Taufkirchner team inspires at the Oktoberfest: experience tradition and celebrities!

Taufkirchner team inspires at the Oktoberfest: experience tradition and celebrities!

The Theresienwiese in Munich is once again the scene of the world's largest folk festival - the Oktoberfest. With its colorful marquees and lively attractions, the Oktoberfest attracts not only locals but also international visitors. In 2023, a total of 7.2 million people attended the festival, which is a new record. Oktoberfest, which has been celebrated annually since 1810, has established itself over the centuries as one of Munich's most important traditions.

In the middle of the hustle and bustle is the Taufkirchner service team, which, with 60 members, including 14 couples, ensures a lively atmosphere in the popular Fischer-Vroni festival hall. The team is led by Rosi Grübl and Hannes Schirmbeck, both of whom can look back on many years of experience at the Oktoberfest. Schirmbeck found his way through various tents; After a short guest appearance at the Käfer, he went on to the Hippodrome and then to the Winzerer Fähndl. A colleague, Bernie Pfanzelt, also started with the Beetle, but had to change tents after five hours due to a lack of guests.

A traditional tent with flair

The Fischer-Vroni is known for its civilized atmosphere and is particularly appreciated by more traditional guests. Here, the people of Taufkirch serve an average of over 300 guests every day. The waitresses and waiters work in small groups and share the income. A highlight of the Fischer-Vroni is the “Steckerlfisch” – grilled fish on a skewer, whether mackerel or trout, as well as the delicious Bavarian meat dishes. The beer tradition doesn't fall by the wayside either: the freshly tapped beer comes from wooden barrels and follows the tradition of the Augustiner brewery.

The international guests, like the Australian Phil, who visits the Oktoberfest every year, are particularly pleasing. A special event will be organized for the readers of the Erdinger/Dorfener Anzeiger, where a lunch will be offered. Rosi Grübl's daughter Laura has been part of the team for five years, which underlines the special community among the waitresses.

Cultural highlights and traditions

The Fischer-Vroni is musically accompanied by the Munich musicians under the direction of Markus Feierabend, who took over the scepter from Sepp Folger. Every day the band heats things up until 6 p.m., while in the evening the most popular Oktoberfest band, Münchner Zwietracht, performs. Another tongue-in-cheek tradition takes place on the last evening of the Oktoberfest, when women in lederhosen and men in dirndls serve the last round of beer.

Oktoberfest has developed enormously over the years and now offers 38 festival tents with a total of 117,000 seats on an area of ​​42 hectares. The beer price varies depending on the tent and in 2023 will be between 12.60 and 14.10 euros per pint. This festival is known not only for its diverse attractions, but also for the security measures, which range from bans on backpacks and bags to increased police presence. The city of Munich has even set up an Oktoberfest barometer to track the occupancy of the tents in real time.

In total, Oktoberfest generates a turnover of 1.2 billion euros, including overnight stays and culinary offerings. Despite challenges, such as the pandemic-related cancellation in 2020 and 2021, Oktoberfest remains an integral part of Bavarian culture and attracts international imitators in cities such as Qingdao (China) and Kitchener (Canada).

For the Taufkirchner service team, which has now specialized in the quieter Fischer-Vroni and has been working together here since 2010, the Oktoberfest is not just a business, but a living tradition full of friendship and cohesion. It will be interesting to see what stories and experiences will make the rounds in the coming Oktoberfest years.

Merkur, Oktoberfest.de and Wikipedia provides us with interesting insights into this colorful hustle and bustle.