Next dates
2027 dates not yet announced — typically around April. We're watching and will update this page when they land.
Future dates
- 2027Apr 24 – May 2, 2027
Quick answer
Auer Dult (May) is a volksfest in Munich, Bavaria. It runs from Apr 25 – May 3, 2026. Munich's flea market with roots in 1796 — antiques by day, Maß by night in the open-air Dultgastgärten.
Munich's flea market with roots in 1796 — antiques by day, beer gardens by night.
Three times a year (May, July, October), Mariahilfplatz fills with around 250 market stalls selling everything from antique beer steins to old-world kitchenware. Plus open-air beer gardens (Dultgastgärten) because, Bavaria.
The full story
The Auer Dult (May) — the Maidult — is the spring opening of Munich's three annual Dults, a market-first tradition held at Mariahilfplatz in the Au district. The 2026 edition runs nine days, April 25 through May 3. Around 250 stalls spread across roughly 22,000 square meters of antiques, ceramics, tableware, household goods, and general "Trödel," with entry to the market itself free — visitors pay only for rides, games, and shopping. Evenings shift toward the Dultgastgärten, open-air beer gardens serving Munich beer alongside roast fish, roast chicken, and cheese specialties — a garden setting, not an enclosed festival tent, so visitors expecting an Oktoberfest-style tent should reset their expectations accordingly. Tuesday is Family Day, with discounted ride prices.
This Maidult's own history traces to 1796, when Elector Karl Theodor granted the then-independent village of Au the right to hold two annual markets a year. The May and October fairs began at Mariahilfplatz around 1799, near the Mariahilf pilgrimage church that gave the square its name. Au was incorporated into Munich in 1854, making the Auer Dult a permanent city institution from that point. The name "Dult" itself is Old High German in origin and originally meant a religious church festival (Kirchenfest) held in honor of a saint, with stalls gathering around the celebration; the meaning later narrowed to "Jahrmarkt," or annual fair.
A 1310 founding date is sometimes attached to "Auer Dult" in casual references, but that year belongs to a different, sibling event: the Jakobidult, first held in summer 1310 on the meadow that is today Sankt-Jakobs-Platz — not at Mariahilfplatz, and not this Maidult. The Jakobidult only joined the Maidult and the autumn Kirchweihdult at Mariahilfplatz in 1905, meaning all three Dults have shared one venue for roughly 120 years, not since 1310. The three editions are marketed together as one seasonal cycle by the same organizer — Maidult in spring, Jakobidult in summer, Kirchweihdult in autumn — sharing format and much of their vendor base, so it's worth keeping each edition's own history straight rather than treating them as one continuous 700-plus-year-old event. See Auer Dult page or explore Upper Bavaria.
History
This Maidult's own lineage traces to 1796, when Elector Karl Theodor granted the village of Au the right to hold two annual markets; the May and October fairs began at Mariahilfplatz around 1799, near the Mariahilf pilgrimage church. Au became part of Munich in 1854. The 1310 founding sometimes attached to 'Auer Dult' belongs to a different, sibling event — the Jakobidult — which started at the Anger (today's Sankt-Jakobs-Platz) and only joined the other Dults at Mariahilfplatz in 1905. The name 'Dult' itself comes from an Old High German word for a church festival (Kirchenfest) held in honor of a saint, around which stalls originally gathered; the meaning later narrowed to 'Jahrmarkt,' or annual fair.
On Tap
- Local focus
- Munich's flea market with roots in 1796, paired with open-air beer gardens — antiques by day, Maß by night.
- What to try
- Shop the antique stalls in the afternoon, then swing back for a Maß once the Dultgastgärten open up.
- Best for
- Munich visitors who want market browsing and beer garden time in the same afternoon.
- Bavaria On Tap take
- Few Munich events pair a genuine 18th-century market tradition with open-air beer gardens quite like Auer Dult — this Maidult's own roots go back to 1796.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Auer Dult (May) in 2026?
- Auer Dult (May) in 2026 runs from Apr 25 – May 3, 2026. It takes place at Mariahilfplatz.
- Is Auer Dult (May) free to attend?
- Entry to Auer Dult (May) is free.
- What is the history of Auer Dult (May)?
- This Maidult traces to 1796, when Elector Karl Theodor granted the village of Au the right to hold two annual markets; the May and October fairs began at Mariahilfplatz around 1799. The 1310 date sometimes associated with 'Auer Dult' actually belongs to a different, sibling event, the Jakobidult, which started at a different original site and only joined Mariahilfplatz in 1905. 'Dult' itself comes from an Old High German word for a church festival (Kirchenfest), later coming to mean 'annual fair.'
- Where is Auer Dult (May) located?
- Auer Dult (May) takes place at Mariahilfplatz in Munich, Oberbayern, Bavaria, Germany.
- What's the difference between the Maidult, Jakobidult, and Kirchweihdult?
- All three are editions of the same Auer Dult tradition, held at Mariahilfplatz by the same organizer: the Maidult in spring (this event, late April–early May), the Jakobidult in summer (late July–early August), and the Kirchweihdult in autumn (mid-to-late October). Format and vendors are similar across all three. The Jakobidult is the oldest of the three, tracing to 1310 at a different original site — the Anger, today's Sankt-Jakobs-Platz. This Maidult has its own, separate and younger history, tracing to 1796. All three editions have shared the Mariahilfplatz venue only since 1905, when the Jakobidult joined the other two there.
More in Munich
Other festivals and markets in Munich — or see the full Munich guide.
- Free entry