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Bavaria On Tap
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City guide

Munich

Home of Oktoberfest, the Christkindlmarkt, and a beer-and-festival calendar that runs all year — here's everything happening now and next.

Happening Now & Next in Munich

Pulled straight from our events calendar, in date order — this list updates as new festivals and markets are confirmed.

Past Munich Events

Already wrapped for this cycle — kept here for reference and so search doesn't send anyone to a dead page.

Munich is part of Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern) — explore the festivals and markets covered across the region.

All Upper Bavaria events

About Munich

Munich is Bavaria's capital, but the city rewards visitors who move past the postcard core. The Altstadt around Marienplatz and Viktualienmarkt is the natural starting point — the Neues Rathaus, the Frauenkirche's twin domes, and the historic food market all sit within a short walk of each other. From there, the city's neighborhoods each set a different pace: Maxvorstadt for museums, Schwabing for cafés and the English Garden, Glockenbachviertel for nightlife, and Au-Haidhausen for a quieter, local feel east of the Isar. Match the event to its district before booking a place to stay — Theresienwiese, Olympiapark, Mariahilfplatz, and the Altstadt are not interchangeable locations.

Eat and drink like Munich does

Munich's food culture is built around rituals more than a fixed menu. A traditional Weißwurst breakfast — pale sausage, sweet mustard, a fresh pretzel, Weißbier — is served before noon, per the city's own tourism guidance. Later in the day, look for Wirtshaus cooking: roast pork, pork knuckle, dumplings, Leberkäse, Obatzda. Viktualienmarkt is the practical anchor for all of it — browse the stalls, assemble a Brotzeit, then find a beer garden.

Munich's beer identity runs through six major breweries — Augustiner, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Löwenbräu, Spaten, and Hofbräu — and traditional self-service beer gardens follow a specific etiquette: bring your own food, but buy your drinks on site. That distinction is worth knowing before you sit down anywhere with a "self-service" sign.

A calendar with more than one headline

Munich's year moves through very different kinds of public culture, not just one giant festival. Late winter brings Starkbierfest, a beer-hall-scale strong-beer season. Spring adds Frühlingsfest at Theresienwiese and the Auer Dult, which returns three times a year — May, July, and October. Summer brings Tollwood Summer at Olympiapark, plus wine festivals at Schloss Blutenburg, Westpark, and Giesing that show Munich isn't beer-only. Oktoberfest (Sept 19 – Oct 4, 2026) dominates autumn, alongside its own supporting cast of events — the grand entry, tapping ceremony, family days, landlords' concert, and the historic Oide Wiesn. Winter shifts the mood again: the Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz (Nov 20 – Dec 24, 2026), Tollwood Winter, the medieval market at Wittelsbacherplatz, and the Krampuslauf close out the year.

Getting around

Munich runs on U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram, and bus, all under one ticket system, MVV. Zone M covers the city; Munich Airport sits in zone 5, so a city-only ticket won't get you there — you'll need a ticket covering the wider zones. For current fares, routes, and disruptions, use MVV or the MVGO app directly rather than a fixed number here, since exact pricing changes.

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Frequently asked questions

What beer festivals happen in Munich?
Oktoberfest every September–October, plus the Starkbierfest each spring and the Auer Dult three times a year. Check the roster above for what's coming up next.
When is Oktoberfest 2026?
September 19 through October 4, 2026, at Theresienwiese.
When is the Munich Christmas market?
The main Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz runs November 20 through December 24, 2026.
Can I bring my own food to a Munich beer garden?
Traditional self-service beer-garden areas allow it — you bring food, you buy drinks there.
Does a Munich transit ticket cover the airport?
No — Zone M covers the city; the airport is in zone 5, so you need a wider ticket.
Is Munich only about Oktoberfest?
No — the calendar includes strong-beer season, three Auer Dults, summer wine festivals, Tollwood twice a year, and winter markets beyond Christkindlmarkt.