Munich Oktoberfest Guide Festival in Munich

The Munich Oktoberfest is the largest festival in the world, attracting more than 6 million visitors each year. A celebration of local agriculture and, of course, Bavarian beer, this several-week-long festival usually begins in mid-September and is held on the "Therese Meadows" in Munich.



The first Oktoberfest in Munich was held to celebrate the marriage of King Ludwig I and Princess Therese on October 11, 1810. Horse races were held that day and the tradition continued the next year, when a few small beer tents were introduced. As the beer proved to be the most popular aspect of the festival, the beer booths grew to beer tents and the festival grew in length.



Bavarian brass bands, Bavarian giant pretzels and Bavarian beers are all served up in abundance in the enormous "beer tents" that characterize Oktoberfest. Each of these large tents are sponsored by local breweries and seats can even be reserved in advance. Of course, Oktoberfest means more than just drinking. The fair grounds are host to roller coasters, concerts, parades and live folk shows.



In 2005, nearly 600,000 liters of beer were consumed at the Munich Oktoberfest, as well as almost 200,000 sausages. It is estimated that 100 million Euros are spent during Oktoberfest, making it Munich's single biggest moneymaker.



Many package vacation deals are available for this event. Book a hotel room, a rental car and a seat in the beer tent in advance and even peruse the schedule of events. The Munich Oktoberfest is the biggest party in the world and not to be missed by even the amateur drinker.