Festivals in Germany in October

Oktoberfest in Munich

Oktoberfest in Munich is the highlight of Germany's festival calendar. Every September and October, over 6.4 million visitors from around the world mingle with locals to celebrate Bavarian culture, cuisine, and - of course - beer. Editor's note: Because of extraordinary circumstances, Oktoberfest will not take place in 2020.

During Oktoberfest, everyone is a bit German. Sing the beloved beer hall songs, ride the riesenrad (Ferris Wheel), dress in tracht, and dance on the tables.

Where: Theresienwiese (fairgrounds) in Munich

Tag der deutschen Einheit

October 3 is Tag der deutschen Einheit (Day of German Unity) and celebrates the country's reunification in 1990.

This is a national holiday that almost every German city celebrates, but the best open-air festivities are held in a different German city each year. Note that as it is a holiday, banks, grocery stores, and many businesses will be closed.

Where: Throughout Germany

Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival

Germany has the largest pumpkin festival in the world. There are 450,000 pumpkins on display, plus chainsaw carving competitions, pumpkins on the menu, and giant pumpkins getting weighed and smashed. The highlight of the event is when people in hollowed out pumpkins take to the water in a wild boat race. All of this with the backdrop of an elegant palace and a Märchengarten (Fairy Tale Garden).

Where: Ludwigsburg Castle

Cannstatter Wasen in Stuttgart

The Cannstatter Wasen started as an autumn fair in 1818 and quickly became one of the leading beer festivals in Germany.

Celebrate the season with satisfying Swabian food, beer and wine, and bring the family for Oompah bands, roller coasters, and the world’s largest mobile Ferris wheel. The highlight is the opening street parade with horse-drawn wagons and citizens in local dress.

Where: Bad Cannstatt in Stuttgart

Deutsches Weinlesefest

The German Wine Route has many wine festivals throughout the year with Deutsches Weinlesefest (German Wine Harvesting Festival) in October. This is the site of Germany's largest wine festival parade with more than 100,000 visitors. It is also the second largest wine festival in the world, after the nearby Dürkheimer Wurstmarkt.

A wine queen and princess are crowned and visitors drink out of goblets known as dubbeglas, regional 50 cl glasses suited for wines of the Palatinate region.

Where: Neustadt an der Weinstraße

Festival of Lights in Berlin

During the Festival of Lights, more than 45 of Berlin's most iconic landmarks and historic buildings are illuminated from 7 p.m. until 1 a.m. every night.

The festival features laser light shows and projections that transform sites like the Berlin TV Tower, Museum Island, the Brandenburg Gate, and many more of the city's top sites into mystical visions. Special "lightseeing tours" are offered by bus, boat, or bicycle.

Where: Berlin

Frankfurt Book Fair

Frankfurter Buchmesse is the world's largest trade fair for books. It is the place to be for book lovers, publishers, translators, and authors.

Each year, the book fair sees close to 300,000 visitors from 100 countries peruse over 400,000 books.

During the week, the book fair is only open to accredited trade-visitors, but come on the last weekend of the fair, when everybody can take a peek into the international world of media. Enjoy readings, exhibitions, concerts, and films alongside the presentation of books.

Where: Trade Fairgrounds in Frankfurt

Reformation Day

On October 31, Germans do not traditionally celebrate Halloween; they commemorate the religious holiday of Reformationstag ("Day of Reformation").

Reformation Day dates back to 1517 when Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the Wittenberg Castle Church door. This action brought forth the Protestant Reformation and massive changes in the church and society.

Events on Reformation Day are subdued, but the recent 500-year-anniversary was cause for celebration and most of Germany enjoyed the public holiday.

Where: Official holiday in five states: Brandenburg, Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt