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Officially, Oktoberfest starts when Munich’s mayor, known in German as Oberbürgermeister, taps first beer keg and yells O'zapft is! (meaning, literally, “it’s tapped!”) at noon on first Saturday of event; travelers from around world come just to see this! And as always in German culture, everything has a name, and this date is no exception; travelers will hear first day of Oktoberfest called Wiesn-Samstag. Nowadays, festivities start on a Saturday in September, and end on first Sunday in October.
Families aren’t left out of loop either at festivities; travelers to German Oktoberfest can attend two Tuesday afternoon events designated just for families, called Familiennachmittagen. From 12:00 to 6:00 on these days, German travelers can take advantage of special prices for public transportation and entry rates as well.
Since Oktoberfest is held in Munich, language primarily used is Barisich. Because this Bavarian dialect is a bit strange, travelers to Germany and Germans alike sometimes have a hard time understanding die bairische Sprache (Bavarian dialect), so it’s a great idea to brush up a bit on your terms before heading to event. This link will help you learn some of more familiar words you’ll encounter on your travels to Gemany’s Oktoberfest, as well as Bavarian words used on streets to help you navigate your journey. http://oktoberfest.sat1.de/en/.
Jean Sutherland is the owner of the informative website http://www.spasoftheworld.com/europe/germany.htm & http://www.spasoftheworld.com/spas/index.html She has worked in the travel industry for over 10 years and lived in Mexico for 3 years. Please also look at the Mexican Animal Shelter site she supports. http://www.anitasanimals.com