200 Year Anniversary of Munich’s Oktoberfest

Heft a stein of beer, chow down on some wurst, enjoy some music, and hang out with several thousand friends and strangers because, yes my friends, it’s time for Munich’s Oktoberfest.  Oktoberfest is the world’s largest fair, and is probably Germany’s most famous event, attracting over six million people every year.  That’s a lot of beer and wurst!
With 14 main beer tents set up around the venue, there will be plenty to eat and drink.  Bavarian food is hearty food and includes dishes like sausages, roast chicken and pork, pork knuckle, dumplings, noodles, sauerkraut and other cabbage dishes, and potato pancakes.  The most recent German meal that I had was pork knuckle served with potato pancakes, and it was filling, full of flavor, and very tasty.  If you haven’t tried some of these dishes, give it a go, you’re in for a treat.For all its drinking and madness, Oktoberfest is actually an important part of Bavarian culture celebrating the 1810 marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig (later to become King Ludwig i) and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen.  The first Oktoberfest was quite a gala event, it was a wedding after all, but during years of war and strife, the festivities were toned down a bit.  In the 1950’s the festival became a bit more organized and turned into the international celebration that it is today, full of of scheduled events, activities, performances and customs.

Oktoberfest brings out some crazy customs, too.  From lederhosen to dirndl skirts to cowboy hats with a tuft of goat hair, the festival attracts an eclectic group of visitors.  And despite the often rampant public drunkenness, this is a family event..  In order to preserve the family tradition of the festival, the music doesn’t ratchet up until after 6 pm, but after that, it’s often no holds barred as music, dancing, and singing continues.

If you’re attending with friends, you’ll want to keep your phone handy, and plan on texting rather than calling.  The tents are very crowded and very noisy, so you’ll need to text your location to friends.  You may want to consider the Oktoberfest iPhone app to help you keep track of everything that’s happening.

Prost! (Cheers)

Location:  Theresienwise in Munich, Germany (Bavaria)

Dates:  September 18th – October 4th, 2010

Hours:  Beer is served in the tents until 10:30 pm

Prices:  There is no admission fee for Oktoberfest and entry to all tents is free.  Official price range for a liter of beer is €8.30 – 8.60 (about $11).

NOTE:  Children under 6 are not permitted in the tents after 8 pm.

Photo credit:  David Kadavy @flickr