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Bavaria On Tap
Bavaria On Tap
Events›Upper Bavaria

Regierungsbezirk

Upper Bavaria

Centered on Munich but reaching from the Alps to the Danube — Oktoberfest is here, but so are 80+ more festivals across the region's lakes, monasteries, and market towns.

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Happening Now & Next in Upper Bavaria

Every event below is pulled straight from our calendar, in date order — from Munich outward across the region.

Past Upper Bavaria Events

Already wrapped for this cycle — kept here for reference.

Munich

Munich alone carries more than a third of this region's festival calendar — see the full city guide.

Explore Munich

About Upper Bavaria

Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern) is the region whose geographic center is Munich, but it's far bigger than the capital. It reaches from the Alpine foothills and mountain lakes — Chiemsee, Tegernsee, Starnberger See, Ammersee — north toward the Danube, taking in the Hallertau hop-growing country and the Inn-Salzach borderlands along the way. Freising, Dachau, Erding, Rosenheim, Traunstein, Ingolstadt, and Berchtesgaden all carry their own share of the region's event calendar — treat Munich as the anchor, not a stand-in for the whole region.

More than Weißwurst

Munich Weißwurst is the best-known regional food, traditionally served with pretzel, sweet mustard, and wheat beer before noon — but Upper Bavaria's food identity runs deeper than the capital. Chiemsee whitefish (Renke) connects the table to the lake's own fishing families — 16 of them still work the water, per the region's tourism board. Around Schrobenhausen, sandy, sun-facing slopes make for some of Bavaria's best-known asparagus. And the region's monastery-brewing tradition — Andechs, Ettal, Scheyern, Reutberg — is a genuinely distinct thread worth following beyond the big-city beer halls.

A festival calendar that keeps moving

Spring opens with Starkbierfest, the Munich Spring Festival, and the first Auer Dult, alongside a run of small-town Volksfeste from Fürstenfeldbruck to Wasserburg. Summer shifts toward wine — Schloss Blutenburg, Westpark, Giesing — and civic tradition, including Munich's brewers'-guild day. Late August into September is the region's busiest stretch: Erding, Rosenheim, Beilngries, and Freising all run their own autumn Volksfeste before Oktoberfest takes over Munich, September 19 – October 4, 2026. After the tents close, the calendar turns to markets — Kirchweihdult in October, then Christkindlmärkte across the region (Munich, Ingolstadt, Bad Tölz, Berchtesgaden, and more) through Advent, alongside older customs like Leonhardifahrten and the Krampuslauf.

Practical planning

Upper Bavaria is reachable by train, plane, or car, with Munich as the region's natural arrival point and geographic center. Because the inventory spans dozens of towns — not just Munich — check the specific event's own access details before booking; a lakeside or Alpine event won't have the same transit options as a central Munich market.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Upper Bavaria, and where is it?
Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern) is centered on Munich and stretches from the Alps to the Danube — a large region, not a single city.
When is Oktoberfest in Upper Bavaria?
Munich's Oktoberfest runs September 19 – October 4, 2026. The roster above also covers the Oide Wiesn and related Oktoberfest events.
What kinds of festivals happen here beyond Oktoberfest?
Starkbierfest, the Munich Spring Festival, dozens of local Volksfeste, wine festivals, Dult markets, and Christmas markets across the region.
What food should I try in Upper Bavaria?
Munich Weißwurst, Chiemsee whitefish, and Schrobenhausen asparagus are the region's clearest specialties.
How is Weißwurst traditionally served?
With pretzel, sweet mustard, and wheat beer, before noon.
How do I get to Upper Bavaria?
By train, plane, or car — Munich is the region's geographic center and natural arrival point.
Where can I encounter Upper Bavaria's traditional customs?
Trachtenvereine, brass bands, Schuhplatteln, and yodelling appear throughout the region's Volksfeste and parades, especially around late summer and autumn events.

Looking across all of Bavaria? Browse every fest or check the calendar.