Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is the world's largest Volksfest. It combines a beer festival with a fun fair and is held annually in Munich on the Theresienwiese from mid-September to the first Sunday in October.
The event draws around seven million visitors each year. In 2023, attendance reached a record 7.2 million. Visitors consumed approximately 7.4 million litres of beer. The festival features amusement rides, games, food stalls, and traditional Bavarian dishes.
The first Oktoberfest was held on 12 October 1810 to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Since then, the festival has been cancelled on multiple occasions, most recently in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.

History

Origins (1810–1811)

On 12 October 1810 Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Munich officials invited the public to celebrate on fields outside the city walls. The site was named Theresienwiese the following year and is still called Wiesn.
The first festival featured a horse race modelled on the medieval Scharlachrennen once run at the Karlstor. Major Andreas Michael Dall'Armi of the National Guard proposed the idea, although coachman Franz Baumgartner later claimed credit. The race was repeated in 1811, forming the core of the Oktoberfest tradition.
Sendlinger Hill—now Theresienhöhe—served as a natural grandstand for about 40,000 spectators. Sixteen pairs of children in regional costume opened the programme, thirty horses ran a course, and a student choir closed the event. Baumgartner's horse won, and he received a gold medal from Minister of State Maximilian von Montgelas.

19th century

1811 – An agricultural show was added to promote Bavarian farming.
1813 – The fair was cancelled during the War of the Sixth Coalition.
1814 – Skittles, swings and climbing poles were introduced on its return.

Carnival booths appeared in 1818, offering prizes of silverware, porcelain and jewellery. Munich’s city council assumed control in 1819 and decreed that Oktoberfest be held annually.
A Greek delegation that visited in 1832 later cited the festival as a model for the Zappas Olympics, precursors of the modern Olympic Games.
During the century the opening was moved into late September to take advantage of warmer evenings; only the final days now fall in October.

Parades and monuments

Since 1850 the annual Trachten- und Schützenzug has marched from Maximilianstraße to the Theresienwiese, with about 8,000 participants led by the Münchner Kindl mascot.
The bronze Bavaria statue, designed by Leo von Klenze and sculpted by Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler, was erected in 1850 in front of the Ruhmeshalle, which was completed in 1853.

Modernisation (1880–1900)

Oktoberfest was cancelled for cholera epidemics, the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War.

Year	Milestone
1880	Electric lighting illuminated more than 400 booths and tents.
1881	The first bratwurst stalls opened.
1887	A brewery-dray parade became part of the official opening.
1892	Beer began to be served in glass mugs.
c. 1900	Small booths were replaced by the large beer halls still used today.

20th century

In 1910 the centenary celebration recorded the consumption of about 120,000 litres of beer. In 1913 the Bräurosl pavilion opened, seating roughly 12,000 guests.

Interruptions

1914–18 – Cancelled during World War I
1919–20 – Held only as a smaller Kleineres Herbstfest
1923–24 – Cancelled during hyperinflation

From 1933 to 1945 the Nazi regime used the festival for propaganda. In 1933 Jewish people were barred from working at the Wiesn. The festival was suspended 1939–45 during World War II; a modest “Autumn Fest” was held 1946–48.
Since 1950 the Mayor of Munich has opened Oktoberfest with a 12-gun salute and the cry “O'zapft is!”.

1980 bombing

On 26 September 1980 a pipe bomb exploded near the main entrance, killing 13 people and injuring more than 225. It was the second-deadliest terrorist attack in Germany.

21st century

In 2005 organisers introduced a “quiet Oktoberfest”: tents played only traditional brass music until 18:00, with afternoon volume capped at 85 dB.
A Bavarian smoking ban, fully enforced from 2011, made the festival smoke-free.
The 200th anniversary in 2010 included a historische Wiesn with a museum tent, special beer and a costumed horse race.
Attendance in 2013 reached 6.4 million, with 6.7 million litres of beer served.
The 2020 and 2021 festivals were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.
On 1 October 2025 the festival was temporarily shut down because of an explosion in an area of Munich.

Annual traditions

Opening parade

The tradition of the Oktoberfest entry parade began in 1887, when Hans Steyrer, then a festival host, marched from his establishment on Tegernseer Landstraße to the Theresienwiese with his staff, a brass band, and a cart of beer.
In its current form, the parade has been held since 1935, when all participating breweries took part for the first time. Since 1950, the procession has been led by the Münchner Kindl, followed by the incumbent Mayor of Munich riding in the Schottenhammel family carriage. The parade also features decorated horse-drawn wagons and floats from the breweries, as well as carriages representing other restaurateurs and showpeople. Music bands from the beer tents accompany the procession.

Official opening ceremony

Following the parade, the official opening of Oktoberfest takes place at exactly 12:00 p.m. in the Schottenhammel tent. The Mayor of Munich taps the first keg of beer and announces the Bavarian phrase "O'zapft is!". This marks the official start of the festival.
Twelve gunshots are then fired on the stairway of Ruhmeshalle. This is the signal for the other restaurateurs to start with the serving of beer. Traditionally, the Bavarian Minister-President is served the first litre of beer. Then in the other tents, the first barrels are tapped and beer is served to the visitors.
Every year, visitors eagerly await to see how many strokes the mayor needs to use before the first beer flows. Bets are even made. The best performance is still two strokes, and there was also 19 strokes required.

Costume and riflemen parade

The first costume parade was held in 1835 to mark the silver wedding anniversary of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and Princess Therese. A second parade followed in 1895, organised by the Bavarian novelist Maximilian Schmidt and involving about 1,400 participants in 150 costume groups.
A further parade was held during the centenary celebrations in 1910, directed by Julius and Moritz Wallach, early promoters of the Dirndl and Lederhosen as everyday fashion.
The modern parade has taken place each year since 1950—except in 2020–2021—and resumed in 2022.
It is now a regular feature of Oktoberfest and is among the largest processions of its kind. On the first Sunday of the festival roughly 8,000 participants walk the route from the Maximilianeum to the Theresienwiese.
The procession is led by the Münchner Kindl, followed by members of the Munich city council, representatives of the Bavarian state government, musical and marching bands, traditional-costume and rifle clubs, flag-wavers, and about 40 decorated horse-drawn carriages. Most groups come from Bavaria, though delegations also arrive from other German states, Austria, Switzerland, Northern Italy, and other European regions.
The entry of the Wiesnwirte and the costume and marksmen procession are organised by Festring München.

Unofficial sport

The unofficial sport of Oktoberfest is Masskrugstemmen, or Steinholding, in which competitors hold a filled one-liter dimpled glass mug with an outstretched arm for as long as they can.

Duration and dates

Since 1994, Oktoberfest has typically lasted 16 days, ending on the first Sunday in October. If that Sunday falls before 3 October, the festival is extended through 3 October.

Year	Dates	Duration	Notes
2000	16 Sep – 3 Oct	18 days	with ZLF
2001	22 Sep – 7 Oct	16 days
2002	21 Sep – 6 Oct	16 days
2003	20 Sep – 5 Oct	16 days
2004	18 Sep – 3 Oct	16 days	with ZLF
2005	17 Sep – 3 Oct	17 days
2006	16 Sep – 3 Oct	18 days
2007	22 Sep – 7 Oct	16 days
2008	20 Sep – 5 Oct	16 days	175th Oktoberfest, with ZLF
2009	19 Sep – 4 Oct	16 days
2010	18 Sep – 4 Oct	17 days	200th anniversary, with ZLF
2011	17 Sep – 3 Oct	17 days
2012	22 Sep – 7 Oct	16 days	with ZLF
2013	21 Sep – 6 Oct	16 days
2014	20 Sep – 5 Oct	16 days
2015	19 Sep – 4 Oct	16 days
2016	17 Sep – 3 Oct	17 days
2017	16 Sep – 3 Oct	18 days
2018	22 Sep – 7 Oct	16 days
2019	21 Sep – 6 Oct	16 days
2020	19 Sep – 4 Oct	Cancelled	COVID-19 pandemic
2021	18 Sep – 3 Oct	Cancelled	COVID-19 pandemic
2022	17 Sep – 3 Oct	17 days
2023	16 Sep – 3 Oct	18 days
2024	21 Sep – 6 Oct	16 days
2025	20 Sep – 5 Oct	16 days

The Bayerisches Zentral-Landwirtschaftsfest is held every four years alongside Oktoberfest.