12 Oktoberfest tips you have to try this year

Delicious desserts, lovely lagers, and damsels in dirndls

Oktoberfest is one mighty festival. Being in Munich for Oktoberfest is a fantastic experience, but these days you don’t need to travel far from home to have a Bavarian folk festival experience. At Oktoberfest in Australia you can still find plenty of beer halls with music, entertainment, dancing, food, and all the steins you can handle. It's a big week even for seasoned festival goers. To help you survive and thrive, we’ve put together some Oktoberfest tips.

1. Early birds get the beer

We know that it's hard to find the absolute ultimate event tip, so we asked our friends at Oktoberfest St Kilda to give us theirs: get there early to get a good spot and enough seats for all your friends to have the ultimate prost experience!

2. Learn some German expressions

Celebrating Oktoberfest in Australia is no excuse to not learn some German. One of the best ways to pay your respects to a culture is to learn some of the language. Have some fun with your friends and learn and use some German expressions on the day.

• Vielen Dank – Thank you very much (vee-len dank)
• Das gefällt mir – I like this (das ge-faylt mir)
• Ja, bitte – Yes, please (ya, bi-tuh)
• Nein, danke – No, thanks (nyn, dan-kuh)

3. Lads in lederhosen

While the beer maid costumes are an Oktoberfest feature, it’s tradition for men to get into the spirit of Bavarian folk costumes too. Lederhosen literally means 'leather breeches', aka shorts, in English. Whether you want a classic style lederhosen or something more colourful, Blossom Costumes has a vast range to choose from. For a break from the traditional, dress up as a Beer Pint Glass or the Duffman from The Simpsons to celebrate Oktoberfest in Australia.

4. An Oktoberfest experience in Melbourne

Oktoberfest St Kilda offers a huge festival experience in one of Melbourne’s favourite bayside locations. There are bands, games, and even buses to get you there. For our regional friends, there are Oktoberfests at the Bendigo Showgrounds, Mornington Racecourse, and Geelong.

5. Dames in dirndls

Going along to an Oktoberfest celebration is something you won’t forget. Dressing in a fabulous costume magnifies the experience. Gingham and floral, conventional or cheeky, dresses short and long—we’ve got dirndl beer maid costumes and accessories to suit every woman.

6. Enjoy the food

One of the most important Oktoberfest tips: Remember to eat. It’s not just about the responsible consumption of alcohol. All the food—sausages, pork knuckles, giant pretzels, apple strudels—are perfect accompaniments to beer. Trust us!

7. Tip your server

A ton of effort goes into Oktoberfest events to bring revellers an authentic experience. Your food and drink servers are hard at work while you have fun with your friends. While it’s not customary in Australia to tip, it is in Europe. If you’re happy with your food and beer at your Oktoberfest venue, say thanks with some spare change. Prost!

8. Other things to do besides drink beer

Apart from the beer tents, there are all sorts of food stalls, giant carnival rides, fair games, and more. Things can get competitive too, so limber up beforehand.

9. Pssst! What if I don’t like beer?

If you aren’t a beer fan but still want to get down with the festivities in your dirndl or lederhosen, don’t worry—other beverages are served at Oktoberfest too (and we've already mentioned the delicious food).

10. Travel light on the day

No one likes carting a backpack around; and after a few litres of beer, the chances of losing it are pretty high. Carry a small purse, bag, or wallet with bare essentials to get you through your day.

11. Make an effort with your costume

Locals in Munich take their outfits very seriously. While you can attend Oktoberfest in regular clothes, you’ll stand out like a dark beer in lager land. Oktoberfest St Kilda wants you to be in costume so much, they even offer a 5% discount.  

12. You're ready for Oktoberfest in Australia

With these Oktoberfest tips, you’re ready to get involved in the festival of great beer, great food, and great costumes. Head to our dedicated Oktoberfest costume section. Blossom Costumes offers excellent quality costumes at great prices, so you can save your money for beer. We’re confident you’ll love your Oktoberfest costume but in the case that you don’t, it can be exchanged within 30 days of purchase.