Oktoberfest season is already in full swing, the first Oktoberfests are already over. So is Wiesn in Munich. Nevertheless, there are still countless opportunities to experience Bavarian culture up close in Switzerland.
For Munich, Wiesn means no less than 14 days of enthusiasm with plenty of alcohol. Everything has a tradition of over 200 years. Alcohol, band music and hearty food on narrow wooden tables transport you into the white-blue sky: Oktoberfest is also becoming increasingly popular in Switzerland.
The first real Swiss Oktoberfest took place 25 years ago in Zurich Bauschänzli. The success resonated, and today every self-respecting city has its own Bavarian feast. The biggest Oktoberfest is at the Zurich main station, with around 10,000 people visiting the “Züri Wiesn” every year.
The Oktoberfest need, and correspondingly happy crowd drinking, laughing, dancing, offers Oktoberfest fans just the right kind of event culture. Celebrated all year long in Ibiza or Mallorca’s Ballermann, you can leave the rigors of everyday life behind, at least in autumn.
Traditional costumes are popular
Of course, commerce also benefits from the Oktoberfest boom. By the way, it is also considered etiquette to have varieties of sweet mustard and white sausage in Swiss grocery stores. The traditional Munich sausage is correctly “gated,” meaning it is absorbed through the skin. Clothing stores offer their own aisle with lederhosen and dirndl in all price ranges until the end of August at the latest. Because just like in Bavaria, traditional costumes are part of Oktoberfest. When it comes to beer, there are no reservations anyway – a good wheat beer breaks all boundaries.