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| Beer Mugs by Vera Kratochvil |
Oktoberfest is one of the world's greatest seasonal cultural festivals. It is a traditional German festival held every fall in many locations around the world. However, with between six and seven million visitors, Munich Oktoberfest is the largest celebration of them all. When most people think of Oktoberfest, the first thing that comes to mind is the traditional German beer served in extra-large steins. Nevertheless, Oktoberfest isn't just about the bier. It is also about the people, the food, and the music—all of them coming together to celebrate German culture and tradition.
The first Oktoberfest began on October 12, 1810 as a massive horse race, all to celebrate the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. Unsurprisingly, the revelry surrounding the races was tremendously popular, and by 1813 the festival was declared mandatory for every year. People loved it so much it soon stretched to two weeks in length. As the years went on, organizers pushed the starting point back into September to take advantage of the milder weather.
During Oktoberfest, beer drinkers from all over the world travel to Germany to celebrate German beers. This is a great time to learn more about German beer, sample the different varieties, and enjoy the rich bold flavors that make German beer so very popular.
The preparation for Oktoberfest starts about two months before the festivities are opened each year. Today the Munich festival also features a large midway and fair and always lots of eating in addition to the beer drinking. Local Munich breweries and about eighty showmen set up their beer halls and various attractions such as ghost trains, roller coasters, and a variety of other rides. In fact, local breweries are the only one allowed to serve beer in the main tents. The beer tents are still set up on the Theresienwiese, named in honor of the Crown Prince's bride.
The area is set up almost like a city with its own infrastructure like streets, toilets, police, post office, first-aid station. It even has its own sewage system! Hundreds of people are employed every year just to work there. Oktoberfest boosts not only tourism but also has a major impact on the economy of Munich.
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