Eager to see more of Germany, I visited Munich last weekend for Frühlingfest (or Spring Fest). It was a school-organized trip so most events were planned for us which was pleasant. I was excited that we were able to be in Munich for the festival because I have always wanted to experience Oktoberfest and this festival is known as the "little sister" to Oktoberfest.
To compare the two, Oktoberfest has 16 huge beer hall tents, while Spring Fest has only 2! The Frühlingfest was established in 1965 after Mayor Albert Bayerle wanted a festival for kids and young people. Since then, the fest, which lasts 17 days each year, has brought in people from all over who just cannot wait for Oktoberfest!
When my friends and I arrived at the festival, we were taken aback by the size. It was held at a place called Theresienwiese, a HUGE fairground that is also the home to Oktoberfest To put the size of the ground into perspective, it is about 60 soccer fields big. There is a giant Flea Market, a Car parade, carnival rides and games, and a lot of food and drinks! My friends, I decided to dive into the fleamarket first and look around. People were selling clothes, jewelry, shoes, antiques, and artworks. You could really find almost anything under the sun at this market simply because it was huge! I decided to head into the carnival area so that I could meet one of my WS soccer teammates in one of the Beer Halls. Being abroad gives people the chance to travel to different cities at a more affordable price, so Emily was able to come from Copenhagen for the weekend I happened to be there as well. Navigating into the Beer Hall was tricky due to the sheer amount of people there, especially kids running around and parents chasing after them. When I finally made my way to the tent, I was hit with an overwhelming feeling - table after table lined the floor and a big main stage was occupied by a band playing traditional music. Nevertheless, it was exciting to see the full tables and the hustle and bustle of waiters carrying 6 HUGE glasses of beer to their tables.
I was able to locate Emily at her table and my first thoughts were that I did not dress appropriately. Almost EVERYONE was wearing traditional clothing, which is either a Dirndl for women or Lederhosen for men. These are traditional Bavarian outfits that people wore to both Spring and Oktoberfest, so my lack of preparation and participation definitely came back to bite. Everyone was singing to the music and at one point people were standing on the tables chugging their beers as fast as they could while being applauded by the entire hall. I think a lot of people were Americans or international visitors because they know how renowned the festival is and would like to visit.
The same day I returned when it got dark in order to see the festival with all of the lights. Although I am 21, I was still excited to ride the rides because it is something I haven't done in a while. I went on the really high swing ride and it was so cool because I was able to see so much of München at night! The carnival was extremely crowded and at this point (it was full of teenagers and hard to get around) so my friends and I decided to head over to Hofbräuhaus München! This beer hall is known around the world because it dates back to the 16th century and has been producing beer for centuries. It also is an important historical site as it once held Nazi Rallies where Hitler promoted his National Socialist Party in 1920. The Haus was pretty busy but we were able to sit in the beautiful courtyard to enjoy some beer. It was a fun night and seeing so many people out in München made it a really enjoyable time!
I am really appreciative we were able to go to München for a trip as it is now one of my favorite cities and I will definitely be back soon! The Frühlingfest is something I am going to recommend to everyone. Even though it is not as big as Oktoberfest (6 million people come to München each year for Oktoberfest!!) it is still so enjoyable and you are bound to have a fun time. It is funny that beer and drinking can really bring a community together and now people all over the world come to one city to celebrate!
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