Origins, History, and an Overview of Oktoberfest
Food, beer, and fall festivities are characteristics of Oktoberfest, the world’s largest folk festival, which takes place in Munich, Germany. The festival, which draws in around 7 million visitors annually, extends over a two-week period from mid-September through the first Sunday of October. This year marks the 191st year of the festival, which will be held from September 19th to October 4th on the Theresienwiese, the festival’s annual home.
The festival originated on October 12th, 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is located in southeast Germany and is the largest state in Germany by area, with Munich being its capital. The citizens of Munich were invited to celebrate the union of the royal couple at the fields near the city’s gates, named the Theresienwiese after Princess Therese - ‘Theresienwiese’ translates to Theresa’s fields. Today, the grounds are also known by their nickname, “Wiesn.”
While the first Oktoberfest’s sole event was a horse race, in the following years, shows to promote Bavaria’s agriculture, carnival games, and various activities were added. While 216 years have passed since the festival’s origin, several years have been canceled due to ongoing pandemics or wars.
Festivities: Oktoberfest’s Historic and Significant Traditions and Events
Nowadays, Oktoberfest begins with the Parade of the Oktoberfest Landlords and Breweries, where Oktoberfest tent owners (breweries and festival hosts) move into the festival grounds with traditionally decorated wagons and brewery carriages. The parade is followed by the famous “O’zapft is,” marking the official start to Oktoberfest. “Ozapft is,” which translates to “It is tapped,” is cheered by Munich’s mayor at noon as they tap the first beer keg of the festival. Such official ceremonial tapping of the festival’s first keg began in 1950 by Mayor Thomas Wimmer. After the tapping, 12 gunshots are fired to signal to the festival tents that Oktoberfest is officially open and beer is allowed to begin flowing.
The following day, the first Sunday of the festival, the Trachten- und Schützenzug, another traditional parade, takes place at 10am. The nearly 7 km (~4.3 mile) long procession features around 9,000 participants dressed in traditional German costumes such as dirndls and lederhosen. The parade also includes members of Bavarian shooting clubs and floats. Visitors are encouraged to watch from stands lining the parade’s route!
The festival features various other important traditions. Taking place on the first Thursday of Oktoberfest - this year on September 24th - is the Ecumenical Mass, held at the Marstall Festzelt. Held for the first time in 1956, the service is aimed towards honoring showmen, market sellers and Oktoberfest hosts who have passed away. The service is open to visitors of the festival. On Saturday, September 26, 2026, the festival will honor the victims of the 1980 Oktoberfest right-wing terrorist attack with a memorial service and wreath-laying ceremony, which will be led by Munich’s mayor.
At 11am on the second Sunday of Oktoberfest, around 300 musicians of the Oktoberfest tents perform at the steps of the Bavaria statue, playing famous traditional Bavarian songs. Finally, on Sunday, October 4, at noon, around 60 gun saluters in traditional German dress fire their salute, which produces plumes of white smoke (due to black powder instead of bullets being fired), marking the end of the festival.
Within the Tents: Attractions, Cuisine, and So Much Beer
Not only does the festival feature traditions, but also various booths, rides, stalls, and attractions. Stalls include carnival games, souvenir shops, and bird whistlers. Perhaps most important, though, is the beer and food of Oktoberfest! The festival has 14 large and 21 small tents, each with its own personality and energy. Visitors are certain to find a tent which matches their desires, whether for a lively party atmosphere at Hofbräu-Festzelt, meat specialties at Ochsenbraterei, a more international group at Löwenbräu-Festzelt, and many more.
The smaller tents of the festival are home to many of Oktoberfests’ food specialties. The Ammer tent boasts the world’s oldest chicken roastery, which has been at the Wiesn since 1885. Bodo's Cafézelt & Cocktailbar serves the famous kirschwasser donuts, which combine sweet dough with kirschwasser (clear cherry brandy) and are typically topped with chocolate ganache or powdered sugar. Rischart's Café Kaiserschmarrn serves freshly prepared kaiserschmarrn, a traditional German ‘shredded’ pancake dish, topped with powdered sugar. Other tents serve foods like spätzle, raclette, Bavarian pork sausages, crispy roast duck and chicken with Knödel (potato dumplings) and red cabbage, ham hocks and veal shanks, Guglhupf (a Bavarian cake which can be nut, poppy seed or marbled), and various other delicacies.
Of course, Oktoberfest would not be Oktoberfest without its beer! Around 7 million liters of beer are consumed annually over the course of the festival, making the beverage a defining feature of the celebrations. Important to note is that only beers from reputable traditional Munich breweries are allowed to be served at Oktoberfest, which serves to further celebrate the city and region. Currently, these breweries are the following: Augustinerbrauerei, Hacker-Pschorr Brauerei, Löwenbrauerei, Paulanerbrauerei, Spatenbrauerei, and the Statliches Hofbräuhaus. In 1990, the Munich Regional Court decided that the Oktoberfest is to be considered the 'Fest des Münchner Bieres,’ which translates to the festival of Munich beer.
And with that, happy Oktoberfest! O’zapft is!