If you’re looking for an excuse to OD on hot wurst and cold beer, head for an Oktoberfest. Yes, the “real deal” is in Munich, but dozens of U.S.
and Canadian cities make a big deal out of Oktoberfest – some extended, some just a day or two, with varying dates. Here's an update of the Oktoberfest season for 2024. It’s already too late to beat the crowd for hotel accommodations and event tickets, but if you have a fall hankering for a pint or two of cold beer and a hot wurst, you can still make it.
The epicenter of Oktoberfest is, of course, Munich, where this year's festivities run Sept. 21 through Oct. 6.
The details are posted on the official portal ( https://www.oktoberfest.de/en ).
There are links to purchase tickets to the various tents and events. This year a liter of beer will cost between €13.60 and €15.
50 ($15 to $17). Stiff, but not out of line with U.S.
microbrew prices. I see airfares from the U.S.
to Munich available at about the same level as earlier September, but hotel prices are up sharply. If you're looking for a deal, your best bet now is to wait and see if demand doesn't meet expectations and hotels cut prices. Keep in mind also that, unless you really want to be there for the hoopla, Munich will not run out of beer earlier or later.
Of course, you don't have to schlep thousands of miles for a cold beer and a hot wurst. You can also find Oktoberfest celebrations of varying authenticity much closer to home. If you want as big a deal as you can .