In which month does Munich's Oktoberfest usually begin?

Munich’s Oktoberfest usually begins in September.

Although its name refers to October, the festival generally opens in the second half of September and runs into early October. Since 1994, it has normally lasted 16 days, ending on the first Sunday in October. If that Sunday falls before German Unity Day on 3 October, the festival is extended through the holiday.

The schedule was moved earlier partly because Munich’s October weather can be cool and unsettled. Beginning in September gives visitors more favorable conditions while preserving the traditional finish in October. The opening date is usually the Saturday after 15 September, which is why the exact calendar date changes from year to year.

This timing explains a frequent quiz mistake: Oktoberfest is not normally an October-starting event. October remains part of the festival and supplies its name, but the opening ceremony, including the mayor’s tapping of the first keg, takes place in September. The festival was first held in October 1810, before the modern schedule developed.