As a Muslim at Oktoberfest!

My First Oktoberfest Experience in Germany

My first experience with Oktoberfest was in 2022, when I visited Germany for the first time. At that time, I was only beginning to discover Germany, its people, and, of course, German culture and traditions.

My German neighbors invited me to join them at an Oktoberfest-style event in Frankfurt. When we arrived and I saw the traditional clothing for the first time, I immediately thought of horses and their saddles in my Egyptian village. The Lederhose somehow reminded me of the leather and saddles I was familiar with from back home.

At the same time, the clothing was quite unfamiliar to me. For us Egyptians, wearing clothes like this is, of course, anything but normal. I even thought to myself:

“If my mother ever saw me dressed like this, she would probably laugh herself to death!”

Now some of you might be thinking: “Oktoberfest in Frankfurt? Seriously? Isn’t Oktoberfest in Munich?” Yes, I know, I know! 😄

The world-famous and original Oktoberfest, of course, takes place in Munich. The event we went to in Frankfurt was more of a local celebration inspired by the Oktoberfest tradition. But for me, as someone visiting Germany for the first time, it was still a wonderful opportunity to experience this tradition for myself.

There was, however, one small challenge for me when it came to the beer and food: I don’t drink alcohol and I don’t eat pork. And when you think of Oktoberfest, beer and many traditional meat dishes are naturally a big part of the experience. 😄

But don’t worry — I still found something I could eat! I had a pretzel and potato salad, and I drank water or apple spritzer.

So I could enjoy the atmosphere and take part without drinking beer or eating pork. Maybe that didn’t make me the most typical Oktoberfest visitor — but probably one of the most sober! 😂

But the longer I stayed, the more I discovered other interesting aspects of the tradition.

For example, there are competitions such as Maßkrugstemmen, in which participants hold a one-liter beer mug with their arm fully extended for as long as possible.

And yes — women take part in these competitions too! There are different competitions and records for men and women.

I even held a Maßkrug myself — a whole liter! 😄 I’ve uploaded the photo here as well.

You might think it doesn’t look that difficult. But when you have to hold a full liter with your arm stretched out, you quickly realize just how heavy it actually is!

The following year, after I had moved to Germany, I had the opportunity to experience Oktoberfest in a completely different way.

My neighbors invited me to their home to celebrate together with them and several of their friends. This time, I wasn’t simply a visitor at a festival; I was part of a small group celebrating together at home. And there I experienced something for the first time that I had never encountered before: beer from a keg — beer tapped directly from the barrel.

It was these little things that made the experience particularly interesting for me: people come together, talk, laugh, eat, and drink — and along the way, you get to meet new people and discover new sides of German culture.

Of course, I still didn’t drink beer myself. But I could still participate, observe, ask questions, and simply enjoy the atmosphere.

And this is where I began to understand something important about cultural exchange:

Cultures do not have to be the same for people to understand one another. Sometimes, all it takes is sharing a moment together.

In 2022, I experienced Oktoberfest as a visitor who had come to Germany for the first time.

Back then, I never imagined that less than a year later, in September 2023, I would move to Germany and begin a new life here.

Over time, Oktoberfest therefore became more than just a tourist experience for me. I began to experience it through my relationships with my neighbors and friends — through invitations to their homes, evenings spent together, and all those small everyday moments that you can never really learn from a travel guide.

Today, when I look back on my first Oktoberfest experience, I see more than just beer and traditional clothing. It was one of my first windows into German life and culture from the inside.

And perhaps that is exactly what makes experiences like this so beautiful: you begin as a guest, gradually become part of a community, and learn that behind every tradition there is not only a history and a culture, but above all, people — people you can meet, connect with, and share something with.

For me, Oktoberfest was therefore not simply a festival.

It was one of my first real encounters with Germany.

Thank you to everyone who reads with interest and remains open-minded – it truly means a lot to me. Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences; I look forward to the exchange! 🙂 Ma’assalama (goodbye) 🌙✨

P.S. The text was corrected with the help of AI, but the content and ideas are entirely my own.
Ragab Kamal Abouhalima, Philipps-Universität Marburg. Germany

Ragab Kamal Abouhalima

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