Expedite Your Passport for Oktoberfest in Germany - Expedited Passports

Germany’s Oktoberfest is going on even as we speak- millions of people from all over the world gathering together to celebrate their love for a cold, frosty brew. Sounds great, doesn’t it? If you feel like you’re in your element in the midst of a large crowd of very drunk people, sure. However, as Matador Travel’s Karyn Johnson discovered, the reality of Oktoberfest is often far less glamorous and far more vomit-filled than the hype. She says:

“This is great if you love meeting people from all over the world, but if you’re looking to mingle with Germans while experiencing a bit of the local culture, you might want to look at any of the smaller Oktoberfest celebrations going on throughout Deutschland. They’re every bit as festive and the beer flows just as much, but they’re less tourist-clogged.”

So, where are these smaller, saner Oktoberfest alternatives? Everywhere, really, but here are some of the most notable:

Cannstatter Volksfest

Canstatter Volksfest lasts three weeks, from late September to early October. Held in Stuttgart, Germany, the festival has much more to offer than beer: carnival rides. local foods, and games beckon as well. The Cannstatter Volksfest was originally an agricultural festival and was founded by the “farmer king,” King Wilhelm I, in 1818, but very little of the original “4-H” vibe remains.

Hamburger Dom Winter Festival

The Hamburger Dom Winter Festival celebrates more than just beer. It attracts locals and tourists alike to the city of Hamburg with carnival rides, games and more. This year’s Winter Dom takes place on the weekend of November 11.

“Auer Dult” Festival

Held in Munich, the Auer Dult is like Oktoberfest’s quieter, more laid-back sibling. A combination of a street market and a carnival, it features beer tents along with carnival rides and the largest ceramics market in Europe. This year, it takes place from October 15th to October 23.

Oktoberfest Hanover

The Oktoberfest in Hanover is the second-largest Oktoberfest in the world. Still, with “only” a million attendees, it’s much more manageable than Munich.

Kulmbacher Beer

Located in northern Bavaria, this beer festival takes place in August, so you’re out of luck this year. It might be worth marking on your calendar for next year, though- the brew is supposed to be a secret traditional recipe served nowhere else and at no other time!

If you’d like to attend a fall beer festival in Europe this year, you’ll need to expedite your passport. Regular processing takes at least six weeks, so it’s really too late for that. If you expedite your passport application via the Department of State, you’re still looking at around three weeks before you’ll have your passport in hand. For faster service, you’ll need to make an appointment at one of the country’s 24 regional passport agency offices, or use a private expediting company like RushMyPasssport for convenient processing in as little as 24 hours.

Expedite your passport with us today!

Fall is almost here, the air is starting to feel just a tad crisp, and its time for Homer Simpson’s favorite holiday-Oktoberfest!  Americans are always eager for an excuse to drink beer and listen to music, so there are plenty of small local Oktoberfests to go to, but wouldn’t it be great to go to the mother of all Oktoberfests in Munich, Germany?

According to Wikipedia, the original Oktoberfest was actually held in 1812, to celebrate the marriage of King Ludwig the 1st to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich had so much fun at the party that they decided to make it an annual event. And really, with beer, cheese and sausages galore, what’s not to like?

Oktoberfest is celebrated in the same meadow as it was in 1812, the Theresienwiese, named after King Ludwig’s bride. However, the event has grown, and is now the largest public festival in the world.  Entrance is free, but it’s not a bad idea to book seats inside one of the beer tents-they do tend to fill up. Some beer tents have free seats available, too. You can find out more at the Oktoberfest website.

This year’s Oktoberfest runs from September 18th  to  October 3rd. Originally, the festival was held in the middle of October, but the date was moved up to take advantage of the gorgeous weather at the end of September.

If you want to attend this year’s Oktoberfest, you’ll need to get a fast passport! Applying for a passport via the government’s expedited processing can still take 3 weeks or longer, and that’s cutting it much too close!

The safest way to go is to get a fast passport from a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. An expediting company can hand-deliver your application to the Department of State to put your paperwork on the top of the stack, resulting in super-fast passport processing times. With RushMyPassport, your new passport could be on its way to you in as little as 24 hours!

Don’t miss out on this year’s Oktoberfest-apply for a fast passport today!