It is almost time to be thinking about Oktoberfest and Germany here is a great place to start you dreaming about this great event http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/ A few quick questions and answers are:
When will Oktoberfest 2008 take place?
On Saturday, September 20th, the Schottenhamel tent is the place to be, if you want to catch the official opening ceremonies. At noontime, 12pm, the lord mayor of Munich will have the honor of tapping the first keg of Oktoberfest beer. Once the barrel has been tapped, all visitors will then be allowed to quench their thirst. It pays to arrive early in order to experience the festivities up close and personal and it’s quite common for visitors to come around 9am to secure good seats. The festival will last until October 5th, 2008.

What are the opening hours?
Beer Serving HoursWeekdays: 10am - 10:30pmSaturdays, Sundays and holidays: 9am - 10:30pmDaily Tent Closing Time: 11:30pmThe "Käfer Wiesn-Schänke" and the "Weinzelt" are open until 1am. Last call for alcohol: 12:15am.