinda get the idea.
I’m at the point where I don’t really feel the need to go to the Wiesn each year it rolls around. If someone I know has a table, then sure, I’ll go, but otherwise – been there, done that.
Having said that, now that we have a tot, I want to go again and experience the fun as a family. We’ll probably go to the Oide Wiesn on a weekday, just to get a little taste of the fun and take her little dirndl out for a spin.
What I’ll never get sick of, though, is all of the pageantry and festivities that surround the main event. I love the Einzug der Wiesenwirte and the Trachten und Schützenzug. I love everyone walking around in their Bavarian regalia.
On Saturday we went to this years Einzug der Wiesenwirte, and this morning we went to the Trachten-Schützenzug. The best thing to do is just start at the staging area.
Astonishingly you can just walk around among all of the paraders and horses while you gawk and take pictures. These events are just photographic gold, pure photographic gold. It’s pretty easy after that to get a good spot close to the street and watch the whole parade go by.
What I especially love about the Trachten-Schützenug (and that I only realized today) is that there are Trachtenvereins for so many things: Chimney sweeps, tailors, Hungarian folk dancers, Butchers, Traditional Hunters (and their dogs). We saw people in traditional Basque costumes and clothing that looked like (I’m guessing) near east belly dancing garb.
The main point of the parade is to preserve traditional customs and clothing. Just for fun, I looked up what the requirements are for participating in the Trachten-Schützenug parade (English: Munich Costume and Riflemen’s Procession ) you can read them in English here.
Right now, the whole city is festive and fun and that’s enough for me.
wahlmuenchnerin.com 