Oktoberfest in Munich

Everyone knows about Oktoberfest, but do you know how it started?

The First Oktoberfest was held on October 12, 1810 when Crown Prince Ludwig was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities on the field in front of the city gates. That land was renamed Theresienwiese (“Theresa’s fields”) in honor of the Crown Princess, which the locals later abbreviate to “Wiesn.” The public occasion was such a success that it became an annual event.

1810's Oktoberfest

Today's Oktoberfest Festival

Today, Oktoberfest is a bit different. Instead of celebrating the union of a Royal couple, Munich celebrates its culture as the world’s largest fair. Every year, over 6 million visitors from all over the world come to Munich to have a great time, drink beer, and listen to music. Traditionally, Oktoberfest begins on the third weekend in September and ends on the first Sunday of October.

Below, I’ve listed Hot Events that you must attend at Munich's Oktoberfest:

Costume and Riflemen’s Parade

• Grand entry of the Oktoberfest landlords and breweries: Festivities begin on Saturday with the procession of over 1,000 participants. In addition, there are decorated carriages, floats, and marching bands.
• Costume and Riflemen’s Parade: On the first Sunday of the festival, over 8,000 performers parade 7 kilometers through the center city. This event gives an insight into the fascinating diversity of customs rooted in the states of Germany.
• Endless activities: Throughout the week, there are events to delight all ages from carousels to street performances to music concerts.
• Museum tent: You can view historical objects of past Oktoberfest festivals.
• Animal tent: You are able to visit different spices of farm and domestic animals local to the region.



Oktoberfest Beer Tent

• Beer tents: The beer tents became popular when landlords of the region used Oktoberfest as an enterprise to promote their breweries. Today, over 30 beer tents showcase Germany’s finest beers, some brewed especially for this event. The photo to the right gives you an idea on how big these tents are. Last year’s visitors consumed almost 8 million two-pint (1-liter) mugs of beer.

• Open-Air Oktoberfest Music: On the second and last Sunday, Oktoberfest celebrations conclude with 400 musicians leading the oomph music to dancing locals, likely with a beer in their hand.

Survival Guild to Oktoberfest Maddness

• Put the camera away and drink with the locals.
• Visit the tents and rides on weekdays because it’s less crowded than the weekend.
• Drink water throughout the day because German beers are big and contain more alcohol than those in the U.S..
• Bring cash because some tents don’t accept plastic cards.
• It might be worth investing in a Bavarian costume to fit right in with the natives during the parades.

These events and tips should keep you busy and happy during the Oktoberfest festivities. As for the International Dixieland Festival, I hope to one day be in Germany at the correct time of the year to experience it in person.