Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest. A Volksfest is a large, annual festival featuring a beer festival and a traveling carnival. The festival is usually held in Munich and Bavaria Germany, from mid or late September to the first Sunday in October. The annual event attracts more than seven million international and national visitors at its peak. Another colloquial term for Oktoberfest is the Wiesn, which translates to meadow or field. The festival is also held locally in Pioneer Courthouse Square Portland OR, US.
History
Oktoberfest comes from one single wedding, one that has been celebrated for over 200 years now. Oktoberfest was first celebrated in Munich in 1810 in honor of Prince Ludwig’s marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festivities began October 12, 1810, and lasted nearly a week until October 17, ending with a horse race. Moving the festival into late September has allowed for better weather conditions in the always-changing Bavarian climate. September nights in Bavaria are warmer than October nights, so visitors can enjoy the outdoor beer gardens as well as the fairgrounds filled with carnival rides.
Clothing
At Oktoberfest, women and men have certain clothing. Women wear dirndls while men wear lederhosen. Lederhosen can also be worn by women. Lederhosen are short or knee-length leather pants that are often worn with suspenders, typically made from tanned deer leather. A dirndl is a traditional dress that originated in the German-speaking Alps and is typically worn by women in Germany.
Golden Rules
There are at least ten golden rules at Oktoberfest and a lot of things to look out for at these festivals. Some of these rules are to try not to bring a bag with you. If you do bring a bag, make sure it isn’t larger than 20 cm x 15 cm x 10 cm. Any small bag you bring must not contain: gas spray cans with harmful contents or objects that can be used as cutting, thrusting, or stabbing weapons. Glass bottles are also prohibited. Another rule is that you can’t stay on the festival grounds between 1.30 am and 9 am.
The Oktoberfest Barometer
The barometer shows when the time is right for a stroll around the Wiesn. It is a list of what days and times it will be busy or not. It is a good thing to look at if you plan to go around the whole Wiesn. When it’s green, it’s relatively relaxed and cozy on the Wiesn, yellow means an average number of visitors, and the darker the red, the more crowded it is on the Festwiese (fairground).
Food and Drinks to Get
There is a huge variety of food and drinks to choose from at Oktoberfest!
10 Foods:
- Pretzels
- Ham Hock
- German Potato Salad
- Bratwurst
- Sausages
- Wiener Schnitzel
- Sauerkraut Soup
- Käsespätzle
- Obatzda
- Sauerkraut
10 Drinks:
- Cider
- Löwenbräu
- German Mule
- Weissbier
- Hugo
- Paulaner Brewery
- Mulled Wine
- Jägermeister
- Augustiner Edelstoff
- Spaten Oktoberfestbier
