oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is a beer festival and traveling funfair held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is the world’s largest beer festival and travel fair, drawing millions of visitors and featuring numerous beer tents that serve brews brewed for the event by Munich’s six breweries.

The festival began in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. It started as a public horse race and agricultural celebration on the fields in front of the city gates and gradually expanded into a broader festival with rides, stalls, and beer tents on the Theresienwiese, a site still used today.

Oktoberfest typically runs from late September to the first Sunday in October, lasting about 16 to 18 days. The opening ceremony features Munich’s mayor tapping the first keg in the Schottenhamel tent and proclaiming “O’zapft is!” After the opening, beer tents operate daily for visitors, with crowds enjoying a mix of beer, food, and entertainment.

Beer is served in 1-liter mugs called Maß and is brewed specifically for the festival by six Munich breweries: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten. Traditional foods such as pretzels, roast chicken, pork knuckles, sausages, and various pastries accompany the beer, while fairground rides and folk music contribute to the festive atmosphere. Visitors commonly wear traditional attire, with lederhosen for men and dirndls for women.

Oktoberfest is a major cultural and economic event for Munich and Bavaria, attracting visitors from around the world and generating substantial tourism revenue. It has been canceled or altered during wars and the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting its dependence on seasonal attendance and public health considerations.