Oktoberfest

In 1810, the first Oktoberfest was held in honor of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig’s marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festivities began on October 12, 1810 and ended on October 17 with a horse race. The celebrations were repeated in the following years and eventually the festival was lengthened to its current two-week span. Oktoberfest is the world’s largest outdoor festival. Located in Munich, Germany, it actually begins in late September in order to take advantage of the milder weather. With an earlier start date, visitors enjoy warmer evenings while imbibing their favorite beers.

Visit the official Oktoberfest Web site to read about upcoming festival dates, beer prices, and other information.

Explore the official Oktoberfest history Web site to learn some interesting background and facts about the famous beer celebration.

The original celebration in Munich has inspired numerous similar events in Germany and around the world. Many German immigrant enclaves in the U.S. have their own Oktoberfest celebrations. The largest and most notable are the events in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Recently, a licensed replica of the Hofbrau Haus (a legendary Munich beer hall) opened in Las Vegas. For information on the location as well as details about their Oktoberfest, view the Las Vegas beer hall's home page.

In Brazil, several southern cities, populated by German people in the 19th and 20th centuries, hold their own Oktoberfests. The largest event is in Blumenau, Santa Catarina. In the 1980s, a severe flood hit Blumenau; the waters of the Itajai River damaged a good part of the city. The Oktoberfest was organized as a fundraiser for reconstruction. The festival is now an annual tradition, held every year from October 10 to October 27; it's one of the most popular parties in Brazil, drawing over 1,000,000 visitors.

For more information on Blumenau and its Oktoberfest, visit the Brazilian Tourism Web site.