A Texas traveler made the journey all the way to Munich for Oktoberfest, only to discover that the world-famous festival bears a striking resemblance to something he could have experienced much closer to home: a county fair.
It’s a relatable moment for many Americans who travel abroad with certain expectations about cultural traditions, only to find that reality doesn’t quite match the romanticized version they had in mind and could even be surprisingly mundane.
Is Oktoberfest Just Like A State Fair?
In a viral video with more than 1.3 million views, content creator @skiagguusa shared his surprise upon arriving at Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.
Rather than the purely traditional beer hall experience he may have envisioned, he found roller coasters and funnel cake stands.
“And who was gonna tell me that Oktoberfest is just the damn county fair? I flew all the way to Munich, and I get here, and it’s damn roller coasters and funnel cake stands. I didn’t have to leave Texas for this,” he points out.
The creator recounts overhearing a German man nearby who tried to explain the appeal.
“This German dude overheard me gossiping about it, and then he was like, ‘Oh, but you’re going for the experience. You’re going for the…’ First of all, buddy, shut up,” @skiagguusa says.
“If I wanted to experience getting drunk and riding roller coasters, I would sneak a damn beatbox into Six Flags,” he continues.
He then pans the camera to show the fairground, which quite literally looks like Coney Island or a Midwestern state fair.
“You can’t tell me this is not giving Iowa State fair. I’m gonna have a good-a– time, but why? Let’s be realistic, it is what it is,” he adds.
The video also shows what he describes as “German Luigi with this, like, knock-off Mario Kart type beat.”
Despite his initial shock at the carnival-like atmosphere, the creator maintained a positive attitude. “I’m actually having a really great time,” he wrote in the video’s caption.
What Is Oktoberfest?
Oktoberfest is the largest folk festival in the world, where people fill their cups with lager, dance to German folk music, and yes—go on carnival rides, National Geographic reported.
The festival’s fairground atmosphere has deep roots. After the Bavarian Agricultural Association took over organizing the event in 1811, they held cattle markets and displays of prize-winning animals similar to a modern state fair.
When the city of Munich assumed control in 1819, the modern Oktoberfest began to take shape with the addition of merry-go-rounds, Ferris wheels, and chicken roasteries.
While beer is certainly central to the experience—with approximately six million liters consumed each year—the carnival rides and food stands have been part of Oktoberfest’s identity for over 200 years.
The original festival in 1810 was held to celebrate a royal wedding and centered around horse races, not beer tents. Beer concessions didn’t even begin until 1815.
The festival draws millions of visitors from around the world, many of whom may expect a purely traditional German beer hall experience. But the reality is that Oktoberfest has always been a hybrid event—part agricultural fair, part beer festival, and part carnival.
And despite the name, the 16-day festival mostly takes place in September, not October.
Festival-goers complained about Bavaria’s rainy October weather as early as 1828, and by 1905, the event was officially moved to late September. So not only is Oktoberfest more carnival-like than many expect, it’s not even in October. Bummer.
Commenters React
“Thank you for deinfluencing me,” a top comment read.
“I think Americans would understand Germany a lot more if we all realize that Midwestern culture is essentially americanized German culture lol. Lots of Germans settled here,” a person said.
“Flying to Germany to find the Iowa State Fair would make me crash out,” another wrote.
“I had the SAME REACTION….like I flew across the ocean for this,” a commenter shared.
@skiagguusa im actually having a really great time #munich #münchen #oktoberfest #oktoberfest2025 #deutschland🇩🇪
BroBible reached out to @skiagguusa via TikTok direct message and comment. We’ll be sure to update this if they respond.