German Beer Festivals

Crafted and perfected over many centuries, Germany is a world leader when it comes to high quality beer. Brewed under very strict laws, German Beer must only contain malt, hops, yeast and water. Equally, Germany is a world leader when it comes to celebrating, any excuse will do, and one of the best ways to celebrate is to visit an authentic German Beer Festival.

Each beer festival will have huge beer tents, idyllic beer gardens and light hearted entertainment with typical Bavarian oompah or local brass bands. Some landlords even lay on international rock and pop stars to attract more visitors.

 

Munich's Oktoberfest - 19.09. to 03.10.2009

It doesn't need many words to describe the world biggest beer festival. Millions of visitors troop to the "Wies'n" to gather a seat in the huge beer tents and to enjoy a stein of strong, dark beer. Accompanied by oompah music, people from all over the world dancing together on the wooden tables and experience the Bavarian lifestyle. In 2009 the Oktoberfest will take place from 19th September to the 4th October.

 

• www.oktoberfest.de

Canstatter Wasen in Stuttgart - 25.09. to 11.10.2009

From 25th September to 11th October Europe's biggest fun fair festival attract millions of visitors to Stuttgart. As Germany's second largest beer festival it provides two weeks of fun with oompah bands in traditional costume inside the marquees and fairground attractions outside.

 

• www.cannstatter-volksfest.de

Hannover's "Schützenfest" fair - 03.07. to 12.07.2009

The world's biggest marksman's festival is celebrated every year in Hannover. In 2009 it will take place from 3rd to 12th July and combines a local fair with shooting matches among members of the local marksmen's association, a 12km long Marksmen's Parade and uncountable rides and inns. But this event would not be the same without its huge beer tents, oompah bands and long party nights. A unique event, which you should not miss.

 

• Information about Hannover

Garmisch & Partenkirchen Bavarian Beer Festival - 31.07. to 16.08.2010

If you want to experience a traditional Bavarian Beer Festival, with Oompah Band processions, locals dressed in Lederhosen and beautiful Bavarian costumes, you should head to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Located south of Munich, near the Austrian border, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is shadowed by Germany's highest mountain and is only a stone throw away to some of Bavaria's most popular attractions, like the fairy tale castle at Neuschwanstein or the Passion Play town of Oberammergau.

Before 1935 Garmisch-Partenkirchen actually used to be two villages, separated by a small river. Today competition between the two towns is still ripe, although now joined together they still have two market squares and celebrate two separate Beer Festivals.

The Garmischer Festwoche is held for just over a week, from the 31.7.2010 to 08.8.2010 and immediately afterwards the Partenkirchner Festwoche takes place from the 07.08.2010 to 16.08.2010.

 

• Watch it on You Tube!

Erlanger Bergkirchweih - 20.05 to 31.05.2010

A beer festival with a 250 year old tradition is celebrated every year for 12 days around Pentecost and attracts more than one million visitors.

Under the splendid old, chestnut trees decorated with lanterns, the thirsty festival guests can enjoy cool beer out of steins, typical Franconian beer mugs. Franconian dishes, like fried sausages or the wellknown Breze (pretzel), will be served as well as many international dishes.

Erlangen is the No.1 city of export beer even before Munich and Kulmbach and already 250 years ago the inhabitants knew how to enjoy a cool and fresh beer from the cellars of Erlanger Castle Hill, which were used by the local breweries to store their beer.

The Bergkirchweih is open daily from 10 am to 11 pm. On Sundays and public holidays, the visitors can have the traditional brunch at 9:30 am. And even after 11 pm Erlangen does not rest, then the party will go on in pubs and restaurants in the downtown of Erlangen. In 2010 the festival will take place from 20th to 31st May.

 

• More about the Erlanger Bergkirchweih

International Berlin Beer Festival - 07. to 09.08.2009

The traditional beer mile in the centre of Berlin is going to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors from 7th to 9th August 2009 with the slogan "beer land Belgium offers the very best" and is putting the German neighbour country into the focus of its attention.

Belgian people are beer lovers just like Germans and the variety of Belgian beer delicacies is outstanding. But next to Belgium breweries, 86 countries are going to present more than 1800 beer specialities. The special thing about this mega-event is its unique blend of culture and entertainment. There will be 18 stages with live music and 20 beer regions selling culinary specialities on the festival ground.

 

• www.bierfestival-berlin.de

Starkbierfest Munich - 12.03. to 21.03.2010

Called as Munich's secret beer festival in March, the Starkbierfest is focussed on the Paulaner Keller (traditional Bavarian brewery) and takes place again from March 12 to March 21, 2010.

Starkbier is a strong beer which is consumed in Germany during Lent. The "strength" of the beer is not referring to the alcohol content, instead it describes the concentration of dissolved solids: the starch, sugars, proteins and minerals. Nevertheless the alcohol levels are indeed higher. There are two types of Starkbier: Bockbier and Dopplebock. A Bockbier is 7% whilst the Doppelbock is 7.5%. This is in comparison to the 5% for a normal beer.

 

• More about the Strong Beer Season in Munich

Annafest Forchheim - 25.07. to 03.08.2009

This traditional public fair takes place every year during the last week in July in Forchheim on the "cellar-hill" close to Bamberg and Nuremberg. The exact dates for 2009 are 25th July to 3rd August.

Up to 500,000 visitors are attracted to the cellar-hill during the ten days of the festival, where you find over 20 great beer gardens offering 30,000 seats. Through the fact that there are no beer tents, a unique atmosphere will be created. You can drink your beer, eat your sausage and watch the vary entertainment program in the middle of the forest.

 

• www.forchheim-annafest.de
• Information about Franconian Switzerland

Kulmbacher Beer week - 25.07. to 02.08.2009

A traditional festival in the North of Bavaria, where the master brewer brew the beer with a secret formula just for this week in the year.

Accompanied by a parade and an enjoyable entertainment program this beer festival is perfect for people who don't want to sit with hundred thousand people together in a beer tent, but want to experience how the original Bavarians celebrate and enjoy their beer. In 2009 it will take place from 25th July to 2nd August.

 

• More about the Kulmbacher beer week

Gambrinusfest in Mendig - 02.06. to 05.06.2011

Every 2 years the Gambrinusfest is commemorate in honor of the inventor of the classical art of beer brewing. It is the biggest beer festival in Rhineland-Palatinate and from 2nd to 5th of June 2011 it will attract visitors from the whole region again.

 

• www.mendiger-gambrinusfest.de

Herbstfest Rosenheim - 29.08. to 13.09.2009

Similiar to the Oktoberfest in Munich, but in a much smaller dimension, the Herbstfest (autumn festival) in Rosenheim offers a mix of funfair and beer festival. The typical Bavarian dresses are important part of this traditional festival as well as the famous oompah music. In 2009 the Rosenheimer Herbstfest takes place from 29th August to 13th September.

 

• www.herbstfest-rosenheim.de

International Bierboerse

Annually the international beer (exchange) festival is held in 9 German cities. At each beer festival you can sample up to 1.000 different types of beer, including beers from over 75 countries. The Bierbörse is centred all around beer and everything that comes with it. There is no other event like it and it is the only event where you can taste any kind of beer imaginable, from all parts of the world. All 9 events are free, with no entrance fees!

LEIPZIG
The Battle of Leipzig monument
19.6. - 21.6.2009

KÖLN
City centre - Tanzbrunnen ('Dance' fountain)
26.6.- 28.6.2009

VIERSEN-DÜLKEN
City centre 
03.7. - 05.7.2009

MAINZ
Rhine bank at the Town hall
17.7. - 19.7.2009

BONN
Leisure park Rheinaue
24.7. - 26.7.2009

DÜSSELDORF - BENRATH
Pedestrian zone
31.7. - 02.8.2009

LEVERKUSEN - OPLADEN
An der Schusterinsel
07.8. - 10.8.2009

FRANKFURT
Roßmarkt (market place), Goetheplatz (square) 
20.8. - 23.8.2009

KARLSRUHE
City centre, castle square
04.9. - 06.9.2009

 

• www.bierboerse.com