The minimum number of days that Oktoberfest lasts is 16 days.
Munich’s Oktoberfest is scheduled to begin on the Saturday after September 15 and traditionally end on the first Sunday in October. That calendar arrangement produces a festival of at least 16 days. Depending on how the dates fall, the celebration can last 17 or 18 days, especially when German Unity Day on October 3 extends the closing period.
Despite its name, most of Oktoberfest takes place in September. The festival was moved earlier in the year in 1872 because Munich’s October weather was often cold and unreliable. The modern event is held at the Theresienwiese fairground, commonly shortened to “Wiesn.”
A common mistake is to answer “two weeks,” which is a useful approximation but not the precise minimum. The duration can also vary in exceptional years: the 2010 bicentenary, for example, included an additional historical festival area and an extra day. Regular editions, however, fall within the 16-to-18-day range.