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Hi there,
We'll be staying in Hannover during Oktoberfest this year and would like to know if the city has any cool outdoor festivities or carnivals during this time? I checked hannover.de but I didn't see anything for Oktoberfest.
Holly
Holly,
I'm afraid you have picked the wrong city for Oktoberfest. It is not some general German tradition but one specifically from Munich, and it seems to me that the people of Munich were more successful in exporting the tradition to North America than to the rest of Germany. In Hannover and elsewhere outside of Munich, the last two September weeks are nothing special - which of course doesn't preclude any unrelated events of course. However, Hannover is the heart of protestant North Germany which is traditionally wary of carnivals and such, while the more "modern" events (outdoor concerts etc.) are usually restricted to summer months...
Despite that there is a lot to see in and around Hannover - enjoy!
There's an 'Oktoberfest' from September, 23 to October, 9. But of course the famous Oktoberfest is at Munich.
You can download a brochure (German, 1.6 MByte) about autumn events in the Hannover region:
tourismus-hannover-region.de/data/Herbstleuc…
Or oder it at
tourismus-hannover-region.de/php/service_bro…
For general infos go to
The general German term of such events is "Volksfest". The 14.500 Volksfeste in Germany draw some 178 mio visitors yearly.
Oktoberfest is just the name of a big and famous one in Munich (plus a few copies named after it).
Volksfeste in other towns in Upper Bavaria are quite similar to the Oktoberfest with beer tents etc.
Other regions have different cultures and the Volkfeste thus also differ.
www.oktoberfest.de in Munich
The biggest beer festival on the planet.
http://www.schuetzenfest-hannover.de
is the main Volksfest in Hannover (but in July).
Schützenfest is a Volksfest where (at least historically) the local shooting club/guild (often the successors of the town guard) has the market rights. The "market" part is today no more that important, as you can buy all things year around. With the time the fun fair part got more important. Of course you can buy also a beer there. And the Schützenfest Hannover is much older than the Oktoberfest in Munich. And of course also the biggest Schützenfest on the planet.
589. Dürkheimer Wurstmarkt
http://www.duerkheimer-wurstmarkt.de/ (de,en)
Despite its name (Wurstmarkt = sausage market) - a wine festival. The biggest wine festival on the planet.
Cranger Kirmes in Herne
http://www.cranger-kirmes.de/ (de,en)
Also a long tradition. Once a horse market.
Approx. 4 mio visitors (Oktoberfest ~ 6,5 mio).
