All dates and events are subject to change. Contact the Munich Tourist Office at Sendlinger Strasse 1 at the Hauptbahnhof (tel. 089/233-96-500) for more information. The board publishes a free calendar of forthcoming events three times a year: in April, October, and January; the first two are biannual calendars and the last is a yearly preview. The calendars list the dates of trade fairs and exhibitions, theatrical and musical performances, local folk festivals, sporting events, conferences, and congresses throughout Germany.
For events beyond those listed here, check http://events.frommers.com, where you'll find a searchable, up-to-the-minute roster of what's happening in cities all over the world.
February
Fasching (Carnival). Pre-Lenten revelry characterizes this weeks-long bash, with a whirl of colorful parades and masked balls. Special events are staged at the Viktualienmarkt. The celebration, which culminates on Fasching Sunday and Shrove Tuesday, lasts 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the dates of the Lenten season. For specifics, call the Munich Tourist Office (tel. 089/233-96-500).
Munich Fashion Week. The latest and often most elegant parades of fashion are staged at various venues across the city. Mid-February.
March
Starkbierzeit. The "strong beer season" provides serious beer drinkers with a fresh crop to tide them over until Oktoberfest. Just a pint of one of the dense brews churned out specifically for the season (beginning the third Fri of Lent and lasting 2 weeks) ought to satiate most buzz seekers. Beers with the suffix "-ator" (Salvator, for example) were created to be consumed at Lent. This dalliance from the strict fasting rules of Lent was approved by the pope long ago: When he tasted what Münchners had been imbibing, he found it unpleasant enough to think that anyone who drank it would not be violating the fast. (What he didn't realize was that the beer had traveled a considerable distance to get to him, which is why it was bad!) The tradition continues.
April & May
Auer Dult. A Munich tradition, Auer Dult is a colorful 8-day flea market that occurs three times a year. Prize antiques and vintage junk await the most disciplined bargain hunters. Merchants set up shop on the Mariahilfplatz on the last Saturday in April (Maidult), the end of July (Jakobidult), and the end of October (Herbst Dult).
Corpus Christi Street Processions. Street parades with dressed-up horses, a carried statue symbolizing Christ, girls dressed in white, a canopy, priests, and other functionaries are seen all around the region on the Thursday following the eighth Sunday after Easter.
June
Munich Film Festival. This festival isn't as popular as the February International Film Festival in Berlin, but it draws a serious audience. Late June.
Tollwood. This summer music festival, originated by environmentalists, honors the free spirit of jazz, blues, and rock from the third week in June through the first week of July in Olympiapark. Ask at the Munich Tourist Office.
July
Opera Festival and Munich Summer of Music. The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra's Summer of Music and the Bavarian State Opera Festival highlight the work of Munich's prodigal son, Wagner, and other masters including Mozart, Orff, Mahler, and Strauss. Contact the Munich Tourist Office (tel. 089/233-96-500) for details. All month.
Christopher Street Day. The big day for the estimated 100,000 gay men and lesbians who live in the city attracts people from across Bavaria. This fun-filled parade, with its outrageous costumes, is one of the largest such events in Europe. It is named after the street in New York's Greenwich Village that was the site of the 1960s Stonewall Riots, said to have launched the gay liberation movement. Mid-July.
Auer Dult. See the Auer Dult entry under "April & May," above.
August
Olympiapark Sommerfest. This well-attended summer festival near Coubertin Platz is an outdoor musical scene that ranges from classical music to rock and jazz, along with productions staged in the park's open-air theater. Admission is free. For details, call tel. 089/30-67-0 or visit www.olympiapark.de.
September
How to “do” Oktoberfest
The world’s greatest beer festival starts in September and runs to the first Sunday in October. All the trinken und essen (drinking and eating) at this giant 2 1/2-week party takes place at the traditional Theresienwiese (“Wiesn” for short) festival grounds, where different beers are sold in 14 different tents, each with its own atmosphere and food (sausage and sauerkraut prevail). If you’ve got kids with you (they’ll love the rides), the Augustiner tent is considered to be the most family-friendly tent. The best food is found at Käfer’s Wiesn’n-Schanke. Oktoberfest beer is delicious but strong, with a 5 to 7 percent alcohol level, and it’s served in 1-liter portions. Translation: Pace your beer drinking and drink plenty of water, or you may find yourself on the floor instead of at the table. The Wiesn welcomes millions of visitors, but only has seating for about 100,000, so if you want to sit, especially on busy weekend evenings, it’s imperative to arrive early—the gates open at 10am—and claim your space.
October
Auer Dult. See the Auer Dult entry under "April & May," above.
November
Christkindlmarkt. Every evening at 5:30pm, classic Christmas music bellows throughout the Christmas market on seasonally lit Marienplatz. You may even catch a glimpse of the real St. Nick. Traditionally runs from late November to Christmas Eve.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
