For two weeks every year, Oktoberfest transforms cities into hubs of beer, celebration, and friendship. What started as a Bavarian wedding festival has grown into a global phenomenon. While Munich remains the heart of the festivities, people now raise their steins across the world.
The origins of Oktoberfest
The very first edition took place in 1810 to honour the marriage of Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen and Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria. The five-day event featured horse races, music, and traditional Bavarian festivities. Locals enjoyed it so much that they made it an annual tradition. Over time, the celebration shifted its focus, placing beer at the centre of the experience.
The festival kicks off on the first Saturday after 15 September and continues until the first Sunday in October. However, if this falls on 1 or 2 October, organisers extend the event to 3 October, which marks the Day of German Unity. As a result, Oktoberfest lasts between 16 and 18 days.
Tradition meets celebration
Munich’s Theresienwiese, the original festival grounds, remains the heart of the celebrations. Today, over five million visitors gather there each year. Men don lederhosen, while women wear dirndls, embracing Bavarian culture. They flock to massive beer tents and surrounding beer gardens, enjoying the festival’s lively atmosphere.
However, not every brewery earns the right to serve beer at the official Oktoberfest. Only six historic Munich breweries hold this privilege:
- Augustiner
- Hacker-Pschorr
- Hofbräu München
- Löwenbräu
- Paulaner
- Spaten
Each brewery crafts a special Festbier (with Munich Light malt of course), a stronger and maltier lager designed specifically for the Bavarian festival. This beer is served in Maßkrüge – enormous one-litre beer glasses. Although beer remains the star, the festival offers much more. Visitors can enjoy a massive fairground featuring roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and other thrilling rides. In fact, Oktoberfest hosts the world’s largest carnival, adding to the excitement.
Oktoberfest beyond Munich
Although Munich remains the most famous Oktoberfest location, celebrations now take place worldwide. In Germany, major cities like Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, and even Sittard in the Netherlands host large-scale events. Meanwhile, the festival continues to gain popularity in the United States, where cities like Cincinnati, Denver, and Milwaukee now hold grand celebrations.
What began as a royal wedding festival has evolved into a global tribute to beer, tradition, and good company. Whether in Munich or halfway across the world, Oktoberfest remains a time to raise a stein, share a laugh, and embrace Bavarian heritage.
