The local people call it the “Wies’n” ( fairground ). Oktoberfest is the largest public festival in the world. It commences every year on the second to last Saturday of September with the parade of the landlords of the beer tents and the breweries from the center of town to the Theresienwiese ( festival grounds ).
Here, at the foot of Bavaria, you will find an amusement paradise comprising enormous beer tents, booths, and stalls, shooting stands, huge roundabouts, swings, spooky ghost trains, and daring big dippers as well as a very impressive big wheel. It is the meeting place for people from all over the world, for locals, youngsters, and children.
At night the visitors are overwhelmed by an incredible display of lights, there is a hustling and bustling and babbling of the crowds mixed in with the blasting music of the brass bands, rhythmic disco hits, and the crying out of the showmen from booths and stands. There is a fantastic smell of good food, including of course the best Bavarian specialties ( pork sausages, chicken, fish grilled on sticks, and lots of good sweet things ).
Oktoberfest beer tent
4 million liters of beer are consumed, the number of visitors is over 7 million. Not many of them will know the history of the festivities. It was the wedding of the Crown Prince who later became King Ludwig I with Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen in October 1810. The celebrations before the gates of Munich were accompanied by horse racing and were much applauded. It was such a successful day that the event was celebrated again year after year.
Slowly, lots of different events came together, e.g. livestock shows, roundabouts, swings, show booths, artist groups, and lots more… take a look for yourselves! The best thing is to climb up Bavaria and take a look through her eyes over the festive grounds, or, if you want to take the easy way, take a seat in a cabin of the big wheel.
More info: Oktoberfest – www.oktoberfest.de/en/
I would really love to be at this fest just once in my lifetime… We have something similar in our country, but it’s not the same! Just once, to feel the atmosphere, and the warmth of the people who love and enjoy just being there!!!