Germany is the place to experience beer while having loads of fun. Visit these German beer festivals while you are in Germany.
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#1 Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest is the biggest beer festival in Germany, considering the number of people visiting it every year and the amount of beer consumption.
Official website: https://www.oktoberfest.de/en
Date: 16.09 to 03.10.2023 (dd.mm.yyyy)
City: Munich, Germany
Number of people: 6.3 million visitors (Source: oktoberfest.de)
#2 Starkbierfest
Official website: https://paulaner-nockherberg.com/strong-beer-festival/
Date: 01.03 to 24.03.2024 Traditionally Starkbierfest in Bavaria happens during fasting time. It starts on Ash Wednesday (Aschermittwoch) (March 2, 2022) and can last till Easter Sunday (April 17, 2022). Source: muenchen.travel
City: Munich, Germany
Number of people: 4500 visitors during peak time on weekends (Source: sueddeutsche.de)
#3 Stuttgart Beer Festival (Cannstatter Wasen)
Cannstatter Wasen is the second largest beer festival in Germany, based on the number of people visiting it every year.
Official website: https://www.cannstatter-volksfest.de/de/landing-page/
Date: 22.09 to 08.10.2023
City: Stuttgart, Germany
Number of people: In the past, around 3.5 to 4.2 million visitors visited the Stuttgart Beer Festival. As per ZeitOnline, the number may increase to 5 million in 2022.
#4 Gäubodenvolksfest
Official website: https://www.ausstellungs-gmbh.de/gaeubodenvolksfest/
Date: 11.08 to 21.08.2023
City: Straubing, Germany
Number of people: 1.2 million (Source: Gäubodenvolksfest.de)
#5 Bergkirchweih
Official website: https://erlangen.de/themenseite/thema/bergkirchweih
Date: 16.05 to 27.05.2024
City: Erlangen, Germany
Number of people: 700k to 1 million (Source: nordbayern.de)
#6 Hamburg DOM
Official website: https://www.hamburg.de/dom/
Date: It occurs 3 times a year Winterdom: 10.11 to 10.12.2023 Frühlingsdom (Springdom): 24.03 to 23.04.2023 Sommerdom (Summerdom): 21.07 to 20.08.2023
City: Hamburg, Germany
Number of people: 1.2 million people visited Hamburgdom this spring. (Source: ndr.de)
#7 Freimarkt (Ischa Freimaak)
Official website: https://www.freimarkt.de/en/
Date: 13.10 to 30.11.2023
City: Bremen, Germany
Number of people: 1.2 million people visited Hamburgdom this spring. (Source: ndr.de)
#8 Oktoberfests in Berlin
Several mini Oktoberfests take place in Berlin. Breweries in Berlin host these wonderful festivals for beer lovers.
Official website: https://www.berlin.de/en/events/folk-festivals-fairs/
Date: From mid-September to the first week of October
City: Berlin, Germany
#9 International Berlin Beer Festival
Official website: https://www.beerweek.de
Date: 01.09 to 10.09.2023
City: Berlin, Germany
#10 Kulmbach Beer Week (Kulmbacher Bierwoche)
Official website: https://www.kulmbacher-bierwoche.de/
Date: 27.07 to 04.08.2024
City: Kulmbach, Germany
Number of people: 120k people (Source: Kulmbach Tourism)
#11 Regensburg Dult
Official website: https://www.r-dult.com/
Date: It occurs twice every year Maidult Regensburg: 13.05 to 29.05.2023 Herbstdult Regensburg: 25.08. to 10.09.2023
City: Regensburg, Germany
Number of people: 800k people (Source: Wochenblatt)
#12 Nuremberg's Frühlingsfest
Nuremberg's Frühlingsfest is the third-largest beer festival in Germany. Every year, 2 million people come here to enjoy beer and the beautiful city.
Official website: https://www.volksfest-nuernberg.de/
Date: 25.08 to 10.09.2023
City: Nuremberg, Germany
Number of people: 2 million people (Source: nürnberg.de)
#13 Annafest Forchheim
Official website: https://www.annafest.bayern/
Date: 26.07 to 05.08.2024
City: Forchheim, Germany
Number of people: 0.5 million people (Source:BR24)
#14 Fränkisches Kirschenfest Pretzfeld
Official website: https://www.kirschenfest-pretzfeld.de/
Date: 15.07 to 20.07.2023
City: Pretzfeld, Germany
#15 Walberlafest
Official website: https://www.walberla.de/
Date: It was canceled in 2022 due to concerns about the Corona pandemic. Otherwise, it occurs yearly in the first week of May. 05.05 to 07.05.2023
City: Walberla, Germany
#16 Mendiger Gambrinusfest
Official website: https://www.gambrinusfest-mendig.de/
Date: 17.05 to 21.05.2023
City: Mendig, Germany
#17 Honky Tonk Kneipenfestival
18 different German cities celebrate Honky Tonk festivals on different dates.
Official website: https://www.honky-tonk.de/
Date: The festival occurs in the following months; Jan, Feb, March, April, May, Sept, Oct, and Nov
City: Bad Lauterberg, Villach, Weiz, Höxter, Poppenhausen, Leipzig, Rheine, Wolfsburg, Gifhorn, Braunschweig, Goslar, Bad Salzuflen, Paderborn, Schwerin, Wismar, Eisenach, Stralsund, Peine, Celle, Mühlhausen, Rostock
Beer festivals organized by breweries in Germany
Each brewery organizes its own beer festivals throughout the year. You can find the schedule of such beer festivals in Germany on Beer Universum (German).
What are the largest beer festivals in Germany?
Oktoberfest, Stuttgart Beer Festival (Cannstatter Wasen), and Nuremberg's Frühlingsfest are the top three most visited beer festivals in Germany.
Every year, millions of visitors enjoy several mugs of beer here. Volk music, big tents, and happy faces make the beer festivals in Germany a must-visit.