About Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is the most popular event in Germany. Every year residents from all over the country, as well as a massive number of foreigners, come to the south of Germany for the world's largest party. Especially well-attended by residents of the southern region of Bavaria, the festival is well known for its specially brewed beer, music and friendly atmosphere.

Facts

Oktoberfest is held annually in the city of Munich, in an area known as the Theresienweiss, or D'wiesn (as it is referred to locally). The festival lasts for 16 days and regularly draws more than six million visitors. The event dates fall on the 16 days leading up to and including the first Sunday in October. However, when the first Sunday is either October 1 or 2, the festival extends a day or two to either 17 or 18 days long so that October 3, the date of German reunification, can be part of the celebration.

History

The first Oktoberfest took place October 18, 1810. It began as a celebration of remembrance for the marriage of Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxon-Hildburghausen. The grounds of the festival, the Theresienweiss, were named after the princess. The citizens of Munich were invited to the party celebration, whose main feature was a horse race. As the race became an annual event so too did the party. The horse race is no longer a part of the festival. With the addition of mechanical rides in the late 1800s to the event, many of the more odd, yet amusing, events stopped. Tree climbing, goose chasing and mush eating competitions are things of the past now.

Geography

Originally, the grounds of the festival were all open air. But these days, the festival takes place in more than a dozen massive, temporary structures, each devoted to a specific brewery. Though often referred to simply as tents, these structures do tend to be a little more elaborate. Each tent has a title, sometimes simply the name of the brewery serving at that tent, and each of the tents has certain customs associated with it. The Schottenhamel tent, for example, is considered the most important tent because it's in this tent that the festival commences with the mayor of Munich tapping the first keg. Also, there is the cross bow shooters tent, Armbrustschützenzel, first erected in 1895 and to this day hosts a cross bow competition. Many of the tents have traditional brass bands and often someone in traditional Bavarian dress will be yodeling.

Beer

Strict German Purity Laws that date back to 1487 ensure drinking beer in Germany will be an enjoyable experience. Most beer sold at the festival is brewed solely for Oktoberfest. The beer brewed is bottom fermented, a lager, and is generally both darker and with a higher alcohol content. This type of beer is known as Marzen, which refers to the month of March. Before refrigeration, beer brewing for the festival took place in March and was then allowed to ferment throughout the summer until the festival.

Music

Music is a huge part of the Oktoberfest experience. Brass bands of varying sizes can be seen in the center of many tents on small raised stages, colorfully playing German folk music, including polkas, marches and other types of "oompah-pah" music, as it is colloquially known. Revelers are known to sing along while linking arms and swaying back and forth to the music in what must surely seem a funny sight to the unknowing visitor. Some tents thrive on variety with popular music and even rock and funk being played for a change of pace.

Types of Oktoberfest

Though Munich Oktoberfest is the mother of all festivals, in October many other countries around the world celebrate this event in one form or another. Australian college students are well-known for their version of Oktoberfest. Ireland, Hong Kong, Mexico, Brazil and even the United States each have Oktoberfest celebrations of their own. In the U.S., the city of Cincinnati holds the largest festival.