The 2013 Oktoberfest logo has been decided! On February 6, 2013, the winner was announced here in Munich. With the theme, “The Maßkrug holds more than beer,” the winner for the 180th Oktoberfest is Akim Sämmer. Born in 1992, he is a student at the Munich Academy U5. His interpretation shows the many facetted sides of the Oktoberfest: The white & blue Munich sky, the carnival rides, the midway, and the gingerbread hearts all combined together in one colorful beer stein.  The jury unanimously decided that after many years of a traditional look, it was high time for a modern “Eye-catching” motif.

The grand prize winning design will be printed on 10,000 posters and appears on the internet, T-Shirts, and all licensed souvenirs, as well as the beloved collector beer steins. The winner of the design contest pockets € 2,500 while second and third place take home € 1,250 and 500, respectively. The jury chose these 3 from 18 proposals from 9 different participants.

Have a look at the other designs and see what you think. As always, art is subjective and this one is sure to be controversial. I definitely like it better than the other designs this year and agree with his concept that Oktoberfest is much more than just beer. I’ve said for years that those people who go thinking it’s a beer festival are missing the whole point!

Past Winners

And, how do you think this year’s design compares to previous years?

To back even further in history and see some of the older designs, you can click here.  To experience the real Bavaria in 2013, you need to travel with the Bavaria Specialists at BayernTrips: Click here for details on our 2013 Oktoberfest Trip.