German Oktoberfest
About Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest is a two-and-a-half-week German beer and culture festival, held in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. While it is a giant world festival in Germany, Oktoberfest celebrations are held around the world during this time. So, if you can’t get to the festival in Germany, you can participate in a local event. Oktober celebrations include beer, German foods, music, dancing, and German culture.
It’s time to eat, drink, and be merry! The mayor of Munich opens Oktoberfest each year by tapping a keg of beer. They make a special brew, aptly called Oktoberfest beer, for the festival.
Oktoberfest is not just a celebration of beer. It is a huge festival with lots of food, music, dancing, rides, and carnival booths. Each year millions of people from all over the world come to the fair. Oktoberfest celebrations and festivals are held around the world during this time. These festivals also celebrate the rich heritage of the German people.
When is Oktoberfest? It begins late September and ends in early October.
Plan for Oktoberfest well in advance. Here are the dates for Oktoberfest in Germany and around the world:
Opens on September 20, 2025 – ends on October 5, 2025
Begins September 19, 2026 – concludes October 4, 2026
Starts September 18, 2027 – ends on October 3, 2027
Opens September 16, 2028 – ends on October 3, 2028 (extended)
Starts September 22, 2029 – ends on October 7, 2029
Starts September 21, 2030 – ends on October 6, 2030
Oktoberfest Trivia and Fun Facts
Here are some Oktoberfest trivia and fun facts to learn as you sip a frothy beer from an ice-cold stein:
- In 1810, the first Oktoberfest celebrated the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess There Saxe-Hildburghausen.
- The festival is a Bavarian tradition. As a result, only beer made in Munich is sold at the festival.
- Oktoberfest beer is extra strong.
- Festival goers in Germany consume between 6 and 7 million liters of beer annually.
- Organizers cancelled the festival during World War I and World War II.
- A total of 24 festival cancellations were due to wars, along with Cholera and COVID outbreaks.
- Approximately 6 million people attend Oktoberfest in Germany each year.
- Every year, the mayor of Munich opens the festival by tapping the first keg. Then, he says “O’zapft is!”. It means “the tap is open”. This tradition began in 1950.
- Absolutely no one raises a mug to their lips until the mayor says the tap is open
- The city of Kitchener-Waterloo, Canada holds the largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany.
How to Celebrate Oktoberfest
Attend an Oktoberfest celebration during this period. You don’t have to go every day. But, try to attend on more than one day because it is a lot of fun. German clubs and many local bars hold Oktoberfest celebrations and events, complete with music and dancing. It’s for participants and very good for business.
Don’t just go and drink beer. Rather, plan on joining in on the dancing and festivities.
Today's Quote
“Milk is for babies. When you grow up you have to drink beer.” – – Arnold Schwarzenegger
History and Origin of German Oktoberfest
The very first Oktoberfest was held on October 12, 1810. It was held to commemorate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig (King Ludwig 1) to Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The wedding took place on October 12th, and a great horse race (in celebration of the marriage) was held a few days later on October 17th. Citizens celebrated the popular royal couple’s marriage annually. It became known as Oktoberfest.
Early Oktoberfest celebrations were held in October. The festival was eventually moved to September, as the weather was better earlier in the Fall.
Oktoberfest has been held annually since 1810. Throughout this time, it has been canceled a few times, due to wars, and once due to a major Cholera outbreak (1854) in the region.
Over the years, the festival grew. Carnival booths appeared. Beer became a central theme and flowed freely. Food was a big part of the festivities. And, later rides became a part of the festival activities. Millions of people annually flock to Oktoberfest in Munich.
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