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“O’zapft is!” – The ceremonial start of Oktoberfest

Horses during the procession of the Wiesnwirte in front of a tent at the Oktoberfest.

“O’zapft is!” (“It is tapped”) – who doesn’t know these famous words after the first beer barrel has been tapped? With these words, Munich’s Lord Mayor officially opens Oktoberfest, and only then the “liquid gold” may flow in all festival tents. But before these words are spoken at around 12:00 noon by Munich’s Lord Mayor in office, another festive tradition takes place every year to get everyone into the Wiesn spirit: the parade of the Oktoberfest hosts. Read on to find out what awaits you and what this custom looks like.

How does the parade proceed?

Even before the festival tents open and guests spread out on the beer benches inside, the traditional coaches and horse teams form two kilometers away in Josephspitalstraße. At around 10:35 a.m., the procession starts and makes its way via Sonnenstraße, Schwanthalerstraße and Bavariaring towards Theresienwiese.

The first joint parade of the Wiesn hosts already took place back in 1887.

Who takes part in the parade of the Wiesn hosts?

he procession is led by the Münchner Kindl (Munich Child, the heraldic figure of the city). Next follows the carriage of Munich’s current Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter, before the coaches of the large festival tents appear. The Wiesn hosts usually present themselves in highly creative ways: floral decorations and splendid garlands underline the festive character of the teams of four. The whole event is accompanied by traditional brass band music and many cheering spectators along the roadside.

When is the first beer served?

While the procession moves towards Theresienwiese, the first guests are already streaming into the tents. But the very first beer is traditionally not served until after the official barrel tapping at 12:00 noon in the Schottenhamel tent. With the famous words “O’zapft is!”, Munich’s Lord Mayor officially opens Oktoberfest. Only then may beer be served in all festival tents – and the Wiesn is officially underway.

In most of the other large tents, this honor is taken over by the host – including our Peter Inselkammer in the Armbrustschützenzelt (Crossbowmen’s Tent). In the Winzerer Fähndl, the ceremony is even accompanied by the words: “We count down, and then the beer flows.”

What does “O’zapft is!” mean?

The Bavarian expression simply translates to “It is tapped.” It refers to the first beer barrel tapped by the Lord Mayor in the Schottenhamel tent. Since 1950, this exclamation has marked the official opening of Oktoberfest – and today it is one of the most famous traditions of the Wiesn.

We, too, are already counting down the days until the Wiesn kicks off on 20 September 2025!