How to Throw Your Own Oktoberfest from the Comfort of Your Home

Bavarian beer, specifically. And if you can find something from one of the "approved" German brewers (Augustiner-Bräu, Paulaner, Spaten-Franziskaner, Löwenbräu, Hacker-Pschorr-Bräu and Hofbräu), all the better!

The official Oktoberfest collector's mug would be ideal, but if you can't get your hands on it, anything that resembles a beer stein, like these, will do the trick.

FWIW, lederhosen is traditionally for men, dirndl traditionally for women. If you think you're wearing anything other than these classics to your Oktoberfest party, you must be sorely mistaken. Shop here and here, for a start.

To include, but not limited to: sausage of all varieties (but especially bratwurst), fresh soft pretzels and wiesn-hendl, aka a plate of roast chicken. Need some inspiration? Find some recipes here, here and here!

The soundtrack at Munich's Oktoberfest is all polka and folk music (during the day, at least), so your at-home Oktoberfest should sound the same! Spotify has every kind of music these days, so you should be in good hands.

Whether you outsource a fancy event tent or just pitch your own canopy, a good tent is crucial to an authentic Oktoberfest. Basically the entire festival in Munich takes place under a series of tents, with reservable space that's more competitive that a new Manhattan bistro. Your backyard set-up will likely be much more accommodating, but this is the intended atmosphere in which to enjoy your Bavarian beer.