 About Oktoberfest
The Oktoberfest as a formal, organized affair took place for the first time on October 12, 1810. On that day, the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig - who later became King Ludwig I - married Princess Theresa of Saxony-Hildburghausen. To allow the commoners, too, to partake in the ceremonies, the noble couple decided to organize a wedding party for its subjects on some grazing land outside the Munich city gates - and some 40,000 happy Bavarians showed up for the fun. Strangely, the most popular attraction at the first Munich Oktoberfest in 1810 was horse racing! The fest was such a success that Ludwig decided to repeat the whole show on the anniversary of his nuptials, in subsequent years, with plenty of beer. In 1814, the German poet Achim von Arnim reported that the festivities featured an ample array of beer shacks where the people could get their brew in half-liter, tin-lidded steins. Eventually, horse racing was left out, but more and more beer stands were added to keep the crowds in high spirits, and the festivities were extended to several days. In 1896, the first beer tents appeared and today, the celebration has become the biggest beer festival in the world! Do you want to know more? You'll find everything you need to know about the festival at the Official Oktoberfest Website
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Oktoberfest Map
Oktoberfest Dates
Sep. 18 - Oct. 3, 2010
Sep. 17 - Oct. 3, 2011
Sep. 22 - Oct. 7, 2012
Oktoberfest Tents
• Hippodrom
• Ambrustschützen
• Hofbräu-Festzelt
• Hacker-Festzelt
• Schottenhammel
• Winzerer Fähndl
• Schützen-Festzelt*
• Wies'n-Schänke*
• Kuffler Weinzelt
• Löwenbräu-Festhalle*
• Bräurosl-Festzelt*
• Augustiner-Festhalle
• Spatenbräu-Festhalle
• Fischer-Vroni
* German website
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