The difference between Munich Springfest and Oktoberfest is obvious in some ways but more subtle in others. You may think that if it looks like Oktoberfest, swims like Oktoberfest, and quacks like Oktoberfest, that it must be the same as Oktoberfest. But alas, not all Bavarian folk festivals are created equal.
This post covers how these two festivals stack up against each other, how they’re alike, and which one is better. For all the most important stuff you need to know about “Oktoberfest’s little sister,” check out my quick and easy guide to Munich Springfest here too. Enjoy!
Munich Springfest 2025 will take place from Friday, April 25 – Sunday, May 11.
The difference between Munich Springfest and Oktoberfest
If you’ve been to Oktoberfest and you’re thinking about attending Munich’s Springfest (also known as Frühlingsfest in German), prepare for a world of difference. Some good, some bad, but at least you’ve still got beer.
1. The size
Oktoberfest is one of the biggest and most epic festivals on the planet, so naturally anything else is going to be smaller. How small exactly? Well, Oktoberfest sees anywhere between 6 and 7 million visitors each year. Springfest sees about 1 million in the same amount of time.
Oktoberfest has 17 large beer tents (and 21 small ones) and Munich Springfest has just 2. TWO. The tents themselves are smaller too. Festhalle Bayernland (the bigger of the two) holds up to 5,000 people while the Hippodrom holds just 2,000.
Granted, 2,000 people in one single tent is still the biggest party most of us have attended in a long time, so there’s that. And when you’re inside the Festhalle Bayernland and the party is going, it really doesn’t feel all that small.
The smaller size of Springfest is nowhere more apparent than when you approach the main entrance. It just looks so small and… sad. Given that Springfest is held at the same location as Oktoberfest makes the size difference really stand out. There are rides and games and food vendors and all the same stuff as Oktoberfest, just on a much, much smaller scale.
If you’re looking for the most epic party of your life, Springfest isn’t it. But if you’re looking to attend a Bavarian volksfest without the intense overwhelm and crowds of Oktoberfest, than Springfest is perfect for you!
2. The tents
So yes, one major difference between Munich Springfest and Oktoberfest is how few tents there are. Besides the number, the tents are different too. It might make sense that the two Springfest tents would be two of the ones you’d find at Oktoberfest also, but that’s not the case. The two Frühlingsfest beer tents are:
- Festhalle Bayernland
- Hippodrom
As someone who had only attended Oktoberfest for the previous ten years, these were brand new to me. (Even though they’ve been around for almost half a century.) My first year at Oktoberfest was 2014.
However, if you had attended Oktoberfest before 2014, you may recognize one of them. The Hippodrom actually used to be one of the big Oktoberfest beer tents until its owner Sepp Krätz was convicted of tax evasion and banned from the festival. The Marstall tent took its place and has a similar look and the same bougie vibe.
And even though these may not be the beer tents you’re used to, they’re still beer tents. Huge structures covered in decorations, streamers, and lights, with big stages, big tables and benches, and everything you’ve come to expect.
3. The people who attend
Given that Springfest is much less well-known outside of Germany and is much smaller than Oktoberfest, that means it attracts fewer tourists. Munich Springfest is very much a locals-only festival. That’s not to say that tourists aren’t welcome, it’s just that you’ll hardly see any tourists at all.
Even though Germans still make up the majority of Oktoberfest attendees, it still packs in millions of tourists each year. The vast majority of which come from the USA (17.6%), followed by Italy (15.7%), and Great Britain (12.4%). [2024 stats] At Springfest however, you may feel like the only foreigner in the room.
4. The average age
Something else you’ll notice about the people at Springfest is how young the crowd is. At Oktoberfest, you see visitors of all ages; it’s really a pretty consistent mix of anyone from 18 to 88. But at Frühlingsfest, I’d wager the average age is around 25?
The legal beer drinking age in Germany is 16, so don’t be surprised when you see a beer tent full of what looks like actual children in lederhosen. Springfest is definitely a younger festival than Oktoberfest, where a table of octogenarians wouldn’t even grab your attention. If I saw an 80-year-old man at Springfest, I probably would’ve checked to see if there were any active silver alerts.
That being said, there’s a lot about today’s 20-year-olds that I love. While waiting in line for the bathroom at the Festhalle Bayernland tent, some random guy started trying to get me to go to a party somewhere. A girl I’d never met walked up and pretended to be my friend and made up some story to get this guy to leave. Girls looking out for other girls, especially when they don’t know them, is about as badass as you can get. (But now I’m wondering if she was just concerned that I’d wandered off from my caretaker.)
5. The vibe
Because it’s not held to the same rules and standards that Oktoberfest is, Munich Springfest is much less about tradition and way more about party.
Oktoberfest has been around since 1810 and still maintains standards as to how many traditional aspects need to be incorporated. Things like how long each day bands must play traditional Bavarian music before the party can get going, etc. Springfest has only been around since 1965 and its purpose is more to celebrate the fact that it’s finally spring and the start of the Bavarian volksfest season.
But while Springfest certainly has its fair share of traditional aspects, that’s not the whole vibe here. Instead, it’s more about having a totally feral time. (If you’ve been to Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart, Springfest is kind of like that.) It takes NO TIME at all for the party to get going at Springfest. You show up for your reservations and BOOM, you’re on the bench pretty much immediately.
6. The bathroom situation
I’m extremely grateful that the bathroom situation at Oktoberfest is something I don’t have to worry about. Each tent has its own semi-permanent bathroom inside, with plenty of stalls, and bathroom attendants that keep it clean, stocked with toilet paper, and who keep the lines moving. There’s only been a couple of times I’ve experienced less-than-stellar bathroom service.
Springfest doesn’t have that. Instead, the tents have exterior bathroom trailers where you wait in long lines that run right through the smoking section. It’s such a drag (no pun intended). They’re also outside and without cover. Oktoberfest bathrooms have spoiled me!
7. The special events
Another difference between Munich Springfest and Oktoberfest are the special events you can attend. At Oktoberfest, these events are all geared towards the festival’s traditional roots—things like the brass band concert, the crossbow shooting competition, and even an agricultural fair some years.
At Springfest, you can visit Bavaria’s largest flea market (with around 2,000 vendors), watch the fireworks shows on Friday nights, or attend the classic car show. All random things in my book.
How Springfest and Oktoberfest are alike
All that said, there are still plenty of ways that Frühlingsfest and Oktoberfest are similar. For instance:
Springfest vs. Oktoberfest: Which is better?
So, which is better—Oktoberfest or Springfest? That answer really depends on what you want to get out of your Bavarian beer festival experience.
Oktoberfest is better if…
- You want to attend one of the biggest, baddest festivals in the world
- Fall travel is better for you
- You don’t want to be the only tourist in the room
- You’re over 40 (lol?)
- You want more than just two tents to choose from
- The high cost of hotels during Oktoberfest is not a deal-breaker
Munich Springfest is better if…
- You want to experience something more “authentic” and local (and less “touristy”)
- Crowds in the millions give you anxiety just thinking about them
- You feel overwhelmed by the number of tents and how much planning you’ll have to do
- Spring travel is better for you
- You don’t care about Bavarian traditions and just want to get drunk and party
- You need to stick to a reasonable budget
My personal opinion
While I love them both, Oktoberfest is still better in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong; I had a fantastic time at Frühlingsfest in 2024. Well, in the Festhalle Bayernland I did. The Hippodrom was pretty boring; I just couldn’t get into it.
But Oktoberfest is just an event on another level altogether; you really can’t compare anything to it. While the scale of it might intimidate (or terrify) some people, I’m constantly in awe of how it all comes together. (Though I’m definitely of the Go Big or Go Home mindset in general and crowds don’t bother me.)
Attending Munich Springfest feels like knowing a secret that people outside of Bavaria don’t know, so that’s cool. But attending the real Oktoberfest earns you a kind of international street cred that Springfest doesn’t.
There are positives and negatives to both, as with most things in life. If you have to pick one, use the information above to make your decision. Otherwise, attend them both and draw your own conclusions! I fully support this.
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Like this post? Have questions about attending Frühlingsfest in Munich? Let me know in the comments below. Have fun in Germany!
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